Abstract: A charging circuit for a bootstrap capacitor comprises a P MOSFET having a body diode and an N channel power MOSFET also having a body diode. The drain of the P MOSFET is coupled to the source of the N channel power MOSFET, and the source of the P MOSFET receives current from a vehicle's battery. The gate of the P MOSFET receives a control signal for turning the P MOSFET either on or off and the drain of the N channel power MOSFET is connected to a bootstrap capacitor The P MOSFET's body diode prevents current flow from the battery to the bootstrap capacitor when the P MOSFET is turned off and the N MOSFET's body diode prevents current flow from the bootstrap capacitor to the battery when the N MOSFET is turned off. The use of a power MOSFET device with its low ON resistance ensures that the capacitor is charged to a sufficiently high voltage even under low battery conditions.

Abstract: An integrated circuit die includes a stack of a substrate and multiple layers extending in parallel to the substrate. A number of integrated electronic components is formed in the stack, and connected to form an electronic circuit. The electronic circuit comprises a first electric contact, a second electric contact, and a coupling which couples the electric strips electrically to each other. The coupling includes a circuit via which extends through at least two of the layers. The die further includes an integrated current sensor having a coil arrangement for sensing a current flowing through a part of the electronic circuit. The coil arrangement is magnetically coupled to the circuit via over at least a part of a length of the circuit via to sensing a magnetic flux through the circuit via. A measurement unit can measure a parameter of the coil arrangement representative of a current flowing through the circuit via.

Abstract: A current sensor comprises a current carrying trace located within a substrate; and a sensing trace located within the substrate proximate to the current carrying trace; wherein the sensing trace detects an electromagnetic force (emf) generated by magnetic flux inductively coupled from the current carrying trace for transmitting to a current sensing device.

Abstract: A high side driver component for generating a drive signal at an output thereof for driving a high side switching device within a high voltage driver circuit. The high side driver component is arranged to operate in at least one reduced slew rate mode in which at least one drive stages is arranged to be in a non-drive state, and the high side driver component further comprises at least one discharge protection component arranged to, when the high side driver component is operating in the at least one reduced slew rate mode, receive an indication of the high voltage driver circuit being in an idle state, and cause the second switching device within the at least one drive stage in a non-drive state to be turned on, in response to the indication of the high voltage driver circuit being in an idle state.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for fault detection utilizing a diagnostic procedure by a diagnostic device to detect a short circuit between at least two of a plurality of load electrical connections, the diagnostic procedure comprising applying a test electrical signal to each of the load electrical connections in turn and while applying the test electrical signal to a first one of the load electrical connections, detecting whether an electrical output is present, in response, on any other of the load electrical connections, wherein the detecting by the diagnostic device includes applying the test electrical signal to the first one of the load electrical connections in an operational mode of the apparatus when an electrically controlled switch connected to the first one of the load electrical connections is in an off state.

Abstract: There is described a method of optimizing the design of an electronic device with respect to electromagnetic emissions based on frequency spreading. With the method, a designer can, for example, perform a transient simulation on the device only once, and then add frequency spreading with specific parameters by simulation. The resulting frequency spread signal can be observed. The designer can thus evaluate the reduction in electromagnetic emission level, and repeat this process by iteratively applying frequency spreading each time with specific parameters but without having to modify the schematic of the device and to perform another simulation of the device. The method according to this innovation is extremely rapid as the simulation of the design does not need to be repeated at each run of the frequency spreading simulation.

Abstract: There is described a method of optimizing the design of an electronic device with respect to electromagnetic emissions based on frequency spreading. With the method, a designer can, for example, perform a transient simulation on the device only once, and then process the obtained signal data to add frequency spreading with specific parameters by post-processing. The resulting data can be filtered by various methods and the resulting spectrum observed. The designer can thus evaluate the reduction in electromagnetic emission level, and repeat this process by iteratively applying frequency spreading each time with specific parameters but without having to modify the schematic of the device and to perform another simulation of the device. The post-processing according to this innovation is extremely rapid as it is not a simulation process such as SPICE™, ADS™, etc. Only data is manipulated.

Abstract: There is described a method of optimizing the design of an electronic device with respect to electromagnetic emissions based on frequency spreading. With the method, a designer can add frequency spreading with specific parameters by hardware. The resulting frequency spread signal can be observed. The designer can thus evaluate the reduction in electromagnetic emission level, and repeat this process by iteratively applying frequency spreading each time with specific parameters but without having to modify the design of the device and to generate another prototype of the device.

Abstract: A packaged semiconductor device comprising a package and a semiconductor device is described. The semiconductor device comprises a first and a second GND-pad bonded to one or more GND-pins with a first and a second bond wire respectively, a first functional pad bonded to a first functional pin with a third bond wire, a semiconductor layer of a P-type conductivity, a first semiconductor component and a second semiconductor component. The first semiconductor component is arranged to, when a transient current is applied to the first functional pin, divert at least part of the transient current to the first GND-pad from the first P-region to the first GND-pad via at least a first PN-junction. The second semiconductor component comprises a second N-type region of a terminal of the second semiconductor component associated with the first functional pad. The first GND-pad is in contact with a second P-type region. The second GND-pad is in contact with a third N-type region.

Abstract: An integrated circuit die includes a stack of a substrate and multiple layers extending in parallel to the substrate. A number of integrated electronic components is formed in the stack, and connected to form an electronic circuit. The electronic circuit comprises a first electric contact, a second electric contact, and a coupling which couples the electric strips electrically to each other. The coupling includes a circuit via which extends through at least two of the layers. The die further includes an integrated current sensor having a coil arrangement for sensing a current flowing through a part of the electronic circuit. The coil arrangement is magnetically coupled to the circuit via over at least a part of a length of the circuit via to sensing a magnetic flux through the circuit via. A measurement unit can measure a parameter of the coil arrangement representative of a current flowing through the circuit via.

