Systems and methods for DC-to-DC converter control

A method for reporting sensed information and faults to a master unit from a plurality of controlled units over a single wire, comprising the steps of:

• for each of the plurality of controlled units:
• sensing information within each of the controlled units;
• generating a sense signal indicative of the sensed information;
• sensing fault conditions within each of the controlled units;
• generating a sense and fault combination signal having a voltage within a first voltage range indicative of the sensed information when no fault is detected, and the combination signal having voltage outside the first voltage range when a fault is detected;
• combining each sense and fault combination signal from each of the controlled units to generate a multi-unit combined signal;
• receiving the multi-unit combined signal within a fault decoder of the master unit, the fault decoder generating a fault indication signal indicative of a fault in any one or more of the controlled units when a voltage of the multi-unit combined signal is outside the first voltage range.

An apparatus for reporting sensed information and faults to a master unit from a plurality of controlled units over a single wire, comprising:

• a plurality of controlled units, each controlled unit including circuitry for generating a composite signal, the composite signal having a voltage within:
• (i) a first voltage range based on sensed information if no fault is detected, and
• (ii) a second voltage range not overlapping the first voltage range if a first fault is detected;
• circuitry combining the composite signals from the controlled units into a multi-unit combined sense and fault signal;
• and
• a master unit for receiving the multi-unit combined sense and fault signal over the single wire, the master unit having a fault decoder for determining when the multi-unit combined sense and fault signal is within the second voltage range, and a sense decoder for receiving sense information when the multi-unit combined sense and fault signal is within the first voltage range.