Abstract: A short-circuit protection circuit, controller, and vehicle are disclosed. The short-circuit protection circuit includes a current detection circuit, comparator circuit, switch circuit, and latch circuit. The current detection circuit is configured to generate a target voltage according to a target current flowing from a first node to a second node and provide the target voltage to a third node. When a target current is greater than a short-circuit current threshold, the target voltage is higher than a reference voltage. The comparator circuit is configured to output a first level via a fourth node when a voltage of the third node is higher than a reference voltage. The switch circuit is configured to disconnect the first node and the second node when the fourth node is at the first level. The latch circuit is configured to maintain a voltage of the third node higher than a reference voltage when the fourth node is at the first level.

Abstract: The present application relates to an Electronic Control Unit (ECU), which includes a first chip and a second chip. The first chip comprises a first fault information transmission circuit, and the second chip comprises a second fault information transmission circuit.

Abstract: A battery management system and a vehicle are disclosed. The battery management system includes (i) a first terminal connected to a high-voltage battery, (ii) a second terminal connected to an electronic control unit, (iii) an electrical isolation circuit configured to receive a first current from the electronic control unit via the second terminal, (iv) a current sensing unit configured to sense a second current output by the electrical isolation circuit and generate a disconnect signal in response to the second current exceeding a first threshold value, and (v) a battery disconnect unit configured to disconnect the high-voltage battery from a load connected to the high-voltage battery in response to the disconnect signal. The electrical isolation circuit includes a photoelectric coupling circuit.

Abstract: A charging circuit, charging method, and system for an energy storage capacitor are disclosed. The charging circuit includes a current regulation module and a feedback control module. The feedback control module is configured to (i) determine a current measurement result, wherein the current measurement result is used to indicate the magnitude of the present charging current output by the current regulation module to the energy storage capacitor, and (ii) output a control signal to the current regulation module based on the current measurement result, the present voltage of the energy storage capacitor, and the input voltage received by the current regulation module, wherein the control signal corresponds to a target charging current. The current regulation module is configured to output the target charging current based on the control signal and the input voltage.

Abstract: A chip ground detection device includes (i) a current source, (ii) a switching device including one or more switching units, (iii) a voltage monitoring unit coupled to an exposed pad of a chip via the one or more switching units, and (iv) a control unit for controlling the one or more switching units and configured to close the one or more switching units when the current source is operating, such that the voltage monitoring unit obtains a first voltage V1 on the exposed pad; is configured to close the one or more switching units when the current source is not operating, such that the voltage monitoring unit obtains a second voltage V2 on the exposed pad; and determines a ground resistance for the exposed pad based on the first voltage V1 and the second voltage V2 . An application-specific integrated circuit chip, a method of chip ground detection, and a computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for operating a plurality of electronic modules of a vehicle is disclosed. The plurality of electronic modules are connected to a vehicle data bus for communication and the plurality of electronic modules are connected to a power cable for power. The method includes (1) transmitting first information from a first electronic module of a plurality of electronic modules through a vehicle data bus to a second electronic module, (ii) transmitting second information from a first electronic module through a power cable to a second electronic module, the second information including redundant information of the first information or negated information of the first information, and (iii) at the second electronic module, operating the second electronic module based on the first information obtained from the vehicle data bus and/or the second information obtained from the power cable. An in-vehicle communication system and a computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A control circuit includes (i) at least one voltage output end, each said voltage output end being connected to a filter capacitor, (ii) at least one detection circuit disposed in the control circuit, each said detection circuit being connected to one said voltage output end, and (iii) a fault output apparatus which is configured to, when the detection circuit detects that a fault has occurred in the filter capacitor connected to the voltage output end, output corresponding filter capacitor fault indication information. The power supply output apparatus has no need for a redundant capacitor design, and can determine whether a fault has occurred in the filter capacitor on the basis of the duration of charging of the filter capacitor thus ensuring the reliability and stability of the power supply output apparatus.

Abstract: A method and device for the detection of short to ground circuits is disclosed. The method includes (i) connecting to a detection current source that is linked to the high-side lead terminal of the two lead terminals of an electronic control circuit, (ii) disconnecting the low-side switch of the ground terminal of the electronic control circuit, (iii) measuring the voltage of the two lead terminals of the electronic control circuit separately, and (iv) determining whether the high-side lead terminal or the low-side lead terminal of the two lead terminals has a short to ground circuit by comparing the voltages of the two lead terminals. When the voltage of the high-side lead terminal is greater than the voltage of the low-side lead terminal, it is determined that the low-side lead terminal has a short to ground circuit. When the voltage of the high-side lead terminal is equal to the voltage of the low-side lead terminal, it is determined that the high-side lead terminal has a short to ground circuit.

Abstract: A control circuit includes (i) at least one voltage output end, each said voltage output end being connected to a filter capacitor, (ii) at least one detection circuit disposed in the control circuit, each said detection circuit being connected to one said voltage output end, and (iii) a fault output apparatus which is configured to, when the detection circuit detects that a fault has occurred in the filter capacitor connected to the voltage output end, output corresponding filter capacitor fault indication information. The power supply output apparatus has no need for a redundant capacitor design, and can determine whether a fault has occurred in the filter capacitor on the basis of the duration of charging of the filter capacitor thus ensuring the reliability and stability of the power supply output apparatus.

Abstract: A capacitor charging circuit, comprising: a charging power supply, for outputting a charging voltage; a voltage comparison module, connected to the charging power supply, and configured to output a drive signal indicating charging upon judging that the charging voltage is higher than a preset threshold; a current adjustment module, connected to the voltage comparison module and the charging power supply separately, the charging current adjustment module receiving the drive signal and, upon receiving the drive signal indicating charging, causing the charging power supply to charge the capacitor with a maximum charging current. The present application enables adjustment of the charging current of the charging capacitor according to the power supply voltage, thus increasing the charging speed.