Abstract: A high side driver component for generating a drive signal at an output thereof for driving a high side switching device within a high voltage driver circuit. The high side driver component is arranged to operate in at least one reduced slew rate mode in which at least one drive stages is arranged to be in a non-drive state, and the high side driver component further comprises at least one discharge protection component arranged to, when the high side driver component is operating in the at least one reduced slew rate mode, receive an indication of the high voltage driver circuit being in an idle state, and cause the second switching device within the at least one drive stage in a non-drive state to be turned on, in response to the indication of the high voltage driver circuit being in an idle state.

Abstract: A current sensor comprises a current carrying trace located within a substrate; and a sensing trace located within the substrate proximate to the current carrying trace; wherein the sensing trace detects an electromagnetic force (emf) generated by magnetic flux inductively coupled from the current carrying trace for transmitting to a current sensing device.

Abstract: An electronic device is for controlling multiple switching power circuits in a power supply system. Each switching power circuit has a power clock for controlling switching of a supply side switch that enables charging. The device has respective power clock delay units. Each respective power clock delay unit provides a respective power clock at a predetermined delay based on a respective input clock. The respective predetermined delays are chosen so that said switching of respective different supply side switches occurs at respective different points in time. Advantageously the conducted emission in high frequency bands is reduced.

Abstract: There is described a method of optimizing the design of an electronic device with respect to electromagnetic emissions based on frequency spreading. With the method, a designer can add frequency spreading with specific parameters by hardware. The resulting frequency spread signal can be observed. The designer can thus evaluate the reduction in electromagnetic emission level, and repeat this process by iteratively applying frequency spreading each time with specific parameters but without having to modify the design of the device and to generate another prototype of the device.

Abstract: There is described a method of optimizing the design of an electronic device with respect to electromagnetic emissions based on frequency spreading. With the method, a designer can, for example, perform a transient simulation on the device only once, and then process the obtained signal data to add frequency spreading with specific parameters by post-processing. The resulting data can be filtered by various methods and the resulting spectrum observed. The designer can thus evaluate the reduction in electromagnetic emission level, and repeat this process by iteratively applying frequency spreading each time with specific parameters but without having to modify the schematic of the device and to perform another simulation of the device. The post-processing according to this innovation is extremely rapid as it is not a simulation process such as SPICE™, ADS™, etc. Only data is manipulated.

Abstract: There is described a method of optimizing the design of an electronic device with respect to electromagnetic emissions based on frequency spreading. With the method, a designer can, for example, perform a transient simulation on the device only once, and then add frequency spreading with specific parameters by simulation. The resulting frequency spread signal can be observed. The designer can thus evaluate the reduction in electromagnetic emission level, and repeat this process by iteratively applying frequency spreading each time with specific parameters but without having to modify the schematic of the device and to perform another simulation of the device. The method according to this innovation is extremely rapid as the simulation of the design does not need to be repeated at each run of the frequency spreading simulation.

Abstract: A charging circuit for a bootstrap capacitor comprises a P MOSFET having a body diode and an N channel power MOSFET also having a body diode. The drain of the P MOSFET is coupled to the source of the N channel power MOSFET, and the source of the P MOSFET receives current from a vehicle's battery. The gate of the P MOSFET receives a control signal for turning the P MOSFET either on or off and the drain of the N channel power MOSFET is connected to a bootstrap capacitor The P MOSFET's body diode prevents current flow from the battery to the bootstrap capacitor when the P MOSFET is turned off and the N MOSFET's body diode prevents current flow from the bootstrap capacitor to the battery when the N MOSFET is turned off. The use of a power MOSFET device with its low ON resistance ensures that the capacitor is charged to a sufficiently high voltage even under low battery conditions.

Abstract: A packaged semiconductor device comprising a package and a semiconductor device is described. The semiconductor device comprises a first and a second GND-pad bonded to one or more GND-pins with a first and a second bond wire respectively, a first functional pad bonded to a first functional pin with a third bond wire, a semiconductor layer of a P-type conductivity, a first semiconductor component and a second semiconductor component. The first semiconductor component is arranged to, when a transient current is applied to the first functional pin, divert at least part of the transient current to the first GND-pad from the first P-region to the first GND-pad via at least a first PN-junction. The second semiconductor component comprises a second N-type region of a terminal of the second semiconductor component associated with the first functional pad. The first GND-pad is in contact with a second P-type region. The second GND-pad is in contact with a third N-type region.

Abstract: A driver circuit is provided that receives an ON or OFF logic control signal and further has: an output arranged to be connected to a load; a power switch, having a control terminal with a first current terminal connected to a first power supply and a second current terminal arranged to be connected to the output to drive the load; a control circuit of a first type arranged between the control terminal of the power switch and a second power supply; and a control circuit of a second type, arranged to couple the control terminal of the power switch to the first power supply when the control signal is in the OFF state.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for fault detection utilizing a diagnostic procedure by a diagnostic device to detect a short circuit between at least two of a plurality of load electrical connections, the diagnostic procedure comprising applying a test electrical signal to each of the load electrical connections in turn and whilst applying the test electrical signal to a first one of the load electrical connections, detecting whether an electrical output is present, in response, on any other of the load electrical connections, wherein the detecting by the diagnostic device includes applying the test electrical signal to the first one of the load electrical connections in an operational mode of the apparatus when an electrically controlled switch connected to the first one of the load electrical connections is in an off state.