Abstract: Short circuit failures and open circuit failures of light-emitting elements used for the backlight in an LCD panel can be reliably and easily detected. The voltage at the node between each series-connected light-emitting element array and a drive circuit is detected as a monitored voltage. A maximum detector detects the highest and a minimum detector detects the lowest of these monitored voltages. Short circuit or open circuit failure of a light-emitting element is detected by comparing the voltage difference between the maximum detector output and the minimum detector output with a specific reference voltage.

Abstract: Short circuit failures and open circuit failures of light-emitting elements used for the backlight in an LCD panel can be reliably and easily detected. The voltage at the node between each series-connected light-emitting element array and a drive circuit is detected as a monitored voltage. A maximum detector detects the highest and a minimum detector detects the lowest of these monitored voltages. Short circuit or open circuit failure of a light-emitting element is detected by comparing the voltage difference between the maximum detector output and the minimum detector output with a specific reference voltage.

Abstract: Short circuit failures and open circuit failures of light-emitting elements used for the backlight in an LCD panel can be reliably and easily detected. The voltage at the node between each series-connected light-emitting element array and a drive circuit is detected as a monitored voltage. A maximum detector detects the highest and a minimum detector detects the lowest of these monitored voltages. Short circuit or open circuit failure of a light-emitting element is detected by comparing the voltage difference between the maximum detector output and the minimum detector output with a specific reference voltage.

Abstract: The load driving apparatus according to the present invention includes a load current setting signal generating section, a load current generating section, a reference voltage generating section and a drive voltage generating section. The load current setting signal generating section generates a desired load current setting signal. The load current generating section generates a load current based on the load current setting signal to drive the load. The reference voltage generating section generates a reference voltage based on the load current setting signal. The drive voltage generating section generates a drive voltage, supplies the drive voltage to the load, generates a between-both-terminals voltage between both terminals of the load current generating section based on the drive voltage and controls the drive voltage so that the difference between the between-both-terminals voltage and the reference voltage becomes small.

Abstract: Short circuit failures and open circuit failures of light-emitting elements used for the backlight in an LCD panel can be reliably and easily detected. The voltage at the node between each series-connected light-emitting element array and a drive circuit is detected as a monitored voltage. A maximum detector detects the highest and a minimum detector detects the lowest of these monitored voltages. Short circuit or open circuit failure of a light-emitting element is detected by comparing the voltage difference between the maximum detector output and the minimum detector output with a specific reference voltage.

Abstract: A semiconductor device which can achieve high breakdown voltage and high ESD tolerance of a current drive output terminal at the same time, and can quicken the response speed of a current flowing through the current drive output terminal. The inventive semiconductor device is provided, between the current drive output terminal and a first transistor or a low breakdown voltage element, with a second transistor having a breakdown voltage higher than that of the first transistor or that of the low breakdown voltage element. Furthermore, the inventive semiconductor device is provided with a diode having an anode connected with a path between the first transistor or the low breakdown voltage element and the second transistor, and a cathode connected with an ESD protection circuit.

Abstract: A semiconductor device of the present invention includes: a power input terminal; an internal power supply circuit that converts a voltage supplied from the outside to the power input terminal into a predetermined voltage; an analog circuit connected to an output side of the internal power supply circuit; an internal power output terminal connected to the output side of the internal power supply circuit; a logic circuit power input terminal; a logic circuit connected to the logic circuit power input terminal; and interterminal wiring connecting the internal power output terminal to the logic circuit power input terminal. The internal power supply circuit has a configuration of supplying power to the analog circuit and the logic circuit, and in a package assembly (finished product), a resting current in the logic circuit can be inspected without being influence by a consumption current in the analog circuit.

Abstract: A backlight drive apparatus for current driving a plurality of strings has a period in which at least one of the strings is a current driven idly during a liquid crystal OFF period, in addition to a current driving period in which video information is displayed via liquid crystals. A failure detection section can monitor stabilized detection voltages in the period when current driven idly and detects failure state of the backlight panel.

Abstract: Power loss and heat output are reduced in a current drive circuit unit of a light-emitting element. A light-emitting element drive device drives N (where N is an integer of 1 or more) light-emitting element groups, and includes a drive voltage generating circuit used as a feedback path of a minimum voltage detection circuit, N current drive circuits, and N or fewer voltage adjustment circuits. The N light-emitting element groups each include at least one light-emitting element. The drive voltage generating circuit supplies a specified voltage from a voltage source to the N light-emitting element groups. The N current drive circuits the N light-emitting element groups by current through the voltage adjustment circuits. Of the N current drive circuits connected to the minimum voltage detection circuit, the current drive circuit with the lowest end voltage is used in the feedback loop of the drive voltage generating circuit.

Abstract: A semiconductor device which can achieve high breakdown voltage and high ESD tolerance of a current drive output terminal at the same time, and can quicken the response speed of a current flowing through the current drive output terminal. The inventive semiconductor device is provided, between the current drive output terminal and a first transistor or a low breakdown voltage element, with a second transistor having a breakdown voltage higher than that of the first transistor or that of the low breakdown voltage element. Furthermore, the inventive semiconductor device is provided with a diode having an anode connected with a path between the first transistor or the low breakdown voltage element and the second transistor, and a cathode connected with an ESD protection circuit.

