Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Stmicroelectronics (rousset) Sas

Giovanni Susinna

Vincenzo Randazzo

Vanni Poletto

Mirko Dondini

Calogero Andrea Trecarichi

Alberto Marzo

Enrico Castro

Antoine Pavlin

Romeo Letor

Roberto Crisafulli

Embodiments are directed to electronic fuse devices and systems. One such electronic fuse includes current sensing circuitry that senses a current in a conductor coupled between a power supply and a load, and generates a current sensing signal indicative of the sensed current. I2t circuitry receives the current sensing signal and determines whether the sensed current exceeds an I2t curve of the conductor. The electronic fuse further includes at least one of external MOSFET temperature sensing circuitry that senses a temperature of an external MOSFET coupled to the conductor, low current bypass circuitry that supplies a reduced current to the load in a low power consumption mode during which the external MOSFET is in a non-conductive state, or desaturation sensing circuitry that senses a drain-source voltage of the external MOSFET.

Electronic fuse systems and devices

In embodiments, a capacitance is coupled to a source of electrical charge via a drain to source current flow path through a field-effect transistor. The capacitance is pre-charged by making the field-effect transistor selectively conductive in response to the gate-source voltage of the field-effect transistor exceeding a threshold. The difference between the gate-source voltage of the field-effect transistor and the threshold provides an overdrive value of the field-effect transistor. The gate of the field-effect transistor is driven with a variable gate-source voltage having as a target maintaining a constant overdrive value. Electrical charge is controllably transferred from the source to the capacitance via the drain to source current flow path through the field-effect transistor avoiding undesirably high inrush currents.

Capacitor charging method, corresponding circuit and device

Current absorption management for an electronic fuse coupled between an electrical supply source node and an electrical load node selectively controls a high current electronic switch and a low current electronic switch coupled in parallel between the electrical supply source node and the electrical load node. The high current and low current electronic switches are alternatively actuated: in a first mode where the high current electronic switch is turned on and the low current electronic switch is turned off, and in a second mode where the high current electronic switch is turned off and the low current electronic switch is turned on. Change to the second mode may be made in response to a standby state or a sensing of a lower current in the electrical load. Conversely, change to the first mode may be made in response to a sensing of a higher current in the electrical load.

Current absorption management circuit, corresponding system and method

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Catania, Italy

Giovanni Susinna