Patent application number | Description | Published |
20150221629 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT COMPRISING AN ESD PROTECTION DEVICE, ESD PROTECTION DEVICES AND A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A semiconductor device is provided which comprises an ESD protection device. The structure of the semiconductor device comprises a p-doped isolated region in which a structure is manufactured which operates as a Silicon Controlled Rectifier which is coupled between an I/O pad and a reference voltage or ground voltage. The semiconductor device also comprises a pnp transistor which is coupled parallel to the Silicon Controlled Rectifier. The base of the transistor is coupled to the gate of the Silicon Controlled Rectifier. In an optional embodiment, the base and gate are also coupled to the I/O pad. | 08-06-2015 |
20150303805 | AN INDUCTIVE LOAD CONTROL CIRCUIT, A BRAKING SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE AND A METHOD OF MEASURING CURRENT IN AN INDUCTIVE LOAD CONTROL CIRCUIT - A method and circuit for controlling current through an inductive load such as an electromagnetic valve of a vehicle anti-lock braking system includes first and second driver stages, controlled by PWM (pulse width modulation) signals, for providing, respectively, an actuation path for valve current in an “on” phase and a recirculation path for valve current in an “off” phase. A peak value of current flowing in the actuation path at the end of an “on” phase is compared with a peak value of current flowing in the recirculation path at the start of the “off” phase in order to detect any malfunction of the circuit. An embodiment of the invention has the advantage of being able to detect any malfunction at very low and very high PWM duty cycles. | 10-22-2015 |
20150336556 | A HOMOGENEITY DETECTION CIRCUIT, A VALVE DRIVING SYSTEM AND A METHOD OF HOMOGENEITY DETECTION IN A VALVE DRIVING SYSTEM - A homogeneity detection circuit, a valve driving system, a vehicle, an integrated circuit and a method of homogeneity detection in a valve driving system are provided. The homogeneity detection circuit comprises a first input, a second input and a comparison circuit. The first input receives a first signal being related to a first driving signal for driving a first valve. The second input receives a second signal being related to a second driving signal for driving a second valve. The comparison circuit compares the first signal with the second signal and generates a warning signal if predetermined differences are detected between the first driving signal and the second driving signal. | 11-26-2015 |
20150355260 | GROUND-LOSS DETECTION CIRCUIT - A ground-loss detection circuit for an integrated circuit, (IC) device including a first dynamic threshold metal oxide semiconductor (DTMOS) device operably coupled between a first ground plane of the IC device and at least one further ground plane of the IC device, at least one of the first and at least one further ground planes comprising an external ground connection of the IC device, at least one further DTMOS device operably coupled between the first and at least one further ground planes of the IC device in an opposing manner to the first DTMOS device, and at least one ground-loss detection component operably coupled to at least one of the first and at least one further DTMOS devices and arranged to detect a ground-loss for at least one of the first and at least one further ground planes based at least partly on a drain current of the at least one of the first and at least one further DTMOS device(s). | 12-10-2015 |