Electronic device and method for driving the lamps of the blinkers of a vehicle

An electronic system for driving a lamp of a blinker of a vehicle, the lamp having a terminal to be electrically coupled to a reference voltage, the electronic system comprising:

• a switch having a first input terminal configured to receive a battery voltage, a second input control terminal configured to receive a control signal for opening and closing the switch, and an output terminal;
• a change-over switch configured to couple, alternatively, the output terminal to the lamp and to an impedance reference;
• and
• an electronic device coupled to said switch and configured to
• detect whether a voltage drop between the first input terminal and the output terminal is less than a first voltage value, and, based thereon, generate the control signal to have a first value to maintain said switch open, and
• detect whether the voltage drop between the first input terminal and the output terminal is greater than or equal to the first voltage value, and, based thereon, generate the control signal to have the first value to maintain the switch open for a time interval less than a first threshold time interval, and generate the control signal to have the second value to maintain said switch closed for a time interval greater than or equal to a second threshold time interval, the second threshold time interval being less than the first threshold time interval.

An integrated circuit for driving a lamp of a blinker of a vehicle, the lamp having a terminal to be electrically coupled to a reference voltage, the integrated circuit comprising:

• at least one substrate;
• a switch carried by said at least one substrate and having a first input terminal configured to receive a battery voltage, a second input control terminal configured to receive a control signal for opening and closing the switch, and an output terminal;
• and
• an electronic device carried by said at least one substrate and coupled to said switch and configured to
• detect whether a voltage drop between the first input terminal and the output terminal is less than a first voltage value, and, based thereon, generate the control signal to have a first value to maintain said switch open, and
• detect whether the voltage drop between the first input terminal and the output terminal is greater than or equal to the first voltage value, and, based thereon, generate the control signal to have the first value to maintain the switch open for a time interval less than a first threshold time interval, and generate the control signal to have the second value to maintain said switch closed for a time interval greater than or equal to a second threshold time interval, the second threshold time interval being less than the first threshold time interval.

A method of driving a lamp of a blinker of a vehicle, the method comprising:

• disconnecting, using a switch, the lamp;
• detecting whether a voltage drop between a first input terminal and an output terminal of the switch is less than a first voltage value and opening the switch;
• reconnecting, using the switch, at least one of the lamp and another lamp;
• detecting whether the voltage drop between the first input terminal and the output terminal of the switch is greater than or equal to the first voltage value;
• maintaining the switch open for a time interval less than a first threshold time interval;
• and
• maintaining the switch closed for a time interval greater than or equal to a second threshold time interval, the second threshold time interval being less than the first threshold time interval.