Abstract: A control device controls a drive signal supplied from a drive device to a load apparatus along an electric path connecting the drive device and the load apparatus. The drive device receives a PWM (pulse width modulation) signal to PWM-control the drive signal, detects information about a short circuit in the path, and notifies the detected information about the short circuit. The control device comprises means for producing the PWM signal; means for inquiring of the drive device about the information about the short circuit at predetermined inquiry intervals; first determining means for determining whether or not the short circuit has been detected based on the information notified in response to the inquiry; and second determining means for determining how the short circuit occurs, based on history information in the information about the short circuit notified when the first determining means determines that the short circuit has been detected.

Abstract: The load drive apparatus has a driver unit and a control unit. The driver unit includes a control section modulating, in accordance with a PWM signal supplied from the control unit, a drive signal to be applied to a load apparatus between a high level and a low level, and a short circuit detecting section detecting, on the basis of a signal level of the PWM signal and a signal level of the modulated drive signal, short circuit on a path through which the modulated drive signal is applied to the load apparatus. The control unit includes a function of fixing a duty ratio of the PWM signal upon occurrence of short circuit to determine to which of a high-level side and a low-level side the path is short-circuited.

Abstract: A control device controls a drive signal supplied from a drive device to a load apparatus along an electric path connecting the drive device and the load apparatus. The drive device receives a PWM (pulse width modulation) signal to PWM-control the drive signal, detects information about a short circuit in the path, and notifies the detected information about the short circuit. The control device comprises means for producing the PWM signal; means for inquiring of the drive device about the information about the short circuit at predetermined inquiry intervals; first determining means for determining whether or not the short circuit has been detected based on the information notified in response to the inquiry; and second determining means for determining how the short circuit occurs, based on history information in the information about the short circuit notified when the first determining means determines that the short circuit has been detected.

Abstract: The load drive apparatus has a driver unit and a control unit. The driver unit includes a control section modulating, in accordance with a PWM signal supplied from the control unit, a drive signal to be applied to a load apparatus between a high level and a low level, and a short circuit detecting section detecting, on the basis of a signal level of the PWM signal and a signal level of the modulated drive signal, short circuit on a path through which the modulated drive signal is applied to the load apparatus. The control unit includes a function of fixing a duty ratio of the PWM signal upon occurrence of short circuit to determine to which of a high-level side and a low-level side the path is short-circuited.