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. 14, 2009
Filed:
Dec. 10, 2007
David R. Mulligan, Livonia, MI (US);
Ira C. Miller, Jr., Dearborn Heights, MI (US);
David R. Mulligan, Livonia, MI (US);
Ira C. Miller, Jr., Dearborn Heights, MI (US);
Visteon Global Technologies, Inc., Van Buren Township, MI (US);
Abstract
An overvoltage protection system and method including a control circuit and a bank of resistors to absorb the energy from a transient voltage without exceeding an allowed temperature for the resistors. The resistors in the bank are independently switched and configured such that upon detection of an overvoltage condition a combination of the resistors is switched into the circuit to dissipate energy. The resistance introduced by the combination of resistors prevents the voltage from rising to an unacceptable level that may damage the circuit being protected. As time progresses, the control circuit alters the combination of resistors in the bank of resistors so as to increase the effective load resistance value, thereby decreasing a load current.