System for short circuit protection using electronic logic in a feedback arrangement
AssigneeHarris Corporation
InventorJames G. Bergman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Electronic logic circuitry operates to detect and correct a short circuit condition, be it a short to system ground or supply voltage, in a circuit output. In one application, the short protection circuitry is incorporated into a high power CMOS driver. If the circuit output is shorted to ground, the short is detected and a signal is fed back to the input. This feedback signal forces the output to ground thus eliminating the excessive current flow. Conversely, if there is a short to supply voltage, V.sub.DD, a signal is fed back to the input that forces the output to supply voltage V.sub.DD, again eliminating the excessive current flow.
Claims9
In an electronic circuit, an output of which may be inadvertently shorted to a circuit reference potential, a short protection circuit for detecting and correcting the short condition, the improvement comprising;
- feedback circuit means responsive only to said output being shorted to a first circuit reference potential and an input command signal commanding said output to assume a second circuit reference potential for commanding said output to assume the said first reference potential irrespective of the input command signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.