Power actuation and switching module

A power switching apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of power switching circuits, each power switching circuit comprising:
• a switched power input and a switched power output;
• a switching device coupling the switched power input to the switched power output, the switching device having a control input;
• and
• an integrated circuit coupled to the switching device control input, having an enable input receiving a signal indicating whether the switching device is to be on or off, an input sensing current flow through the switching device, and an input sensing voltage at the switched power output, the circuit operable to control the switching device based on the control input, current sensing input and voltage sensing input, wherein the integrated circuit comprises:
• a power on circuit, responsive to the enable input receiving a signal indicating that the switching device is to be on, operable to transmit an enable signal;
• a sense amplifier circuit, coupled to the current sense input, operable to output a signal indicating current flow through the switching device;
• an overload circuit, coupled to the current flow indicating signal, operable to output an overload signal indicating that the current flow through the switching device has exceeded a predetermined limit;
• a current limit circuit, coupled to the current flow indicating signal operable to output a gate drive current limit signal;
• a control circuit, responsive to the enable signal and the overload signal operable to transmit a charge pump bias signal and a gate drive control signal;
• a charge pump circuit, responsive to the charge pump bias signal, operable to output a gate drive bias signal;
• and
• a gate drive circuit, responsive to the gate drive bias signal, the gate drive control signal, and the gate drive current limit signal, operable to output a switching device control signal coupled to the switching device control input.

A power switching apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of power switching circuits, each power switching circuit comprising:
• a switched power input and a switched power output;
• a switching device coupling the switched power input to the switched power output, the switching device having a control input;
• and
• means for controlling the switching device, coupled to the switching device control input, having an enable input receiving a signal indicating whether the switching device is to be on or off, an input sensing current flow through the switching device, and an input sensing voltage at the switched power output, the circuit operable to control the switching device based on the control input, current sensing input and voltage sensing input, wherein the means for controlling the switching device comprises:
• means, responsive to the enable input receiving a signal indicating that the switching device is to be on, for transmitting an enable signal;
• means, coupled to the current sense input, for outputting a signal indicating current flow through the switching device;
• means, coupled to the current flow indicating signal, for outputting an overload signal indicating that the current flow through the switching device has exceeded a predetermined limit:
• means, coupled to the current flow indicating signal, for outputting a gate drive current limit signal;
• means, responsive to the enable signal and the overload signal, for transmitting a charge pump bias signal and a gate drive control signal;
• means, responsive to the charge pump bias signal, for outputting a gate drive bias signal;
• and
• means, responsive to the gate drive bias signal, the gate drive control signal, and the gate drive current limit signal, for outputting a switching device control signal coupled to the switching device control input.