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:
Mar. 23, 1999
Filed:
Sep. 15, 1997
Applicant:
Inventors:
Angelo Crespi, Milan, IT;
Stefania Chicca, Milan, IT;
Paolo Mastella, Alessandria, IT;
Vanni Poletto, Alessandria, IT;
Assignees:
Magneti Marelli S.p.A., Agrate Brianza, IT;
SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.r.l., Milan, IT;
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G05F / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
323273 ; 361 86 ; 324503 ;
Abstract
A circuit for diagnosing the state of a load connected to a driver includes a DMOS transistor interposed between a terminal of the load and voltage comparator circuits. The DMOS transistor limits the maximum voltage input to the comparators to thereby reduce the circuit area occupied by the comparators and consequently to reduce the cost of the diagnosis circuit.