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:
Sep. 03, 2024
Filed:
Mar. 23, 2020
Horizon Global Americas Inc., Plymouth, MI (US);
Chandrakumar D. Kulkarni, Plymouth, MI (US);
HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC., Plymouth, MI (US);
Abstract
A diagnostic circuit for an electronic control unit comprises a field-effect transistor device, a comparator circuit, and a microprocessor. The diagnostic circuit detects a short to ground detection and turns off the field-effect transistor device. The diagnostic circuit may include redundant or dual short to ground protection for a field-effect transistor device. The comparator circuit generates an interrupt signal based on comparing a sensed parameter of an output signal of the field-effect transistor device to a threshold value. The microprocessor samples output from the field-effect transistor device and compares the sampled output to a power limit threshold. The microprocessor turns off the field-effect transistor device based on receiving the interrupt signal or comparison of the sampled output to the power limit threshold. Detection or prevention of a short to ground protects the field-effect transistor device.