Visteon Global Technolgoies, Inc.

Harold Ryan Macks

Gary Edward Zack

Erich Bozzer

David Ronald Fryc

Mike Lees

Roman Jaroslaw Los

Joe Pulis

Jarek Tracz

A system, method and circuit for providing a boost voltage with a transient operation of a vehicular start-stop system are provided. The system includes a duty cycle or current monitor to detect a change in duty cycle or current based on the transient operation; a crank time-out detector to determine whether the change in duty cycle is over a predetermined threshold; and a reset generator to generate a reset of a boost circuit that generates the boost voltage after a predetermined delay.

Providing a boost voltage with a transient operation

To protect the class II integrated circuit bus from negative transients, the present invention uses a clamp circuit which is biased from the battery and referenced to ground as opposed to being biased and referenced to ground. Thus, the current path is not from ground to the bus pin. Instead, it is from the battery through a blocking diode, a transistor, a resistor and a plurality of diodes to the bus pin yet referenced to ground. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention consists of a transient protection circuit including a reference diode with its cathode connected to ground, a transistor biased as a current source having its output terminal operably connected to an anode of the reference diode, and at least a second diode operably connected between the anode of the reference diode and a bus pin, whereby the transistor supplies current when a module ground is intact.

Class II bus negative transient protection

A regulated voltage supply contains a zener diode controlled by a constant current generator to maintain the zener voltage at a constant level regardless of the swings of the voltage input to the diode. A current amplifier responds to the constant current generator to maintain the output voltage of the regulated voltage supply at the value of the zener voltage regardless of the demands of the load. A low voltage inhibit circuit responds to the magnitude of the input voltage and the magnitude of the voltage on the zener diode to generate a binary voltage signal for inhibiting the operation of a load such as a microcomputer when the voltage regulator is below the zener voltage level and the input is below the desired voltage.

Regulated voltage supply with low voltage inhibit reset circuit

A passive processing circuit for processing a ground side switch closure to a CMOS input (,) of an MCU, particularly useful in a D.C. electrical system where ground offsets may occur, such as in an automotive vehicle. Three resistors (R,R,R,) are connected between supply and ground potentials of a D.C. power supply voltage (,). The junction of two (R,R,) connects to an output (,) of a grounded input switch (,). The junction of two (R,R,) connects to the CMOS input (,). A fourth resistor (R,) connects between the bi-directional input/output (,) of the MCU and the junction of the second and third resistors. The MCU executes an algorithm that selectively allows and disallows the resistor (R,) to coact with the second and third resistors. The circuit provides a cost-efficient solution for extending the range of supply line voltage over which a CMOS input can correctly read a switch closure.

CMOS passive input circuit

In one embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device comprises a circuit board having a first side and a second side and having circuit traces formed only on the first side. The electronic device further includes a voltage regulator providing a regulated voltage via a regulated voltage output terminal and having a regulated voltage return terminal. Additionally, the electronic device includes a microcontroller mounted to the first side of the circuit board and having a plurality of regulated voltage input terminals and corresponding microcontroller voltage return terminals. The electronic device also comprises a bus comprising a first circuit trace coupled to the regulated voltage output terminal and a second circuit trace coupled to the regulated voltage return terminal, the first circuit trace and the second circuit trace running substantially parallel to one another. Furthermore, the electronic device include a plurality of supply conductors, each coupled to the first circuit trace and to one of the regulated voltage input terminals; and a plurality of return conductors, each coupled to the second circuit trace and to one of the microcontroller voltage return terminals. Designs according to the present invention can provide excellent radiated emissions performance with an economical single-sided circuit board and a minimal number of T-filters.

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Redford, MI, United States of America

Harold Ryan Macks