A fault clearing circuitry provided for connecting to at least one electrical line transmitting power includes: an electrical energy storage; at least one controllable switch connectable between the electrical energy storage and at least one electric line; and a control circuit for monitoring the at least one electric line for a fault and to close the at least one controllable switch if a fault is detected. The electrical energy storage stores an amount of electrical energy dimensioned to be sufficient for releasing one or more circuit breakers or clearing one or more fuses in the at least one electrical line in order to clear the fault. The control circuit closes the at least one controllable switch if a fault is detected such that a discharging of the electrical energy stored in the electrical energy storage is incurred injecting a current pulse in the at least one electrical line.

A sensor connecting unit includes a safety input for connecting with a sensor; a power supply that is controllable through a controllable power switch; and a first I/O processing unit and a second I/O processing unit being connected to each other through a reciprocal comparison communication channel. The first I/O processing unit and the second I/O processing unit are both connected through a measurement circuit to measure voltage, current or power between a reference input and the safety input, and connected to a safety bus. The first I/O processing unit informs the second I/O processing unit about switching off of the controllable power supply, the second I/O processing unit commands the first I/O processing unit to switch off the controllable power supply, and/or the second I/O processing unit measures an output of the controllable power switch to detect switching of the power switch.

An apparatus for controlling the electrical connection of an electrical load (2), which is arranged at a distance from the apparatus, to a control voltage source (4) which is associated with said electrical load, wherein control is performed by means of two control lines (6, 8) which bridge the physical distance between the apparatus and the load plus the control voltage source and which are connected to a control output (10, 12) of the apparatus, wherein the apparatus has a transducer (14) which detects the value of a state variable (16) of a fluid, and wherein control of the connection is performed depending on the respectively detected value of the state variable (16) exceeding and/or falling below a selectable threshold value, is characterized in that the transducer is formed by a measurement transducer (14) which converts the value of the respectively detected state variable (16) into an electrical signal (18), in that the apparatus has an electronics device (20) for evaluating said electrical signal (18) and for controlling the connection depending on the evaluation, in that the connection is made by means of a controllable electronic switching device (26), which is connected to the control output (10, 12), of the apparatus at least over a first predefinable time period, and in that the power supply device of the apparatus is fed from the voltage of the control voltage source (4) which is applied to the control output (10, 12) of the apparatus via the control lines (6, 8), depending on the switching state of the electronic switching device (26), at least over a further second time period which lies outside the first time period.

An electronic current-switching system comprising a driver unit and a current-switching device with one controlled transistor, a control unit coupled to said transistor, a power supply unit of the control unit and a digital communication bus transmitting to the control unit a first control signal of the driver unit. The power supply unit comprises: a transformer, an integrated circuit including a clock input coupled to a second output of the driver unit delivering a second control signal having the form of a pulsed signal with an adjustable duty cycle, and an output delivering to the transformer a primary voltage signal dependent on the second control signal, and a voltage divider bridge measuring the frequency-domain signal delivered by the transformer.

A control unit for a motor vehicle, having a supply connection for receiving a supply voltage from a supply line needing to be secured against a reaction from the control unit, wherein to protect against the reaction there is provision in a current path of the supply connection for a unidirectional first blocking element, and a diagnostic circuit is configured to check the blocking effect thereof by a predetermined diagnostic routine. An additional, second unidirectional blocking element is connected in series with the blocking element in the current path of the supply connection, wherein the first and the second blocking element each provide for a unidirectional flow of current to the device circuit, and the diagnostic circuit is configured to use the diagnostic routine to also check the blocking effect of the second blocking element.

A control unit for a motor vehicle, having a supply connection for receiving a supply voltage from a supply line needing to be secured against a reaction from the control unit, wherein to protect against the reaction there is provision in a current path of the supply connection for a unidirectional first blocking element, and a diagnostic circuit is configured to check the blocking effect thereof by a predetermined diagnostic routine. An additional, second unidirectional blocking element is connected in series with the blocking element in the current path of the supply connection, wherein the first and the second blocking element each provide for a unidirectional flow of current to the device circuit, and the diagnostic circuit is configured to use the diagnostic routine to also check the blocking effect of the second blocking element.

An electric power system includes a direct voltage rail (101), battery elements (102-104) connected with supply-converters (105-107) to the direct voltage rail, and load-converters (111-113) for converting direct voltage of the direct voltage rail into voltages suitable for loads of the electric power system, where the supply-converters and the load-converters are connected with over-current protectors (108-110, 114-116) to the direct voltage rail. The electric power system further includes a capacitor system (117) connected to the direct voltage rail and capable of supplying fault current for switching an over-current protector into a non-conductive state in response to a fault causing a voltage drop at an electrical node connected to the direct voltage rail via the over-current protector. The capacitor system may include one or more high-capacitance electric double layer capacitors. The fault current available from the capacitor system enables a selective protection.

An automobile power supply device is provided with a first relay interposed between a first battery and a load group; a second relay interposed between second battery and the load group; a hood switch that detects the opening of a hood of an engine room and outputs a detection signal dt1; a luggage switch that detects the opening of a hood of a luggage room and outputs a detection signal dt2; and a power supply control unit that brings the first relay into a non-conductive state based on the detection signal output by the hood switch, and brings the second relay into a non-conductive state based on the detection signal output by the luggage switch.

An automobile power supply device is provided with a first relay interposed between a first battery and a load group; a second relay interposed between second battery and the load group; a hood switch that detects the opening of a hood of an engine room and outputs a detection signal dt1; a luggage switch that detects the opening of a hood of a luggage room and outputs a detection signal dt2; and a power supply control unit that brings the first relay into a non-conductive state based on the detection signal output by the hood switch, and brings the second relay into a non-conductive state based on the detection signal output by the luggage switch.

A power controller monitors and controls supply of AC power to a load. A power supply derives DC power supply voltages from the input AC power. The power supply includes power dissipation circuit that dissipates excess power as a function of one of the supply voltages. A voltage sensing circuit provides a voltage sense signal that is a function of the voltage of the input AC power. A digital processor controls a switch that connects a load to the AC power based upon the voltage sensed signal.