Patent application title: DRIVER CURRENT CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHODS
Inventors:
Sri Navaneethakrishnan Easwaran (Richardson, TX, US)
IPC8 Class: AH02H902FI
USPC Class:
361 57
Class name: Safety and protection of systems and devices load shunting by fault responsive means (e.g., crowbar circuit) current responsive
Publication date: 2015-11-05
Patent application number: 20150318691
Abstract:
Apparatus and methods disclosed herein implement steady-state and fast
transient electronic current limiting through power transistors,
including power transistors used as pass elements associated with general
purpose drivers. Embodiments herein prevent excessive steady-state
current flow through one or more driver pass elements and/or through load
elements in series with the pass element(s) via a current sensing and
driver preamplifier feedback loop. A transient over-current protection
circuit includes a fast transient switch and a transient over-current
control circuit. The transient over-current control circuit rectifies one
or more transient voltage spikes to create a momentary direct current
(DC) voltage power supply (MVS) to power a fast transient driver circuit
and to trip the fast transient switch. The fast transient switch
discharges a transient pass element input voltage (e.g., a gate voltage
on a MOSFET power transistor in some embodiments) and terminates current
flow through the pass element current channel.Claims:
Description:
User Contributions:
Comment about this patent or add new information about this topic: