Circuit and method for detecting, whether a voltage difference between two voltages is below a desired voltage difference, and protection circuit

US7872518B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Infineon Technologies AG · DE

Inventors

• Uwe Weder · Freiburg im Breisgau, DE
• Christoph Mayerl · Munich, DE
• Julia Kresse · Munich, DE
• Christoph Saas · Munich, DE
• Dennis Tischendorf · Unterhaching, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 31, 2008
• Grant date: Jan 18, 2011
• Expiry date: Aug 14, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G05F1/561
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A circuit for detecting, whether a voltage difference is below a desired voltage difference comprises a voltage shift resistor, a current provider and a detection circuit. The current provider provides a current flowing through the voltage shift resistor such that the desired voltage difference across the voltage shift resistor is determined by a reference signal. The detection circuit is configured to compare a first voltage at a first input with a voltage at a second input to obtain a signal. The voltage shift resistor is coupled between a conductor for a second voltage and the second input, such that the voltage at the second input differs from the second voltage by the desired voltage difference, and wherein the detection circuit is configured to provide the signal, such that the signal indicates, whether the voltage difference between the first and the second voltage is below the desired voltage difference.