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:
Aug. 24, 1999
Filed:
Sep. 12, 1997
Minhui Wang, Diamond Bar, CA (US);
Linfinity Microelectronics Inc., Garden Grove, CA (US);
Abstract
A monolithic electronic circuit breaker having an input terminal, an output terminal, and a controllable impedance connected between the input and output terminals. A current sensor generates a current magnitude signal indicative of the current flowing between the input and output terminals. In one embodiment, an over-current circuit generates an over-current signal when the current magnitude signal exceeds a threshold. In response to at least a first occurrence of the over-current signal, a control circuit controls the controllable impedance so as to reduce current through the controllable impedance for a period of time, and then automatically increase current through the controllable impedance. Further, in response to an N.sup.th (N>1) occurrence of the over-current signal, the control circuit controls the controllable impedance so as to reduce current through the controllable impedance and does not thereafter automatically increase current through the controllable impedance. In another embodiment, an over-current and control circuit controls the controllable impedance so as to reduce current through the controllable impedance when the current magnitude signal exceeds a threshold. A first time period after current through the controllable impedance is reduced, the over-current and control circuit automatically increases current through the controllable impedance by gradually reducing the impedance of the controllable impedance over a second time period. Thus, the impedance at the output terminal slowly transitions from a high impedance state to a low impedance state.