Overvoltage protection circuit for a control unit for a vehicle, control unit for a vehicle and method for testing an overvoltage protection circuit for a control unit for a vehicle

A control unit for a vehicle, comprising:

• an overvoltage protection circuit, including:
• an input terminal for applying an electrical input voltage, a test terminal for the application of an electrical test voltage, and an output terminal for providing an electrical output voltage to supply the control unit;
• a reference device to provide a reference voltage using the input voltage;
• a dividing device to provide a divided voltage using the output voltage;
• a control device to provide a regulation signal using the reference voltage and the divided voltage;
• a regulation device connected between the input terminal and the output terminal, wherein the regulation device is configured to provide the output voltage using the input voltage and the regulation signal;
• and
• a modification device to modify a value of the divided voltage using the test voltage;
• a voltage supply terminal, wherein the output terminal of the overvoltage protection circuit is connected to the voltage supply terminal of the control unit;
• and
• a test device for testing a functionality of the overvoltage protection circuit, wherein the test device is configured to capture a first value or first value profile of the electrical output voltage, to capture a second value or second value profile of the electrical output voltage, and to provide a test signal using the first value or first value profile and the second value or second value profile.

A method for testing an overvoltage protection circuit for a control unit for a vehicle, the method comprising:

• applying an electrical test voltage with a first voltage level to a test terminal of the overvoltage protection circuit, wherein the overvoltage protection circuit includes:
• an input terminal for applying an electrical input voltage, a test terminal for the application of an electrical test voltage, and an output terminal for providing an electrical output voltage to supply the control unit;
• a reference device to provide a reference voltage using the input voltage;
• a dividing device to provide a divided voltage using the output voltage;
• a control device to provide a regulation signal using the reference voltage and the divided voltage;
• a regulation device connected between the input terminal and the output terminal, wherein the regulation device is configured to provide the output voltage using the input voltage and the regulation signal;
• and
• a modification device to modify a value of the divided voltage using the test voltage;
• capturing a first electrical output voltage in response to the electrical test voltage with the first voltage level;
• applying an electrical test voltage with a second voltage level to the test terminal of the overvoltage protection circuit, wherein the second voltage level is lower than the first voltage level;
• capturing a second electrical output voltage in response to the electrical test voltage with the second voltage level;
• and
• checking whether the captured first output voltage and the captured second output voltage satisfy at least one test criterion to generate a test result.