Abstract: A trailing edge of a control signal of a transistor controller for controlling an output transistor is detected by an edge detector of a clamp controlling circuit. A surge voltage from a back electromotive voltage induced in an inductance L1 is absorbed from the output transistor, only for a given period immediately after the solenoid is turned off, by turning a switching transistor into an on-state by a timer to force a clamping circuit into conduction. At a normal operation, since the clamping circuit is cut off from an output terminal, the clamping voltage can be set in a manner to reduce to a normal voltage in an IGN-line. Therefore, a peak power value of a power loss caused by the surge voltage at the output transistor can be reduced, whereby generation of heat at the output transistor can be reduced. Therefore, the chip size of the power IC can be reduced.

Abstract: A microcomputer malfunction monitoring system comprises a controlled unit, a microcomputer control unit for sending a system operation signal to the controlled unit, a reset IC having a watchdog function, and a detection circuit. The reset IC having a watchdog function comprises a watchdog timer circuit and a first voltage monitoring circuit. And the detection circuit comprises a second voltage monitoring circuit and an abnormality monitoring circuit. When clock signals which are output from the microcomputer control unit successively along with normal program processing cease, the watchdog timer circuit outputs short pulse signals at predetermined time intervals to reset the program processing of the microcomputer control unit until the clock signals are output again. The first voltage monitoring circuit outputs a long pulse signal when the power voltage E falls below a threshold value WD.