System for controlling operation of a contactor using a high side sense circuit and a low side sense circuit

A system for controlling operation of a contactor, the contactor having a contactor coil and a contact, comprising:

• a microcontroller having first and second analog-to-digital converters and first and second output ports;
• the first output port controlling whether a low side end of the contactor coil is electrically coupled to electrical ground, the second output port controlling whether a high side end of the contactor coil receives an energization voltage;
• a low side sense line being electrically coupled to and between the low side end of the contactor coil and a low side sense circuit;
• the low side sense circuit being further electrically coupled to the first analog-to-digital converter;
• a high side sense line being electrically coupled to and between the high side end of the contactor coil and a high side sense circuit;
• the high side sense circuit being further electrically coupled to the second analog-to-digital converter;
• the microcontroller being programmed to receive a command message to open the contact of the contactor, from an external controller;
• the microcontroller being further programmed to stop generating a second control signal on the second output port to de-energize the contactor coil to open the contact of the contactor, in response to the command message from the external controller;
• the high side sense circuit receiving a first signal from the high side sense line and outputting a high side sense signal corresponding to the first signal;
• the second analog-to-digital converter receiving the high side sense signal and outputting a high side sense value corresponding to the high side sense signal;
• and
• the microcontroller being further programmed to stop generating a first control signal on the first output port to de-energize the contactor coil to open the contact of the contactor, if the high side sense value is greater than a first threshold voltage value.