Patent · US Expired

Short circuit protection circuit for a low-side driver circuit

US6008972A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
4References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 12, 1997
Grant dateDec 28, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 12, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K17/04206
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A short circuit protection circuit which has a first short circuit protection circuit in parallel with a second short circuit protection circuit is disclosed. The first short circuit protection circuit includes a sense resistor and a comparator for detecting the short circuit, and a transistor and current source for turning off the low side driver when the short circuit is detected. The second short circuit protection circuit includes a current mirror, zener diode, transistor, and current source connected in series. The second short circuit protection circuit is in parallel with the first short circuit protection circuit. The second short circuit protection circuit accelerates the turn-off of the low-side driver with out affecting the stability of the circuit.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.