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:
Dec. 03, 2013
Filed:
Mar. 20, 2008
Kamel Abouda, Saint Lys, FR;
Stephanie Creveau-boury, Toulouse, FR;
Murielle Delage, Fonsorbes, FR;
Pierre Turpin, Toulouse, FR;
Kamel Abouda, Saint Lys, FR;
Stephanie Creveau-Boury, Toulouse, FR;
Murielle Delage, Fonsorbes, FR;
Pierre Turpin, Toulouse, FR;
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
Apparatus for detecting faults in the delivery of electrical power to electrical loads, includes a plurality of load electrical connections arranged to deliver electrical power from an electrical power source to each of a plurality of electrical loads, a plurality of electrical switches, each connected to an associated one of the load connections, and a diagnostic device operable to detect a short circuit fault in the apparatus, wherein the diagnostic device is operable to apply a diagnostic procedure to detect a short circuit connection between at least two of the load electrical connections and includes a control logic unit operable to apply to each of the electrical switches in turn a test control signal causing operation of the switch to apply a test electrical signal to each of the load electrical connections in turn; and detector means connected to the load electrical connections and operable, while the test electrical signal is applied in turn to each load electrical connection, to detect whether a corresponding electrical output is produced in response on any of the other load electrical connections. Also described is a method of operation in the apparatus.