Discharge control circuit, corresponding system, vehicle and method

A system, comprising:

• an electronic switch having a control terminal and configured to provide an electrical discharge path for an energized element in response to a pulsed discharge signal comprising pulses applied to the control terminal;
• and
• a circuit comprising:
• drive circuitry coupled to the control terminal of the electronic switch and configured to apply the pulsed discharge signal to the control terminal;
• a sensing node coupled to the control terminal and configured to sense a voltage at the control terminal;
• and
• a feedback network from the sensing node to the drive circuitry, wherein the drive circuitry is configured to produce the pulses in the pulsed discharge signal with a duration that is a function of the voltage at the control terminal sensed at the sensing node, and wherein the feedback network comprises:
• a reference generator configured to produce a reference signal indicative of a reference duration for the pulses in the pulsed discharge signal;
• a pulse duration generator coupled to the sensing node and configured to produce a duration signal indicative of an actual duration of the pulses in the pulsed discharge signal;
• a pulse duration comparator coupled to the reference generator and the pulse duration generator, the pulse duration comparator configured to compare the actual duration the pulses in the pulsed discharge signal with the reference duration for the pulses in the pulsed discharge signal;
• and
• pulse duration control circuitry coupled to the drive circuitry and the pulse duration comparator, wherein the pulse duration control circuitry is configured to:
• control the duration of the pulses in the pulsed discharge signal applied by the drive circuitry to the control terminal of the electronic switch;
• increase the duration of the pulses in the pulsed discharge signal in response to the pulse duration comparator indicating that the actual duration of the pulses in the pulsed discharge signal is shorter than the reference duration for the pulses in the pulsed discharge signal;
• and
• refrain from increasing the duration of the pulses in the pulsed discharge signal in response to the pulse duration comparator indicating that the actual duration of the pulses in the pulsed discharge signal has reached or exceeded the reference duration for the pulses in the pulsed discharge signal.

A method of operating an electronic switch providing an electrical discharge path for an energized element, the electronic switch having a control terminal, the method comprising:

• applying to the control terminal a pulsed discharge signal causing the electronic switch to become conductive and provide the electrical discharge path for the energized element;
• sensing a voltage at the control terminal of the electronic switch;
• producing the pulsed discharge signal in a closed-loop feedback arrangement as a function of the voltage sensed at the control terminal;
• producing a reference signal indicative of a reference duration for pulses in the pulsed discharge signal;
• producing a duration signal indicative of an actual duration the pulses in the pulsed discharge signal;
• performing, based on the reference signal and the duration signal, a comparison of the actual duration the pulses in the pulsed discharge signal with the reference duration for the pulses in the pulsed discharge signal;
• and
• controlling a duration of the pulses in the pulsed discharge signal applied to the control terminal of the electronic switch based on the comparison.