Sink and Source Current

拉电流和灌电流（搬运，翻译无法理解的地方看原文）

Anyone who has connected to the digital outputs of data acquisition or data logger systems (for example the digital outputs of our DI-149 and DI-155 Starter Kits) has wrestled with sink and source current specs, and they continue to be a topic of confusion for many.
任何连接到数据采集或数据记录器系统的数字输出(例如DI-149和DI-155启动器套件的数字输出)的人都一直在纠结于sink和source电流规格，它们仍然是许多人困惑的话题。
When does sink current matter, and what is it?
什么时候会产生电流，它是什么?
Same for source current.
源电流也一样。
References to sink and source current are made relative to the current switching device inside the system.
吸收电流和源电流的参考是相对于系统内部的电流开关器件而作的。
In most cases, that’s a simple transistor.
在大多数情况下，那是一个简单的晶体管。
Source current refers to the ability of the digital output port to supply current.
源电流是指数字输出端口提供电流的能力。
Sink current refers to the ability of the port to receive current.
接收电流是指端口接收电流的能力。
The following figure may help.
下面的图可能会有帮助。

In the above, our goal is to light a simple light-emitting diode using the switching ability of a digital output port.
在上面，我们的目标是利用数字输出端口的开关能力来点亮一个简单的发光二极管。
The top shows a current source application, and the bottom a current sink approach.
顶部显示当前源应用程序，底部显示当前接收方法。
Notice the direction of current in both cases: Source supplies current and sink receives current.
注意这两种情况下的电流方向:电源提供电流，接收器接收电流。
When the port supplies (or sources) current it’s limited by the current limiting resistor R. You may or may not be able to draw enough current to light the LED depending upon the LED’s current requirements, but in any event you won’t damage the port.
当端口提供(或源)电流时，它受到电流限制电阻r的限制。你可能或可能不能获得足够的电流来照亮LED，这取决于LED的电流要求，但在任何情况下，你都不会损坏端口。
Let’s assume that the LED lights very dimly (or not at all) so that sourcing current is not an option.
让我们假设LED灯很暗(或根本不亮)，所以电源电流不是一个选项。
In other words, the digital port cannot provide (or source) enough current.
换句话说，数字端口不能提供(或源)足够的电流。
What can you do?
你能做什么?
One option is to provide your own power source that can supply adequate current, use the port to control whether or not the current flows, and thus turn the LED on and off. This configuration is shown at the bottom, of the figure.
一种选择是提供您自己的电源，可以提供足够的电流，使用端口来控制电流是否流动，从而打开和关闭LED。这种配置显示在图的底部。
Now the digital port no longer supplies (sources) current but is configured to receive (or sink) it.
现在数字端口不再提供(源)电流，但被配置为接收(或接收)它。
To prevent damage to the port you need to be cognizant of its maximum sink current spec. Sinking more than this figure will fry transistor switch Q and render the digital port permanently inoperative.
为了防止损坏端口，你需要了解它的最大下沉电流规格。超过这个数字将烧毁晶体管开关Q并使数字端口永久失效。
Resistor Rsink provides current limiting when the transistor sinks current.
当晶体管吸收电流时，电阻Rsink提供电流限制。
Now let’s put some meat on this application and assume that the maximum current sink spec for a given digital output port is 10 mA.
现在让我们把一些肉在这个应用程序，并假设最大电流汇聚规格为一个给定的数字输出端口是10ma。
We ignore any LEDs that require more current than 10 mA and locate one that’s rated for 5 mA and has a forward voltage of 2 V.
我们忽略任何需要超过10ma电流的led，而定位一个额定为5ma，正向电压为2v的led。
Ignoring the ON resistance of Q (usually very small), we can calculate Rsink to be (5-2)/0.005 = 600 Ohms to ensure that the port doesn’t sink more than 5 mA, well below its 10 mA maximum rating.
忽略Q的ON电阻(通常非常小)，我们可以计算Rsink为(5-2)/0.005 = 600欧姆，以确保端口下沉不超过5毫安，远低于10毫安的最大额定值。
A final point is that the control signal at Q’s base for the current source versus the sink application is inverted.
最后一点是，当前源与接收应用程序在Q基底处的控制信号是反向的。
A logical 1 applied to Q’s base in the current source application turns the LED off. A logical 1 turns it on for the current sink application.
在当前源应用程序中，应用到Q基的逻辑1会关闭LED。在当前sink应用程序中，逻辑1会打开LED。