Transistor bridge failure test

A circuit arrangement for testing a transistor bridge, which includes at least a first half-bridge including a low-side transistor and a high-side transistor, the circuit arrangement comprising:

• a current source that is operably coupled to the high-side transistor of the first half-bridge and configured to supply a test current to an output node of the first half-bridge;
• a driver circuit configured to activate a first switch of the first half-bridge;
• and
• a detection circuit configured to:
• compare a voltage sense signal, which represents a voltage across the high-side transistor of the first half-bridge, with at least one first threshold;
• and
• verify that the first switch has been actually activated based on comparing the voltage sense signal with the at least one first threshold,
• wherein the driver circuit is configured to activate a second switch of the first half-bridge,
• wherein the detection circuit is configured to verify that the second switch has been actually activated based on comparing the voltage sense signal with a second threshold,
• wherein the driver circuit is configured to deactivate a second switch of the first half-bridge, and
• wherein the detection circuit is configured to verify that the second switch has been actually deactivated based on comparing the voltage sense signal with the second threshold.

A method for testing a transistor bridge, which includes at least a first half-bridge and a second half-bridge, each half-bridge including a low-side transistor and a high-side transistor, the method comprising:

• supplying a test current to an output node of the first half-bridge;
• activating a first switch of the second half-bridge;
• and
• verifying that a load is properly connected between the output node of the first half-bridge and an output node of the second half-bridge by comparing a voltage sense signal, which represents a voltage across the high-side transistor of the first half-bridge, with at least one first threshold,
• wherein the transistor bridge includes a third half-bridge, the method further comprising:
• activating a first switch of the third half-bridge;
• and
• verifying that the load is properly connected between the output node of the first half-bridge and an output node of the third half-bridge by comparing the voltage sense signal, which represents the voltage across the high-side transistor of the first half-bridge, with at least one second threshold.

A method for testing a transistor bridge, which includes at least a first half-bridge including a low-side transistor and a high-side transistor, the method comprising:

• supplying a test current to an output node of the first half-bridge;
• activating a first switch of the first half-bridge;
• verifying that the first switch has been actually activated by comparing a voltage sense signal, which represents a voltage across the high-side transistor of the first half-bridge, with at least one first threshold;
• and
• detecting that a short-circuit is present in the first half-bridge by comparing the voltage sense signal with at least one second threshold, wherein detecting that the short-circuit is present in the first half-bridge comprises:
• comparing the voltage sense signal with the at least one second threshold by comparing the voltage sense signal with a third threshold and a fourth threshold;
• signaling a short-circuit of the high-side transistor when the voltage sense signal is higher than the third threshold but lower than the fourth threshold, and
• signaling a short-circuit of the low-side transistor when the voltage sense signal is higher than the fourth threshold.

A circuit arrangement for testing a transistor bridge, which includes at least a first half-bridge including a low-side transistor and a high-side transistor, the circuit arrangement comprising:

• a current source that is operably coupled to the high-side transistor of the first half-bridge and configured to supply a test current to an output node of the first half-bridge;
• a driver circuit configured to activate a first switch of the first half-bridge;
• and
• a detection circuit configured to:
• compare a voltage sense signal, which represents a voltage across the high-side transistor of the first half-bridge, with at least one first threshold;
• and
• verify that the first switch has been actually activated based on comparing the voltage sense signal with the at least one first threshold,
• wherein the detection circuit is configured to detect that a short-circuit is present in the first half-bridge by comparing the voltage sense signal with at least one second threshold and wherein the detection circuit is configured to:
• compare the voltage sense signal with the at least one second threshold by comparing the voltage sense signal with a third threshold and a fourth threshold;
• detect a short-circuit of the high-side transistor when the voltage sense signal is higher than the third threshold but lower than the fourth threshold;
• and
• detect a short-circuit of the low-side transistor when the voltage sense signal is higher than the fourth threshold.