# US 12,113,403 B2 · Drive device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,113,403 B2 - Document ID: US12113403B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/753,159 - Filed: 2020-08-13 - Published: 2022-10-27 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-08-30 - Assignees: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd.; Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.; Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. - Applicants: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd.; Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.; Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. - Inventors: Kota Oda; Masayuki Kato; Ryohei Sawada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12113403B2 ## CPC - H02K 11/33: Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics (H02K11/38 takes precedence) - H02M 1/0009: {Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter} - H02K 11/26: Devices for sensing voltage, or actuated thereby, e.g. overvoltage protection devices - H02K 11/27: Devices for sensing current, or actuated thereby (overcurrent protection responsive to temperature of the machines or parts thereof, e.g. windings, H02K11/25) - H02M 1/32: Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection - H02M 7/48: using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode - H02P 27/04: using variable-frequency supply voltage, e.g. inverter or converter supply voltage - H02P 29/027: {the fault being an over-current} - H03K 17/063: {in field-effect transistor switches} - H02K 2213/06: Machines characterised by the presence of fail safe, back up, redundant or other similar emergency arrangements - H02M 3/1582: {Buck-boost converters (H02M3/1584 takes precedence)} - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract A drive device drives a motor serving as a load. A first upstream switch is disposed upstream from the motor and a first downstream switch is disposed downstream from the motor in a first current path of current flowing via the motor. A second upstream switch is disposed upstream from the motor and a second downstream switch is disposed downstream from the motor in a second current path of current flowing via the motor. A direction of the current flowing in the motor when current flows in the first current path is different from a direction of the current flowing in the motor when current flows in the second current path. The first upstream drive circuit stops flow of current via the first upstream switch when the current flowing through the first upstream switch becomes greater than or equal to a current threshold. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drive device that drives a load, the drive device comprising: a first upstream switch disposed upstream from the load in a first current path of current flowing via the load; a first downstream switch disposed downstream from the load in the first current path; a second upstream switch disposed upstream from the load in a second current path of current flowing via the load; a second downstream switch disposed downstream from the load in the second current path; a current detection circuit that detects current flowing via the first upstream switch; a stop circuit that stops flow of the current via the first upstream switch when the current detected by the current detection circuit becomes greater than or equal to a current threshold, wherein a direction of the current flowing in the load when current is flowing in the first current path is different from a direction of the current flowing in the load when current is flowing in the second current path; a series circuit in which a first resistor, a second resistor, and a circuit switch are connected in series, a connection node between the first resistor and the second resistor is connected to a connection node between the load, the first downstream switch, and the second upstream switch, and to which a constant voltage is applied; a voltage detection circuit that detects a voltage at the connection node between the first resistor and the second resistor; and a processing unit that executes processing, wherein the processing unit executes processing of: switching the circuit switch on or off; and detecting a failure in circuitry that drives the load on the basis of the voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit in an off instruction state in which turning off of the first upstream switch, the first downstream switch, the second upstream switch, and the second downstream switch is instructed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drive device according to claim 1, comprising: a second current detection circuit that detects current flowing via the second upstream switch; and a second stop circuit that stops flow of the current via the second upstream switch when the current detected by the second current detection circuit becomes greater than or equal to a second current threshold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The drive device according to claim 2, wherein the stop circuit and the second stop circuit switch the first upstream switch and the second upstream switch off, respectively. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the circuit switch is disposed upstream from the first resistor or the second resistor, the connection node to which the voltage detection circuit is connected is located downstream from the circuit switch, and the processing unit executes processing of: switching the circuit switch off; and detecting a failure in the circuitry that drives the load when the voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit in the off instruction state is greater than or equal to a predetermined voltage, and the predetermined voltage is higher than 0 V. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The drive device according to claim 4, wherein the processing unit executes processing of: switching the circuit switch on; and detecting a failure in the circuitry that drives the load when the voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit in the off instruction state is less than the second predetermined voltage, and the second predetermined voltage is less than or equal to a voltage obtained by the first resistor and the second resistor dividing the constant voltage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The drive device according to claim 4, wherein the processing unit executes processing of: detecting a failure in the circuitry that drives the load on the basis of the voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit when the circuit switch is off while switching on of the first upstream switch and the first downstream switch is instructed and switching off of the second upstream switch and the second downstream switch is instructed off or when switching on of the circuit switch is off while the second upstream switch and the second downstream switch is instructed and switching off of the first upstream switch and the first downstream switch is instructed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit executes processing of: switching the circuit switch on; and detecting a failure in the circuitry that drives the load when the voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit in the off instruction state is less than the second predetermined voltage, and the second predetermined voltage is less than or equal to a voltage obtained by the first resistor and the second resistor dividing the constant voltage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The drive device according to claim 7, wherein the processing unit executes processing of: detecting a failure in the circuitry that drives the load on the basis of the voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit when the circuit switch is off while switching on of the first upstream switch and the first downstream switch is instructed and switching off of the second upstream switch and the second downstream switch is instructed off or when switching on of the circuit switch is off while the second upstream switch and the second downstream switch is instructed and switching off of the first upstream switch and the first downstream switch is instructed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit executes processing of: detecting a failure in the circuitry that drives the load on the basis of the voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit when the circuit switch is off while switching on of the first upstream switch and the first downstream switch is instructed and switching off of the second upstream switch and the second downstream switch is instructed off or when switching on of the circuit switch is off while the second upstream switch and the second downstream switch is instructed and switching off of the first upstream switch and the first downstream switch is instructed. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The drive device according to claim 1, comprising: a processing unit that executes processing, wherein the processing unit executes processing of: detecting a failure in circuitry that drives the load when the current detected by the current detection circuit is less than the predetermined current while switching on of the first upstream switch and the first downstream switch is instructed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The drive device according to claim 1, comprising: a processing unit that executes processing, wherein the load is a motor, and the processing unit executes processing of: obtaining rotation information pertaining to rotation of the motor in a state where switching on of the first upstream switch and the first downstream switch is instructed or switching off of the second upstream switch and the second downstream switch is instructed; determining whether or not the load is rotating on the basis of the rotation information obtained; and detecting a failure in circuitry that drives the load when the load is determined not to be rotating.