Controller having discrete driver circuitry connected to a single processor port
AssigneeDelphi Technologies, Inc.
InventorBalakrishnan V. Nair
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A controller having discrete driver circuitry for driving an electrical load and a method are provided. The controller includes a microprocessor having ports configurable to operate as inputs or outputs. The controller also includes discrete driver circuitry connected to ports of the microprocessor. The discrete driver circuitry is configured to apply electrical power to drive an electrical load. The controller further has logic for configuring the ports of the microprocessor as an output to enable on/off of the output signal that drives the electrical loads, and further for configuring the ports of the microprocessor as an input to receive feedback signals from the discrete driver circuitry. The feedback signals are processed to detect fault conditions.
Claims12
A controller for driving an electrical load, said controller comprising:
- a processor comprising at least one port configurable to operate as an input or an output;
- discrete driver circuitry connected to said one port of the processor, said discrete driver circuitry configured to selectively apply electrical power to drive an electrical load or remove electrical power from said load in response to a drive signal;
- and
- logic for configuring the one port of the processor as an output to provide the drive signal to the discrete driver circuitry, and further for configuring the one port of the processor as an input to receive a feedback signal from the discrete driver circuitry;
- said logic and said discrete driver circuitry interoperable to distinctly detect, identify, and report a short to ground fault condition;
- said logic and said discrete driver circuitry further interoperable to distinctly detect, identify, and report a short to power fault condition;
- said logic and said discrete driver circuitry further interoperable to distinctly detect, identify, and report an open circuit fault condition,
- wherein the discrete driver circuitry comprises a capacitor coupled in parallel with both the electrical load and with a resistance distinct from the electrical load, and wherein the open circuit fault condition is detected based on a discharge rate of the capacitor when the drive signal is controlled to a state whereby electrical power is removed from the electrical load.
A method of driving an electrical load and detecting a fault condition with discrete driver circuitry and a processor, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing an electrical load coupled to discrete driver circuitry which is coupled to a single port of a processor;
- configuring the single port of the processor to operate as an output;
- outputting a signal at the single port of the processor signaling for an electrical load to be driven;
- applying power to the electrical load responsive to the output signal;
- configuring the single port of the processor to operate as an input;
- receiving a feedback signal from the discrete driver circuitry at the port of the processor;
- detecting presence of a short to ground fault condition in the event of a short to ground fault condition based on the feedback signal;
- detecting presence of a short to battery fault condition in the event of a short to battery fault condition based on the feedback signal;
- detecting presence of an open circuit fault condition in the event of an open circuit fault condition based on the feedback signal by detecting a discharge rate across a capacitor coupled in parallel with both the electrical load and with a resistance distinct from the electrical load and detecting the open circuit fault condition based on the discharge rate when power is removed from the electrical load;
- and
- reporting the detected fault condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.