Abstract: An ignition resistance test circuit for an airbag is disclosed. The test circuit includes (i) an ignition resistor, (ii) a current source circuit for providing a test current for testing the ignition resistor, (iii) a current drain circuit for receiving the test current, (iv) a differential amplification circuit for differentially amplifying the voltage at the two ends of the ignition resistor, thus obtaining a voltage drop after differential amplification, and (v) an analogue-to-digital conversion circuit for performing analogue-to-digital conversion of the differentially amplified voltage drop to provide to a control unit, enabling the control unit to determine the resistance value of the ignition resistor based on the voltage drop and the test current. An airbag controller and an airbag is also disclosed.

Abstract: A defrosting system includes an RF signal source, one or more electrodes proximate to a cavity within which a load to be defrosted is positioned, a transmission path between the RF signal source and the electrode(s), and an impedance matching network electrically coupled along the transmission path between the output of the RF signal source and the electrode(s). The system also includes measurement circuitry coupled to the transmission path and configured to measure one or more parameters that include voltage, current, forward signal power, reflected signal power, and S11 along the transmission path. A system controller is configured to monitor the measurements, and to modify operation of the system when a rate of change of any of the monitored parameter(s) exceeds a predetermined threshold. The impedance matching network may be a single-ended network or a double-ended network.

Abstract: A defrosting system includes an RF signal source, an electrode proximate to a cavity within which a load to be defrosted is positioned, and a transmission path between the RF signal source and the electrode. The system also includes power detection circuitry coupled to the transmission path and configured repeatedly to take forward and reflected RF power measurements along the transmission path. A system controller repeatedly determines, based on the forward and reflected RF power measurements, a calculated rate of change, and repeatedly compares the calculated rate of change to a threshold rate of change. When the calculated rate of change compares favorably with the threshold rate of change, the RF signal source continues to provide the RF signal to the electrode until a determination is made that the defrosting operation is completed, at which time the RF signal source ceases to provide the RF signal to the electrode.

Abstract: A defrosting system includes an RF signal source, two electrodes proximate to a cavity within which a load to be defrosted is positioned, a transmission path between the RF signal source and the electrodes, and an impedance matching network electrically coupled along the transmission path between the output of the RF signal source and the electrodes. The system also includes power detection circuitry coupled to the transmission path and configured to detect reflected signal power along the transmission path. A system controller is configured to modify, based on the reflected signal power, a value of a variable passive component of the impedance matching network to reduce the reflected signal power. The impedance matching network may be a single-ended network or a double-ended network.

Abstract: A defrosting system includes an RF signal source, an electrode proximate to a cavity within which a load to be defrosted is positioned, a transmission path between the RF signal source and the electrode, and an impedance matching network electrically coupled along the transmission path between the output of the RF signal source and the electrode. The system also includes power detection circuitry coupled to the transmission path and configured to detect reflected signal power along the transmission path. A system controller is configured to modify, based on the reflected signal power, an inductance value of the impedance matching network to reduce a ratio of the reflected signal power to the forward signal power. The impedance matching network includes a plurality of fixed-value, lumped inductors positioned within a fixed inductor area.

Abstract: A defrosting system includes an RF signal source, one or more electrodes proximate to a cavity within which a load to be defrosted is positioned, a transmission path between the RF signal source and the electrode(s), and an impedance matching network electrically coupled along the transmission path between the RF signal source output and the electrode(s). A system controller is configured to modify, based on the reflected signal power, values of variable passive components of the impedance matching network to reduce the reflected signal power. The system controller may be configured to estimate the mass of the load by comparing component value(s) of one or more variable passive components of the impedance matching network with a component value table stored in memory, where stored mass values correspond to the stored component values. Desired signal parameters for the RF signal may be determined based on the estimated mass of the load.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) heating and defrosting apparatus may include an electrode which, when supplied with RF signal energy, may responsively radiate electromagnetic energy into a cavity of the RF heating and defrosting apparatus. This radiated electromagnetic energy may cause a thermal increase of a load in the cavity. A capacitor may be formed from a portion of the electrode and a conductive plate disposed adjacent to the electrode. The conductive plate may be coupled to a ground reference structure. Dielectric material(s) having a low dielectric constant may be disposed directly between the electrode and the conductive plate.

Abstract: A defrosting system includes an RF signal source, an electrode proximate to a cavity within which a load to be defrosted is positioned, and a transmission path between the RF signal source and the electrode. The system also includes power detection circuitry coupled to the transmission path and configured repeatedly to take forward and reflected RF power measurements along the transmission path. A system controller repeatedly determines, based on the forward and reflected RF power measurements, a calculated rate of change, and repeatedly compares the calculated rate of change to a threshold rate of change. When the calculated rate of change compares favorably with the threshold rate of change, the RF signal source continues to provide the RF signal to the electrode until a determination is made that the defrosting operation is completed, at which time the RF signal source ceases to provide the RF signal to the electrode.

Abstract: A defrosting system includes an RF signal source, an electrode proximate to a cavity within which a load to be defrosted is positioned, and a transmission path between the RF signal source and the electrode. The system also includes power detection circuitry coupled to the transmission path and configured repeatedly to take forward and reflected RF power measurements along the transmission path. A system controller repeatedly determines, based on the forward and reflected RF power measurements, a calculated rate of change, and repeatedly compares the calculated rate of change to a threshold rate of change. When the calculated rate of change compares favorably with the threshold rate of change, the RF signal source continues to provide the RF signal to the electrode until a determination is made that the defrosting operation is completed, at which time the RF signal source ceases to provide the RF signal to the electrode.