Monitoring the characteristics of a load driver controlled by a microcontroller
US5448492A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 3, 1994 |
| Grant date | Sep 5, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 3, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R31/007
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Loads, such as power relays controlling wipers, windows and lights are connected to an automobile battery through individual transistor drives that are controlled by a microcontroller. A switch, connected to the microcontroller, is operated to activate each drive. The microcontroller checks the load characteristic when each drive is activated and inactivated. When the load is inactivated, it is part of a resistance network producing a test voltage that is digitally converted and supplied to the microcontroller, which compares the test voltage to a stored voltage to determine if the load is correct. An analog multiplexer is controlled by the microcontroller to select the voltage produced for each load.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.