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:
Sep. 24, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 03, 2000
Kirit A. Thakkar, Parma, OH (US);
Cheryl Greenly, Elyria, OH (US);
William Amato, Avon, OH (US);
Roman Marchak, Sheffield Lake, OH (US);
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, Elyria, OH (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for diagnosing short circuit conditions in a circuit protects circuit components from being damaged during a diagnostic operation. The apparatus includes a control processor, a control circuit coupled to the control processor, and an A/D converter coupled to the control processor and the control circuit. In operation the control processor disables operation of an A/D converter after completion of a conversion operation, enables operation of the control circuit after operation of the A/D converter has been disabled, enables operation of the A/D converter to obtain an analog signal from the control circuit after operation of the control circuit has been enabled, and disables operation of the control circuit after enabling operation of the A/D converter to obtain the analog signal. The A/D converter converts the analog signal into a digital signal and the control processor analyzes the digital signal to determine if a short circuit condition exits in the control circuit. The control processor enables operation of the control circuit for a period that is less than an over current rating period of components of the control circuit, thereby insuring that the components of the control circuit will not be damaged if a short circuit condition exits.