Switch fault detection techniques for DC-DC converters
AssigneeAnalog Devices International Unlimited Company
InventorsHai Chen, Gregory J. Hughes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Using various techniques, each transistor in a DC-DC converter can have a corresponding voltage detector that can compare a difference of a first voltage at a first terminal of the transistor and a second voltage at a second terminal of the transistor to a threshold voltage. Then, based on at least one comparison, a controller can detect an open circuit or a short circuit in one or more of the transistors regardless of the direction of the load current in the DC-DC converter.
Claims20
A circuit configured to detect an open circuit or a short circuit in a switched-mode DC-DC converter having a switching regulator regardless of a direction of a load current, the circuit comprising:
- a first voltage detector circuit coupled across a first transistor, the first voltage detector circuit including a first output and configured to compare a difference of a first reference voltage or an output voltage and a node voltage to a corresponding one of first and second threshold voltages;
- a second voltage detector circuit coupled across a second transistor, the second voltage detector circuit including a second output and configured to compare a difference of a second reference voltage and the node voltage to a corresponding one of first and second threshold voltages;
- and
- a controller coupled to corresponding control nodes of the first and second transistors to control operation of the first and second transistors, wherein the first output of the first voltage detector circuit is coupled to a first input of the controller, wherein the second output of the second voltage detector circuit is coupled to a second input of the controller, and wherein the controller is configured to detect an open circuit or a short circuit in at least one of the first transistor and the second transistor based on at least one of the comparisons regardless of the direction of the load current in the DC-DC converter.
A method of detecting an open circuit or a short circuit in a switched-mode DC-DC converter having a switching regulator regardless of current direction, the method comprising:
- controlling, using a controller coupled to corresponding control nodes of first and second transistors, operation of the first and second transistors;
- comparing a difference across the first transistor of a first reference voltage or an output voltage and a node voltage to a corresponding one of first and second threshold voltages and outputting a first comparison to a first input of the controller;
- comparing a difference across the second transistor of a second reference voltage and the node voltage to a corresponding one of first and second threshold voltages and outputting a second comparison to a first input of the controller;
- and
- detecting an open circuit or a short circuit in at least one of the first transistor and the second transistor based on at least one of the first and second comparisons regardless of the direction of the load current in the DC-DC converter.
A circuit configured to detect an open circuit or a short circuit in a switched-mode DC-DC converter having a switching regulator regardless of a direction of a load current, the circuit comprising:
- a first means for comparing a difference across a first transistor of a first reference voltage or an output voltage and a node voltage to a corresponding one of first and second threshold voltages and outputting a first comparison to a first input of the controller;
- a second means for comparing a difference across a second transistor of a second reference voltage and the node voltage to a corresponding one of first and second threshold voltages and outputting a second comparison to a second input of the controller;
- and
- a controller coupled to corresponding control nodes of the first and second transistors to control operation of the first and second transistors, wherein the first output of the first voltage detector circuit is coupled to a first input of the controller, wherein the second output of the second voltage detector circuit is coupled to a second input of the controller, and wherein the controller is configured to detect an open circuit or a short circuit in at least one of the first transistor and the second transistor based on at least one of the first and second comparisons regardless of the direction of the load current in the DC-DC converter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.