Delco Electronics Corporation

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Delco Electronics Corporaiton

Douglas Bruce Osborn

Mark Wendell Gose

Mark Billings Kearney

Dennis Michael Koglin

John Mark Dikeman

William P Whitlock

Douglas Joseph Huhmann

An integrated driver with improved load current sense capability includes a first transistor, a first amplifier, a second transistor, a third transistor, a second amplifier and a fourth transistor. The integrated driver allows for significantly better fault handling capability, provides accurate thermal and current sensing capability and reduces I/O pin count over prior designs.

Technique for determining a load current

The invention relates to circuitry for protecting n-channel load driving devices from reverse voltage conditions and for inhibiting the flow of destructive currents through such devices under reverse voltage conditions. According to one embodiment of the invention, a circuit is provided for protecting an n-channel high side load driving device from negative battery and negative transient operating conditions.

Circuitry for protecting a N-channel load driving device from reverse voltage condition

Circuitry for controlling load current, in accordance with the present invention, utilizes a load drive transistor configuration operable to provide a first load current path having a first fraction of load current flowing therethrough and a second load current path having a second smaller fraction of load current flowing therethrough. The circuit includes a sense resistor associated with the load drive transistor to detect various load current threshold values. In order to reduce debiasing effects of the sense resistor upon the second load current path of the load drive transistor, a compensation resistor is provided between drive inputs associated with each of the two current paths. The compensation resistor has a compensation voltage established thereacross which is operable to negate the debiasing effect of the sense resistor on the load driving device.

Circuitry for controlling load current

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a programmable integrated transducer amplifier circuit is provided which receives differential outputs from a transducer, such as a pressure or accelerometer transducer. The programmable integrated transducer amplifier circuit includes binary adjustable circuits that are programmed in response to binary coded signals. The binary adjustable circuits generate binary weighted currents that are employed to adjust the operating characteristics of the amplifier circuit. The binary coded signals are received from a programmable memory array which includes a plurality of memory cells that store binary information. Each of the memory cells are programmed when coupled to a programming signal. Additionally, the memory array has pretest capability for testing outputs of the memory cells prior to permanently programming the respective memory cells. Additionally, the integrated transducer amplifier circuit automatically compensates for variations in the operating temperature of the amplifier circuit. The method of temperature compensation is accomplished by operating the programmable integrated transducer amplifier circuit at a first temperature such that a temperature compensation voltage is 'nulled' or is forced to equal zero. Thereafter, the integrated transducer amplifier circuit is operated at other temperatures such that the temperature compensation voltage is generated in a manner representing the difference between the first operating temperatures and the current operating temperature.

Integrated transducer amplifier with zener-zap programming

A programmable current mirror circuit suitable for incorporation into circuit designs and programmably tailored to produce a ratio of current output over current input based upon the status of a plurality of binary weighted switches. The resulting circuit is readily tailored so as to be insensitive to the 'on' characteristics of the switches. Alternatively, the switches may comprise transistors controlled by accompanying circuitry operable to produce an equivalent switching function. An input current divider circuit network formed from an array of current mirrors fractionally divides an input current into a plurality of equivalent currents. A binary weighting circuit receives such fractional input currents, and applies a binary weight to each of same. A voltage to current converter receives the binary weighted voltage and converts the voltage to a weighted output current proportional to the input current directly in relation to the binary weighting applied via the binary weighting circuit.

Binary programmable current mirror

A 'zener-zap' memory cell with pretest capability for testing effects that would be realized from permanently programming the memory cell is provided. The memory cell is addressable and provides a binary signal at an output. The memory cell uses a zener diode as a memory element which is permanently programmed when selectively coupled to a programming voltage which exceeds the reverse breakdown voltage of the zener diode. The memory cell has a test circuit for generating the programmed binary signal at the output of the memory cell prior to permanently programming the zener diode and when coupled to a pretest voltage.

Integrated zener-zap nonvolatile memory cell with programming and

A snubber circuit comprising two stages regulates the gate current of a MOSFET in relation to the drain voltage at turnoff to clamp transient inductive voltages to a nondestructive level. At the onset of the turnoff, a current source is activated to discharge the gate capacitance, and the snubber controls the magnitude of such current in relation to the sensed drain voltage to stabilize the drain voltage at a nondestructive level. When the drain voltage approaches its limit value, a current injection circuit supplies additional current to the gate to sustain the MOSFET conduction, again in relation to the sensed drain voltage. When the inductive energy stored in the load is substantially dissipated, the drain voltage falls; at such point, the current injection circuit is disabled and the conduction of the current source is increased to complete the turnoff of the MOSFET.

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Kokomo, IN, United States of America

Douglas Bruce Osborn