Diagnosis of Integrated Driver Circuits

• US 20110307209A1
• Filed: 06/15/2010
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Dittfeld, Timo, Scherr, Wolfgang
• Granted Patent: US 9,676,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/120
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0173 Diagnostic or recording means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/007 using microprocessors or computers

Abstract

A circuit arrangement includes a controller and an integrated driver arrangement coupled to the controller. The integrated driver circuit includes a driver unit having at least one operation parameter, and a diagnostic unit coupled to the driver unit. The diagnostic unit is adapted to retrieve the at least one operation parameter from the driver unit, and is coupled to the controller.

Claims

1. A circuit arrangement comprising a controller and an integrated driver circuit coupled to the controller, the integrated driver circuit comprising:

a driver unit having at least one operation parameter; and

a diagnostic unit coupled to the driver unit, the diagnostic unit being adapted to retrieve the at least one operation parameter from the driver unit, and coupled to the controller.

2. The circuit arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a storage memory coupled to the diagnostic unit and the controller.

3. The circuit arrangement of claim 2, wherein the diagnostic unit is adapted to store the at least one operation parameter in the storage memory.

4. The circuit arrangement of claim 2, wherein the diagnostic unit is adapted to evaluate the at least one operation parameter in order to obtain a diagnostic result, and is adapted to store the diagnostic result in the storage memory.

5. The circuit arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a communication channel between the controller and the integrated driver circuit.

6. The circuit arrangement of claim 5, wherein the integrated driver circuit further comprises an internal bus, wherein the diagnostic unit, the driver unit, and the communication channel are coupled to the internal bus.

7. The circuit arrangement of claim 5, further comprising an interrupt channel between the diagnostic unit and the controller.

8. The circuit arrangement of claim 2, further comprising an interrupt signal channel between the diagnostic unit and the controller.

9. The circuit arrangement of claim 1, wherein the controller is a microcontroller.

10. The circuit arrangement of claim 1, wherein the controller and the integrated driver circuit are integrated in at least two separate integrated circuits.

11. The circuit arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a sensor coupled to the controller.

12. The circuit arrangement of claim 1, wherein the driver unit comprises:

an output stage having at least one operation parameter;

a measurement unit coupled to the output stage and adapted to measure the at least one operation parameter; and

an interface circuit coupled to the diagnostic unit and the measurement unit.

13. The circuit arrangement of claim 12, further comprising a driver stage coupled between the interface circuit and the output stage.

14. The circuit arrangement of claim 13, wherein the measurement unit is coupled to the driver stage.

15. The circuit arrangement of claim 12, wherein the output stage comprises:

a first transistor having a control terminal and a load path, and having its load path coupled between a first supply terminal and a first load terminal of the driver unit; and

a second transistor having a control terminal and a load path, and having its load path coupled between a second supply terminal and a second load terminal of the driver unit.

16. The circuit arrangement of claim 15, wherein the measurement unit is adapted to measure an electrical resistance between the first and second load terminals as an operation parameter.

17. The circuit arrangement of claim 12, wherein the driver unit further comprises a fault injection that can be activated and deactivated, and that is coupled to the interface circuit and to the measurement unit.