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US 2003/0142449 A1Published application
Device and method for determining intermittent short circuit
AssigneePacific Engineering Corp.
InventorsToshinori Iwata, Manabu Ohta
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AssigneePacific Engineering Corp.
InventorsToshinori Iwata, Manabu Ohta
Estimating the term…
A miniaturized cost-saving intermittent short circuit determining device located between a power source and an electric load in a vehicle electric circuit. The determining device includes detecting means for detecting current flowing through the electric circuit, determining means for determining whether the current detected by the detecting means is an intermittent short circuit, and disconnecting means for disconnecting the electric circuit when the determining means judges that there is an abnormality. The determining means is connected to an external switch circuit, which selectively supplies and stops current to the electric load of the electric circuit. The determining means determines whether the external switch circuit is switched on or off, and switches the disconnecting means on or off according to the determination.
An intermittent short circuit determining device located between a power source and a load circuit in a vehicle electric circuit, the intermittent short circuit determining device compromising:
An intermittent short circuit determining device for determining whether an intermittent short circuit has occurred in a load circuit, the intermittent short circuit determining device comprising:
A method for determining the occurrence of an intermittent short circuit in a load circuit, wherein the method includes performing at least one of four comparing steps including a current comparison step, a time period comparison step, a duty ratio comparison step, and an over-current number comparison step, wherein the current comparison step comprises comparing the value of load current flowing through the load circuit with a current threshold value, the time period comparing step comprises comparing a time period during which the load current exceeds the current threshold value with a reference time period, the duty ratio comparison step comprises comparing an ON-duty ratio with a reference ON-duty ration, where the ON-duty ratio indicates the ratio of a time period during which the load current exceeds the current threshold value relative to a predetermined time period, and the over-current number comparison step comprises comparing an actual over-current number indicating the number of the times that the load current exceeds the current threshold value during the predetermined time period with a reference over-current number.
A method for determining the occurrence of an intermittent short circuit in a load circuit, wherein the method includes at least two of four comparing steps including a current comparison step, a time period comparison step, a duty ratio comparison step, and an overcurrent number comparison step, wherein the current comparison step comprises comparing the value of a load current flowing through the load circuit with a current threshold value, the time period comparing step comprises comparing a time period during which the load current exceeds the current threshold value with a reference time period, the duty ratio comparison step comprises comparing an ON-duty ratio with a reference ON-duty ratio, and the ON-duty ratio indicates the ratio of a time period during which the load current exceeds the current threshold value relative to a predetermined time period, and the over-current number comparison step comprises comparing an actual over-current number indicating the number of times that the load current exceeds the current threshold value during the predetermined time period with a reference over-current number.
A method for determining whether an intermittent short circuit has occurred in a load circuit, the method compromising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.