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:
Nov. 16, 1993
Filed:
Sep. 27, 1991
Thomas Blumel, Schmitten, DE;
Joachim Meicher, Hofheim, DE;
Bernhard Lukas, Raunheim, DE;
Walter Kares, Frankfurt, DE;
VDO Adolf Schindlling A.G., Frankfurt, DE;
Abstract
A switching system includes a module having at least one semiconductor switch for switching current to a load, in particular, a setting member in an automotive control or automatic control device. A short-circuit current monitoring circuit and an idle current monitoring circuit are provided for each semiconductor switch. Each switch may constructed as a multiple-emitter transistor with separate emitter terminals being connected to the respective monitoring circuits whereby load current in the multiple-emitter transistor can be monitored. The short-circuit monitoring circuit outputs a signal indicating excessively large load current in the transistor. The idle monitoring circuit outputs a signal indicating excessively small load current in the transistor.