In-vehicle electric load drive/controlling device

Abstract

An in-vehicle load drive-control circuit includes a power MOSFET between connected in series between a load and a power source, the power MOSFET on/off controlling the power supply to the load, the power MOSFET incorporating a thermoelectric element across which the voltage drops owing to heat liberation when the power MOSFET is energized; and a control unit for ON/OFF controlling a gate driving signal to the power MOSFET on the basis of a voltage drop. After the voltage has been stabilized, the gate driving signal is made constant. In this configuration, the breakage of the power MOSFET due to excess current can be inhibited in a simple structure.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.