Abstract: An electrical device such as, for example, a mechanical interlock including one or more interconnected electrical components configured to detect or monitor an operational state or condition is hereby disclosed. In one embodiment, the electrical device may include a communications bus, one or more sensor modules coupled to the communications bus, and a sensor hub module coupled to the communications bus, wherein the sensor module(s) generate signal(s) including data indicating a sensed condition. A communications module coupled to the sensor hub module may transmit the data indicating the sensed condition to a remote device, a remote computer network, or a remote cloud service. Additionally, and/or alternatively, the device may include a water detection sensor including first and second curved conductive traces. Additionally, and/or alternatively, the device may include a voltage limiter circuit providing a DC output voltage from a high voltage AC input.

Abstract: Provided are embodiments for a system for performing input power detection. The system includes a first input for a first power source, a second input for a second power source, and a controller that is operably coupled to the first power source and the second power source. The system also includes a first path connecting a first circuit to the first power supply, wherein the first path comprises a first field effect transistor (FET) that is operated to inhibit leakage current flow to the first circuit, and a second path connecting a second circuit to the second power supply, wherein the second path comprises a second FET that is operated to inhibit leakage current flow to the second circuit. Also provided are embodiments for a method for performing input power detection.

Abstract: A momentary circuit interrupter in series connection with a mechanical switch to provide protection against short circuit faults in a DC power circuit. The momentary circuit interrupter injects a transient voltage pulse via a pulse transformer to reduce a DC fault current to near zero in a DC circuit branch, thus allowing the mechanical switch to disconnect the faulty branch under a near zero-current condition. The power electronic circuit on the primary side of the transformer controls the discharge of a plurality of pre-charged capacitors to generate the transient voltage pulse during the fault interruption process, but otherwise does not incur any power loss during normal operation. The secondary winding of the pulse transformer conducts the main DC current, and is highly conductive to minimize the conduction power loss.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for a circuit. In some examples, the circuit includes a first current source having a terminal coupled to a first node and a second terminal, a first switch coupled between the second terminal of the first current source and a second node, a first resistor coupled between the second node and a ground terminal, a second current source having a terminal coupled to the first node and a second terminal, a second switch coupled between the second terminal of the second current source and a third node, a second resistor coupled between the third node and the ground terminal, a third current source having a terminal coupled to the first node and a second terminal, a third switch coupled between the second terminal of the third current source and a fourth node, and a third resistor coupled between the fourth node and the ground terminal.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device having insulated gate field effect transistors (IGFETs) having a plurality of horizontally disposed channels that can be vertically aligned above a substrate with each channel being surrounded by a gate structure has been disclosed. The integrated circuit device may include electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit structures. The ESD protection circuit structures may be formed in regions other than the region that the IGFETs are formed as well as in the region that the IGFETs having a plurality of horizontally disposed channels that can be vertically aligned above a substrate with each channel being surrounded by a gate structure are formed. By forming ESD protection circuit structures in regions below the IGFETs, an older process technology may be used and device size may be decreased. Furthermore, planar IGFETs of FinFETs may be formed in other regions to decrease device size and improve costs.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide an electrostatic discharge (ESD) device, including: an input pad; an underlapped field effect transistor (UL-FET) with a trigger voltage Vt, including: an underlapped drain region coupled to the input pad; a source region coupled to ground; and a gate structure coupled to the input pad; and a blocking layer separating the underlapped drain region from the gate structure of the UL-FET by an underlap distance.

Abstract: Examples described herein provide a computer-implemented method that includes monitoring, using a microcontroller, an electric circuit of a vehicle, the electric comprising a battery source and a load. The battery source supplies electric power to the load. The method further includes detecting, using the microcontroller, a high current event in the electric circuit by comparing a current level of a current flowing through the electric circuit to a time-based current threshold. The method further includes responsive to detecting the high current event, controlling a gate driver to cause a switch of an electronically resettable fuse to open the electric circuit to stop the flow of the current through the electric circuit.

Abstract: Disclosed are a Miller Clamp protection circuit, a driving circuit, a driving chip and an intelligent IGBT module, which are connected to a device to be driven. The Miller Clamp protection circuit comprises a main driving circuit configured to provide a driving signal; a Miller switch configured to reduce a voltage glitch; a Miller switch control circuit configured to automatically control an on and off of the Miller switch according to an intermediate signal of the main driving circuit. The main driving circuit is connected to a power supply, the Miller switch control circuit, one end of the Miller switch and the device to be driven, and another end of the Miller switch is grounded.

Abstract: A protection circuit for use with an electronic DSL component having a tip connection and a ring connection, the protection circuit including: a first unidirectional transient-voltage-suppression (TVS) diode, having a negative TVS breakdown voltage BDV and diode forward voltage DV clamp, connected between Vcc and the tip connection of the DSL component; a second unidirectional TVS diode, having a diode forward voltage DV, connected between the tip connection of the DSL component and a negative ground clamp node; a third unidirectional TVS diode, having a negative TVS breakdown voltage BDV and diode forward voltage DV clamp, connected between Vcc and the ring connection of the DSL component; and a fourth unidirectional TVS diode, having a diode forward voltage DV, connected between the ring connection of the DSL component and the negative ground clamp node.

Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a protection circuit, comprising: a pad configured to input an external voltage from a connector; a first circuit branch connected to the pad and configured to receive a fast ramp-up over voltage at the pad; a second circuit branch connected to the pad and configured to receive a ramp-up over voltage at the pad; a third circuit branch connected to the pad and configured to output an over voltage detection signal when an over voltage is received at the pad, wherein the third circuit branch includes a voltage divider with a variable resistor with a variable voltage node and an enable switch; and a logic circuit including an enabling transistor configured to control the variable resistor and the enable switch.

