Electric system comprising a load driving apparatus by auto-recovery mode, and method of operating the apparatus

An electronic device comprising:

• a power device configured to generate an output current;
• and
• a controller coupled to said power device and configured to
• drive said power device in an auto-recovery mode, by switching between activation and deactivation based upon an overcurrent condition, with said power device remaining in a fully on state when the overcurrent condition is reached,
• evaluate a first time interval between when the overcurrent condition occurs and a first time,
• generate a limit signal when the time interval is equal to a time threshold, and
• drive said power device to a switching-off condition based upon the limit signal;
• said controller is configured to
• evaluate a temperature increase of said power device associated with a second time interval and between generating the limit signal and a second time, and
• generate a first signal for switching off said power device when the evaluated temperature increase reaches a first threshold temperature.

A method for driving an electric load comprising:

• driving a power device coupled to the electric load in an auto-recovery mode, by switching between activation and deactivation based upon an overcurrent condition, with the power device remaining in a fully on state when the output current reaches the current threshold;
• evaluating a first time interval between when the overcurrent condition occurs and a first time;
• generating a limit signal when the time interval is equal to a time threshold;
• driving the power device to a switching-off condition based upon the limit signal;
• evaluating a temperature increase of the power device associated with a second time interval and between generating the limit signal and a second time;
• and
• generating a first signal for switching off the power device when the evaluated temperature increase reaches a first threshold temperature.