Blanking periods for safely executing external tristate requests

A method of controlling a power switch, the method comprising:

• delivering drive signals from a driver circuit to the power switch to control ON/OFF switching of the power switch, wherein an ON signal causes a charge period followed by an ON period for the power switch and wherein an OFF signal causes a discharge period followed by an OFF period for the power switch;
• receiving an external tristate request to place the driver circuit into a tristate;
• immediately entering the tristate in response to the tristate request being received during the ON period or the OFF period;
• and
• waiting for completion of a tristate blanking period prior to entering the tristate in response to the tristate request being received during the charge period or the discharge period.

A system comprising:

• a power switch that includes a transistor;
• and
• a driver circuit configured to control the power switch, the driver circuit comprising:
• an output pin, wherein the driver circuit is configured to deliver drive signals from the output pin to the power switch to control ON/OFF switching of the power switch, wherein an ON signal causes a charge period followed by an ON period for the power switch and wherein an OFF signal causes a discharge period followed by an OFF period for the power switch;
• an input pin configured to receive an external tristate request to place the driver circuit into a tristate, wherein the driver circuit is configured to:
• immediately enter the tristate in response to the tristate request being received during the ON period or the OFF period;
• and
• wait for completion of a tristate blanking period prior to entering the tristate in response to the tristate request being received during the charge period or the discharge period.