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:
May. 18, 2004
Filed:
May. 31, 2002
Jeffrey A. Ely, Kokomo, IN (US);
Delphi Technologies, Inc., Troy, MI (US);
Abstract
An improved series-pass over-voltage protection circuit including multiple parallel-connected series-pass over-voltage suppression transistors coupling a DC voltage supply such as a motor vehicle storage battery to one or more high current electrical loads. During normal operation, all of the transistors are biased to the fully conductive/enhanced state to provide very low pass-through on-resistance. However, during linear (over-voltage suppression) operation, a logic circuit enables individual transistors in sequence at a frequency that is high relative to the thermal time constant of the transistors, and with a small amount of conduction overlap between successively enabled transistors. Sequentially enabling the transistors guarantees at least a minimum level of load sharing, and the overlap minimizes switching-related output current transients.