Abstract: Of a pair of switching transistors connected in series between a high voltage power source and the ground, when the switching transistor on the high potential side is controlled by an RS flip-flop in response to an input signal, in order to prevent a malfunction caused by the influence of dv/dt transient phenomena of an output terminal for driving a load, a latch circuit is reset using an input signal from a low side input terminal LIN in a period during which the voltage of the output terminal for driving the load abruptly decreases.

Abstract: The load driving apparatus according to the present invention includes a load current setting signal generating section, a load current generating section, a reference voltage generating section and a drive voltage generating section. The load current setting signal generating section generates a desired load current setting signal. The load current generating section generates a load current based on the load current setting signal to drive the load. The reference voltage generating section generates a reference voltage based on the load current setting signal. The drive voltage generating section generates a drive voltage, supplies the drive voltage to the load, generates a between-both-terminals voltage between both terminals of the load current generating section based on the drive voltage and controls the drive voltage so that the difference between the between-both-terminals voltage and the reference voltage becomes small.

Abstract: The N light emitting element groups each include one or more light emitting elements. The power source circuit includes a control input terminal and supplies the power source voltage to the N light emitting element groups. The N current driving circuits, each including a feedback output terminal, generate N drive currents for driving the respective N light emitting element groups and generate main feedback voltages at the feedback output terminals based on the power source voltage. The main feedback circuit applies a main feedback signal to the control input terminal based on the N main feedback voltages. The auxiliary feedback circuit applies an auxiliary feedback signal to the control input terminal based on the power source voltage. The power source circuit adjusts the power source voltage based on at least one of the main feedback signal and the auxiliary feedback signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a phase compensation circuit 6 using a MOS capacitor with a structure in which an insulating film is disposed between a gate electrode formed on a semiconductor substrate and a diffusion layer. The phase compensation circuit includes first and second MOS capacitors 14, 15. A gate electrode terminal of the first MOS capacitor is connected equivalently to a diffusion layer terminal of the second MOS capacitor that is a terminal opposite to the gate electrode terminal. A potential difference generating element 16 that generates a potential difference by allowing a current to flow therethrough is connected between a diffusion layer terminal of the first MOS capacitor and a gate electrode terminal of the second MOS capacitor. When the MOS capacitors having the voltage dependence are used, e.g.

Abstract: In a standby mode, a voltage step up DC/DC converter 5 supplies a power output voltage equal to or higher than a second set voltage which is lower than a first set voltage in a normal operating mode to a microcomputer (load) 1 with current supply performance which is smaller than in the normal operating mode. On the other hand, in the normal operating mode, a voltage step up/step down DC/DC converter 4 supplies the first set voltage in the normal operating mode to the microcomputer 1.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a phase compensation circuit 6 using a MOS capacitor with a structure in which an insulating film is disposed between a gate electrode formed on a semiconductor substrate and a diffusion layer. The phase compensation circuit includes first and second MOS capacitors 14, 15. A gate electrode terminal of the first MOS capacitor is connected equivalently to a diffusion layer terminal of the second MOS capacitor that is a terminal opposite to the gate electrode terminal. A potential difference generating element 16 that generates a potential difference by allowing a current to flow therethrough is connected between a diffusion layer terminal of the first MOS capacitor and a gate electrode terminal of the second MOS capacitor. When the MOS capacitors having the voltage dependence are used, e.g.

Abstract: A semiconductor device of the present invention includes: a power input terminal; an internal power supply circuit that converts a voltage supplied from the outside to the power input terminal into a predetermined voltage; an analog circuit connected to an output side of the internal power supply circuit; an internal power output terminal connected to the output side of the internal power supply circuit; a logic circuit power input terminal; a logic circuit connected to the logic circuit power input terminal; and interterminal wiring connecting the internal power output terminal to the logic circuit power input terminal. The internal power supply circuit has a configuration of supplying power to the analog circuit and the logic circuit, and in a package assembly (finished product), a resting current in the logic circuit can be inspected without being influence by a consumption current in the analog circuit.

Abstract: Of a pair of switching transistors connected in series between a high voltage power source and the ground, when the switching transistor on the high potential side is controlled by an RS flip-flop in response to an input signal, in order to prevent a malfunction caused by the influence of dv/dt transient phenomena of an output terminal for driving a load, a latch circuit is reset using an input signal from a low side input terminal LIN in a period during which the voltage of the output terminal for driving the load abruptly decreases.

Abstract: In a standby mode, a voltage step up DC/DC converter 5 supplies a power output voltage equal to or higher than a second set voltage which is lower than a first set voltage in a normal operating mode to a microcomputer (load) 1 with current supply performance which is smaller than in the normal operating mode. On the other hand, in the normal operating mode, a voltage step up/step down DC/DC converter 4 supplies the first set voltage in the normal operating mode to the microcomputer 1.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp lighting apparatus in accordance with the present invention has first switching means (M1) driven by a high-voltage-side pulse signal input from a drive-signal generation circuit and second switching means (M2) driven by a low-voltage-side pulse signal input from the drive-signal generation circuit, wherein the first switching means (M1) is connected in series with the second switching means (M2), and a first capacity (C5) and an inductance element (L1) and the above-mentioned second switching means (M2) are provided between the high-voltage-side terminals of a pair of filament electrodes of a light-emitting tube (4), whereby a constant luminous flux can be maintained immediately after lighting.