The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 12, 2020
Filed:
Oct. 15, 2018
Semiconductor Components Industries, Llc, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Mikio Yamagishi, Fukaya, JP;
Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Abstract
Circuits and methods to control a current in a coil are disclosed. The circuit and methods provide over-dwell protection and soft shut-down functionality to safely discharge the coil. The safe discharge of the coil is facilitated by a soft-start ramp signal that reduces the coil current gradually by controlling a switching device according. A profile of the soft-start ramp signal over time determines the gradual reduction. The profile of the soft-start ramp signal can be adjusted to set (i) an over-dwell period of the coil current, after which the coil current is shut down, and (ii) a soft shut-down period, over which the coil current is gradually reduced.