OVERCURRENT DETECTION CIRCUIT FOR SWITCHES
First Claim
1. An overcurrent detection circuit for a plurality of switches parallely connected to each other, the overcurrent detection circuit comprising:
- a plurality of sense detectors respectively provided for the switches, each of the sense detectors being configured to detect a sense voltage of the corresponding one of the switches, the sense voltage of each of the switches being based on a sense current associated with a current flowing through the corresponding one of the switches;
a parameter calculator configured to calculate, based on the sense voltages calculated by the respective sense detectors, a determination parameter that is less subject to imbalance between currents flowing through the respective switches; and
a determiner configured to;
determine whether a value of the determination parameter is higher than an overcurrent threshold; and
determine that there is an overcurrent flowing through at least one of the switches upon determining that the value of the determination parameter is higher than the overcurrent threshold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an overcurrent detection circuit for switches parallely connected to each other, sense detectors are respectively provided for the switches. Each of the sense detectors detects a sense voltage of the corresponding one of the switches. The sense voltage of each of the switches is based on a sense current associated with a current flowing through the corresponding one of the switches. A parameter calculator calculates, based on the sense voltages calculated by the respective sense detectors, a determination parameter that is less subject to imbalance between currents flowing through the respective switches. A determiner determines whether a value of the determination parameter is higher than an overcurrent threshold, and determines that there is an overcurrent flowing through at least one of the switches upon determining that the value of the determination parameter is higher than the overcurrent threshold.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. An overcurrent detection circuit for a plurality of switches parallely connected to each other, the overcurrent detection circuit comprising:
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a plurality of sense detectors respectively provided for the switches, each of the sense detectors being configured to detect a sense voltage of the corresponding one of the switches, the sense voltage of each of the switches being based on a sense current associated with a current flowing through the corresponding one of the switches; a parameter calculator configured to calculate, based on the sense voltages calculated by the respective sense detectors, a determination parameter that is less subject to imbalance between currents flowing through the respective switches; and a determiner configured to; determine whether a value of the determination parameter is higher than an overcurrent threshold; and determine that there is an overcurrent flowing through at least one of the switches upon determining that the value of the determination parameter is higher than the overcurrent threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A drive circuit for a plurality of switches parallely connected to each other and each having a control terminal, the drive circuit comprising:
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a charging and discharging unit configured to; charge the control terminals of the switches to thereby cause the switches to be turned on; and discharge the control terminals of the switches to cause the switches to be turned off; a plurality of sense detectors respectively provided for the switches, each of the sense detectors being configured to detect a sense voltage of the corresponding one of the switches, the sense voltage of each of the switches being based on a sense current associated with a current flowing through the corresponding one of the switches; a parameter calculator configured to calculate, based on the sense voltages calculated by the respective sense detectors, a determination parameter that is less subject to imbalance between currents flowing through the respective switches; a determiner configured to; determine whether a value of the determination parameter is higher than an overcurrent threshold during the switches being on; and determine that there is an overcurrent flowing through at least one of the switches upon determining that the value of the determination parameter is higher than the overcurrent threshold; and a fail-safe unit configured to discharge the control terminal of each of the switches upon it being determined that there is an overcurrent flowing through at least one of the switches due to it being determined that the value of the determination parameter is higher than the overcurrent threshold.
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Specification