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:
Jul. 23, 2002
Filed:
May. 23, 2000
Daniel Wissell, Acton, MA (US);
Denise McAuliffe, Sterling, MA (US);
Bernard Nolan, North Falmouth, MA (US);
Compaq Computer Corporation, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A short circuit protection device, which includes a comparator with a non-inverting input port, an inverting input port, and an output port, is used with first and second voltage reference signals obtained from a power supply to indicate a short-circuit condition in the power supply when the reference signals are the same. A first voltage divider is connected to the power plane of the power supply and provides the first reference signal to the non-inverting input port, and a second voltage divider is connected to the output port of the power supply and provides the second reference signal to the inverting input port, where the second reference signal is normally smaller than the first reference signal. A first time constant between the first voltage divider and the non-inverting input port provides a first time delay to the first reference signal, and a second time constant between the second voltage divider and the inverting input port provides a second time delay to the second reference signal, where the second time delay is greater than the first time delay. When a short-circuit condition occurs, the voltage levels of the reference signals become the same, changing the status signal at the comparator output port and, optionally, signaling a power-down of the power supply.