Coil short circuit protection in DC-DC converters

An inductor short detection circuit for detecting a short across an inductor of a DC-DC converter, comprising:

• a decoupling circuit coupled between a terminal of the inductor and an intermediate node, wherein the decoupling circuit is configured to, when activated, generate a detection voltage at the intermediate node, the detection voltage being representative of a voltage at the terminal of the inductor;
• a logic circuit having an input coupled to the intermediate node and an output at which a detection signal is produced, the detection signal being asserted by the logic circuit in response to the detection voltage being closer to an input voltage to the DC-DC converter than to ground but being deasserted by the logic circuit in response to the detection voltage being closer to ground than to the input voltage to the DC-DC converter;
• and
• control circuitry configured to, in response to beginning of a high-side conduction phase of the DC-DC converter:
• activate the decoupling circuit;
• delay for a delay period;
• after expiration of the delay period and in response to the detection signal being asserted, complete the high-side conduction phase of the DC-DC converter;
• and
• after expiration of the delay period and in response to the detection signal being deasserted, cease the high-side conduction phase of the DC-DC converter without completing the high-side conduction phase and prevent beginning of a low-side conduction phase of the DC-DC converter.