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. 22, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 30, 1998
Stuart W Pullen, Raleigh, NC (US);
Intersil Corporation, Palm Bay, FL (US);
Abstract
A sensing circuit 100 includes two resistors 11 and 12, two pnp transistors 13 and 14, and a current mirror 15 and 16. Resistors 11 and 12 convert the high voltages present in the bridge into a proportional current. The current mirror, mosfets 15 and 16, compares I.sub.1 and I.sub.2. If I.sub.2 is greater than I.sub.1 the voltage at point A is high. Otherwise this voltage is low. Resistor 12 is chosen smaller than 11 so that under normal operation, when FET 22 turns on, I.sub.2 is greater than I.sub.1 and the voltage at point A is high. During an overcurrent event, the drop across the FET 22, Von, is so great that I.sub.2 is less than I.sub.1 and the voltage a point A stays low.