Electronic circuit to verify the integrity of a switch
AssigneesBorgwarner Orsenigo S.R.L., Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsErcole Bianchi, Pasquale Forte, Paolo Lisanti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosure relates to an electronic circuit to verify the integrity of a switch. The circuit comprises a voltage comparator and decoupling switch. The decoupling switch configured receive the driving signal having a first logic value to enable the monitoring of the comparison voltage and is configured to receive the monitoring enable signal having a first logic value to command the opening of the decoupling switch. The electronic circuit is configured to generate the output monitoring signal having a first logic value in an event that the switch is an open circuit and having a second logic value in an event that the switch is a short circuit.
Claims20
An electronic circuit to verify an integrity of a switch, the electronic circuit comprising:
- a first input terminal adapted to receive a power supply voltage;
- a second input terminal adapted to receive a driving signal;
- a third input terminal adapted to receive a monitoring enable signal;
- a first output terminal adapted to generate an output control signal to drive an opening or closing of the switch;
- a second output terminal adapted to generate an output monitoring signal representative of a condition of the switch;
- a voltage comparator configured to compare a comparison voltage associated with a terminal of the switch connected to a further power supply voltage with respect to a reference voltage and to generate therefrom the output monitoring signal;
- and
- a decoupling switch interposed between the first output terminal and the second input terminal, the decoupling switch being configured to switch between an open position and a closed position as a function of a value of the monitoring enable signal;
- wherein the decoupling switch is configured to:
- receive the driving signal having a first logic value to enable the monitoring of the comparison voltage;
- and
- receive the monitoring enable signal having a first logic value to command the opening of the decoupling switch;
- wherein the voltage comparator is configured to generate the output monitoring signal having a first logic value in an event that the switch is open and having a second logic value in an event that the switch is closed.
An electronic power supply system comprising:
- a switch interposed between a power supply voltage and a ground reference voltage, the switch being configured to switch between an open position and a closed position as a function of a value of an output control signal;
- an electronic circuit configured to verify an integrity of the switch, the circuit comprising:
- a first input terminal adapted to receive a power supply voltage;
- a second input terminal adapted to receive a driving signal;
- a third input terminal adapted to receive a monitoring enable signal;
- a first output terminal adapted to generate an output control signal to drive the opening or closing of the switch;
- a second output terminal adapted to generate an output monitoring signal representative of a condition of the switch;
- a voltage comparator configured to compare a comparison voltage associated with a terminal of the switch connected to a further power supply voltage with respect to a reference voltage and to generate therefrom the output monitoring signal;
- a decoupling switch interposed between the first output terminal and the second input terminal, the decoupling switch being configured to switch between an open position and a closed position as a function of the value of the monitoring enable signal;
- wherein the decoupling switch is configured to:
- receive the driving signal having a first logic value to enable the monitoring of the comparison voltage;
- and
- receive the monitoring enable signal having a first logic value to command the opening of the decoupling switch;
- wherein the voltage comparator is configured to generate the output monitoring signal having a first logic value in an event that the switch is open and having a second logic value in an event that the switch is closed;
- wherein the first output terminal of the electronic circuit is connected to a control terminal of the switch adapted to receive the output control signal;
- wherein the electronic circuit further comprises a third output terminal connected to the voltage comparator and adapted to generate said comparison voltage, the third output terminal being electrically coupled with a switch terminal,
- wherein the electronic system is configured to operate according to two operating modes:
- a test mode, in which the decoupling switch is driven so as to be open or closed as a function of the value of the monitoring enable signal and the electronic circuit is configured to generate the output monitoring signal indicative of the open or closed switch;
- a normal operating mode, in which the decoupling switch is closed and the switch is closed and the electronic circuit is configured to generate the output monitoring signal indicative of a normal operating state of the switch or indicative of an overcurrent condition through the switch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.