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. 11, 2010
Filed:
Mar. 02, 2006
Takeshi Kishimoto, Nagoya, JP;
Masaya Amano, Toyota, JP;
Nobuyuki Tanaka, Toyota, JP;
Kouji Miyazaki, Toyota, JP;
Takeshi Kishimoto, Nagoya, JP;
Masaya Amano, Toyota, JP;
Nobuyuki Tanaka, Toyota, JP;
Kouji Miyazaki, Toyota, JP;
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota, JP;
Abstract
A device and method for determining whether a malfunction is present in a drive circuit, which drives an electric device that generates counter-electromotive force, when all gates in the switching elements of the drive circuit are blocked. After the gates are blocked, the temperature of the switching elements is monitored and the presence of a malfunction is determined based on the detected temperature of the switching elements. A malfunction is determined to be present when the detected temperature equals or exceeds a predetermined temperature; the change in the detected temperature equals or exceeds a predetermined value; or the rate of change in the detected temperature equals or exceeds than a predetermined rate. Thus, it can be appropriately determined whether the gates in the drive circuit are appropriately blocked and minimize the influence of any malfunctions on other elements outside of the drive circuit.