# US 10,502,773 B2 · System and method for diagnosing electrical faults > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,773 B2 - Document ID: US10502773B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/678,720 - Filed: 2017-08-16 - Published: 2019-02-21 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-16 - Assignees: Connaught Electronics Ltd. - Applicants: Connaught Electronics Ltd. - Inventors: Beniamin Dragoi; Sergio Bantiles - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502773B2 ## CPC - G01R 31/52: Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults - G01R 31/006: {on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks (testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00)} - G07C 5/0808: {Diagnosing performance data (testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005)} - H04B 3/46: Monitoring; Testing - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract A load device coupled to an output of an ECU via a coaxial cable is disclosed. The ECU provides power to the load device, and has a power over coaxial cable (PoC) filter coupled to the output, a high side switch (HSS) coupled to the power supply and to the PoC filter via an HSS output line, a diode disposed in the HSS output line that eliminates current flow from the output towards the HSS, while allowing current flow from the HSS towards the load device, a diode resistor in parallel with the diode that allows a current to flow past the diode towards the HSS while a short-to-battery scenario is occurring, and a pull down resistor (RPD) disposed between the output line of the HSS and a ground prior to the diode configured to pull the voltage at the HSS output down to zero while an open load scenario is occurring. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a load device coupled to an output of an electronic control unit (ECU) via a coaxial cable; and the ECU, comprising: a power supply configured to provide power for the load device; a power over coaxial cable (PoC) filter coupled to the output; a high side switch (HSS) coupled to the power supply and to the PoC filter via an HSS output line; a diode disposed in the HSS output line and configured to substantially eliminate current flow from the output towards the HSS, while allowing current to flow from the HSS towards the load device from the HSS; a diode resistor (RD) disposed in parallel with the diode an configured to allow a current to flow past the diode towards the HSS while the HSS is in an off mode and a short-to-battery scenario is occurring; and a pull down resistor (RPD) disposed between the output line of the HSS and a ground prior to the diode, and configured to pull the voltage at the HSS output down to zero volts while the HSS is in the off mode and an open load scenario has occurred. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the load device is a camera. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the ECU is a portion of an automobile system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the power supply is a switched mode power supply. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the HSS comprises a plurality of field effect transistors. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of field effect transistors is configured to connect and disconnect power from the power supply to a separate load device of a plurality of load devices. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the coaxial cable provides power to the load device while also providing load device data to the ECU. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the ECU is configured to process, at least in part, the load device data received from the load device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a controller; and detection circuitry configured to detect the voltage at the output of the HSS and report the detected voltage to the controller. ### Claim 10 A method, comprising: configuring an electrical control unit (ECU) to include a diode positioned between a power supply and a load device connected via a coaxial cable; providing power to the load device from the ECU; initiating a test to determine a fault scenario; placing a high side switch (HSS) into an off mode; configuring a diode resistor (RD) disposed in parallel with the diode to allow a current to flow past the diode towards the HSS while the HSS is in the off mode and a short-to-battery scenario is occurring; configuring a pull down resistor (RPD) disposed between the output line of the HSS and a ground prior to the diode to pull the voltage at the HSS output down to zero volts while the HSS is in the off mode and an open load scenario has occurred; measuring the voltage at the output of the HSS; detecting that the voltage is zero volts; determining, based on detecting zero volts, that the open load scenario has occurred; and reporting the open load scenario to a controller. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: after reporting the open load scenario, initiating the test to determine the fault scenario; putting the HSS into the off mode; measuring the voltage at the output of the HSS; detecting that the voltage has a value other than zero volts; determining, based on detecting that the voltage is not zero volts, that a short-to-battery scenario is occurring; and reporting the short-to-battery scenario to the controller. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the load device is a camera. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the ECU is a portion of an automobile system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the power supply is a switched mode power supply. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the HSS comprises a plurality of field effect transistors. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of field effect transistors is configured to connect and disconnect power from the power supply to a separate load device of a plurality of load devices. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the coaxial cable provides power to the load device while also providing load device data to the ECU. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the ECU is configured to process, at least in part, the load device data received from the load device.