Abstract: An assembly for connecting to a high-voltage grid includes a plurality of single-phase transformers, each of which has a transformer tank that is filled with a fluid and is equipped with a core with at least one coil. The coils of the single-phase transformers are at least partly connected together, thereby forming a neutral or star point. In order to permit the assembly to be quickly assembled in situ while at the same time providing a reliable current path for compensation and grounding currents, the coils are connected together by a neutral or star point conductor or rail in order to form the neutral or star point. The neutral or star point conductor or rail is retained in an insulated manner on the transformer tank.

Abstract: A system for protecting a vehicle inverter from overvoltage includes a first inverter having switching elements and converting energy from an energy storage device into AC power. A first motor is driven by receiving the converted AC power. A second inverter is connected in parallel with the first inverter, includes a switching elements, and converts energy from the energy storage device into AC power. A second motor is driven by receiving the converted AC power. A first capacitor is connected in parallel between the first inverter and the energy storage device and stores electric energy of the first motor during regenerative braking. A controller turns off a relay connecting the energy storage device and the motor when a voltage of the first capacitor is equal to or greater than a predetermined voltage and operates the switching elements in the inverters in response to first and second current commands.

Abstract: An electric switch includes a thermal tripping unit which, when a thermal budget acting on it is exceeded, trips and switches off the electric switch. In an embodiment, the tripping unit includes an adjustment module which, as a function of an accessory connected to the electric switch, uses an actuating element to set a tripping element of the thermal tripping unit such that the heat effect of the accessory is compensated for in the event of tripping.

Abstract: A protection cell for a cell library. The protection cell defines a protection circuit for an IC having a driving device with a first supply voltage Vdd1 and an output, and a driven device having an input and a second supply voltage Vdd2. The protection circuit includes a first device from the group consisting of a P-diode and a gate-Vdd PMOS. The first device is coupled between a first power bus connected to Vdd2 and the input of the driven device. The input of the driven device is coupled by way of a resistor to the output of the driving device. A second device corresponding to the first device is provided, from the group consisting of an N-diode and a grounded gate NMOS. The second device is coupled between the input of the driven device and a ground bus.

Abstract: A control and protection circuit of a heater, a towel heating barrel and a control method thereof are provided in this disclosure. The control and protection circuit of the heater includes a power module, a power supply module, a control module, a temperature detection module and a heating module. The power module, the power supply module and the heating module are connected in series to supply power to the heating module, the control module is in signal connection with the power supply module to control on and off of the power supply module, and the temperature detection module in signal connection with the control module. The power supply module includes a high-temperature protection switch, a fuse and a relay. The control and protection circuit of the whole heater has three levels of protection, which can not only effectively provide high-temperature protection, but also ensure service life of the heater.

Abstract: A battery unit includes a power supply; a connection configured to be connectable with a load for atomizing an aerosol source or heating a flavor source and a charger for charging the power supply; and a controller that performs a specific process at least selectively executable to at least temporarily disable the supply of electric power to the load from the power supply, if erroneously determining the load connected to the connection as the charger is identified.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an overcurrent protection circuit configured to, upon detection of an output current that flows through a switch element reaching a first overcurrent limit value, reduce an overcurrent limit value for the output current from the first overcurrent limit value to a second overcurrent limit value smaller than the first overcurrent limit value.

Abstract: High voltage clamps with transient activation and activation release control are provided herein. In certain configurations, an integrated circuit (IC) includes a clamp electrically connected between a first node and a second node and having a control input. The IC further includes a first resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit that activates a detection signal in response to detecting a transient overstress event between the first node and the second node, an active feedback circuit that provides feedback from the first node to the control input of the clamp in response to activation of the detection signal, a second RC circuit that activates a shutdown signal after detecting passage of the transient overstress event based on low pass filtering a voltage difference between the first node and the second node, and a clamp shutdown circuit that turns off the clamp via the control input in response to activation of the shutdown signal.

Abstract: A reverse current suppression circuit for a PMOS transistor, which includes: a gate drive unit, when the source potential of the first PMOS transistor is lower than the drain potential, the gate drive unit making the gate potential of the first PMOS transistor equal to the drain potential, so that the first PMOS transistor comes into a reverse current suppression state; and a substrate switching unit, when the source potential of the first PMOS transistor is lower than the drain potential, the substrate switching unit short-circuiting the substrate of the first PMOS transistor with the drain of the first PMOS transistor. According to the present invention, when the source potential of the PMOS transistor is lower than the drain potential, the PMOS transistor can be controlled to operate in the reverse current suppression state, so that the PMOS transistor can be effectively protected.

Abstract: A hybrid load protection apparatus (1) comprises a primary power supply path (1A) between input terminal and output terminals (2, 3) and a controllable mechanical switch (5A) connected in series with a primary coil (4A-1) coupled inductively to a secondary coil (4A-2) providing a voltage, UA, corresponding to a current rise speed of the electrical current flowing through the primary path (1A). The voltage, UA, is applied directly to a driver input (IN) of a first driver circuit (6A) to trigger automatically a switch-off of the mechanical switch (5A) within a first switch-off period (?t1) to interrupt the primary power supply path (1A). A secondary power supply path (1B) is provided in parallel to the primary path (1A) and having a further coil (4B) connected in series with a semiconductor power switch (5B).