Diagnostic power driver circuit
US5896057A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 30, 1997 |
| Grant date | Apr 20, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 30, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02H7/1225
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A troubleshooting circuit for locating malfunctions while driving an electric load by means of a bridge stage (M1, M2, M3, M4) which is connected between ground (GND) and the power supply (+VCC) in series with first and second resistors (Rsl, Rsh), respectively. First (COMP1) and second (COMP2) threshold comparators are coupled to the first resistor to sense a short-circuit to battery (+VCC) and an open-load condition, respectively. Coupled to the second resistor is a third threshold comparator (COMP3) adapted to sense a short-circuit to ground. The output signals from the comparators are sampled through flip-flops (FF1, FF2, FF3, FF4, FF5, FF6) upon a transistor in the bridge being switched to the off state.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.