Configurable high/low side driver using a low-side FET pre-driver
AssigneeDelphi Technologies, Inc.
InventorsBalakrishnan Nair Vijayakumaran Nair, Kevin M. Gertiser
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A high-side driver circuit for driving a load, including a low-side driver IC having a drive output and a feedback input, a first transistor coupled to the drive output, and a second transistor coupled between a power source and the load. The second transistor is configured to enter an “OFF” state when the first transistor is driven into an “OFF” state by the drive output, and to enter an “ON” state when the first transistor is driven into an “ON” state by the drive output.
Claims17
A high-side driver circuit for driving a load, the circuit including:
- a low-side driver IC having a drive output and a feedback input;
- a first transistor coupled to the drive output;
- and
- a second transistor coupled between a power source and the load;
- wherein the second transistor is configured to enter an “OFF” state when the first transistor is driven into an “OFF” state by the drive output, and to enter an “ON” state when the first transistor is driven into an “ON” state by the drive output, and
- a third transistor coupled between the load and the feedback input such that the third transistor creates a first feedback voltage at the feedback input that is greater than a fault threshold voltage of the low-side driver IC when the second transistor is in the “OFF” state, and a second feedback voltage at the feedback input that is less than the fault threshold voltage when the second transistor is in the “ON” state.
A configurable controller for an ECM, including:
- a PCB;
- and
- a low-side driver IC mounted to the PCB;
- the PCB being configured to receive a first transistor for functioning as a low-side driver and a second transistor for functioning as a high-side driver
- wherein the first transistor is not mounted to the PCB when the second transistor is mounted to the PCB.
A high-side driver circuit, including:
- a low-side driver IC having a drive output;
- a first transistor coupled to the drive output for switching a second transistor coupled to a power source and a load between an “ON” state wherein power is applied to the load and an “OFF” state wherein power is not applied to the load;
- and
- a third transistor configured to monitor a voltage associated with the second transistor and cause a feedback voltage corresponding to the monitored voltage to be generated at a feedback input of the low-side driver IC.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.