Provided is an apparatus and method for protecting against unsafe electric current conditions. A protections circuit may be used in a device, as an electric grill, that has one or more electric loads, such as heating elements. The protection circuit may protect against various failure scenarios, including, without limitation, instances of ground fault, over current, driver failure, and failure of a microprocessor. In response to a failure, the protection circuit may trip a latch relay or disable a triac driver to stop current from flowing.

Provided is an apparatus and method for protecting against unsafe electric current conditions. A protections circuit may be used in a device, as an electric grill, that has one or more electric loads, such as heating elements. The protection circuit may protect against various failure scenarios, including, without limitation, instances of ground fault, over current, driver failure, and failure of a microprocessor. In response to a failure, the protection circuit may trip a latch relay or disable a triac driver to stop current from flowing.

There has been a problem in semiconductor apparatuses of related art in which a circuit operation cannot be returned after a reverse current occurred. In one embodiment, a semiconductor apparatus includes a timer block configured to count up a count value to a predetermined value in response to a control signal being enabled, the control signal instructing a power MOS transistor to be turned on, and a protection transistor including a drain connected to a gate of the power MOS transistor, a source and a back gate connected to a source of the power MOS transistor, and an epitaxial layer in which the power MOS transistor is formed, the epitaxial layer being supplied with a power supply voltage. The protection transistor short-circuits the source and gate of the power MOS transistor in response to an output voltage of the power MOS transistor meeting a predetermined condition and the count value reaching the predetermined value. The timer block resets the count value when the output voltage of the power MOS transistor no longer meets the predetermined condition.

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit includes a first diode, a second diode, an ESD clamp circuit and a first conductive structure on a backside of a semiconductor wafer, and being coupled to the first voltage supply. The first diode is in the semiconductor wafer, and coupled between an IO pad and a first node. The second diode is in the semiconductor wafer, coupled to the first diode and coupled between the IO pad and a second node. The ESD clamp circuit is in the semiconductor wafer, coupled between the first node and the second node, and further coupled to the first and second diode. The ESD clamp circuit includes a first signal tap region in the semiconductor wafer that is coupled to a first voltage supply. The first diode is coupled to and configured to share the first signal tap region with the ESD clamp circuit.

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit includes a first diode, a second diode, an ESD clamp circuit and a first conductive structure on a backside of a semiconductor wafer, and being coupled to the first voltage supply. The first diode is in the semiconductor wafer, and coupled between an IO pad and a first node. The second diode is in the semiconductor wafer, coupled to the first diode and coupled between the IO pad and a second node. The ESD clamp circuit is in the semiconductor wafer, coupled between the first node and the second node, and further coupled to the first and second diode. The ESD clamp circuit includes a first signal tap region in the semiconductor wafer that is coupled to a first voltage supply. The first diode is coupled to and configured to share the first signal tap region with the ESD clamp circuit.

An electrical circuit breaker assembly, and a method for its operation, including a conductive element of an electrical circuit and a cut-off device configured to be activated by a pyrotechnic element and that is configured to sever the conductive element in a cut-off zone delimited by a downstream point. The electrical circuit breaker assembly further includes a contactor element configured to be activated by a pyrotechnic element, the contactor element being configured to connect the downstream point of the cut-off zone to an earth conductor of the electrical circuit prior to a severing of the conductive element or simultaneously with the severing of the conductive element.

An electrical circuit breaker assembly, and a method for its operation, including a conductive element of an electrical circuit and a cut-off device configured to be activated by a pyrotechnic element and that is configured to sever the conductive element in a cut-off zone delimited by a downstream point. The electrical circuit breaker assembly further includes a contactor element configured to be activated by a pyrotechnic element, the contactor element being configured to connect the downstream point of the cut-off zone to an earth conductor of the electrical circuit prior to a severing of the conductive element or simultaneously with the severing of the conductive element.

Disclosed are an ultrasonic atomization control system and an electronic cigarette. The system includes: a current feedback circuit and/or a voltage feedback circuit, a microcontroller unit, a push-pull circuit, and an oscillator driving circuit; wherein the push-pull circuit is coupled between the microcontroller unit and the oscillator driving circuit, the current feedback circuit and/or the voltage feedback circuit are/is coupled between the oscillator driving circuit and the microcontroller unit; and the oscillator driving circuit is configured to be connected with a load; wherein the microcontroller unit is configured to output a pulse width modulation signal with a predetermined frequency and voltage to the push-pull circuit, judge a current and/or a voltage fluctuation fed back by the current feedback circuit and/or the voltage feedback circuit are/is greater than a threshold, and stop operation of the load if the fluctuation is greater than the threshold.

Disclosed are an ultrasonic atomization control system and an electronic cigarette. The system includes: a current feedback circuit and/or a voltage feedback circuit, a microcontroller unit, a push-pull circuit, and an oscillator driving circuit; wherein the push-pull circuit is coupled between the microcontroller unit and the oscillator driving circuit, the current feedback circuit and/or the voltage feedback circuit are/is coupled between the oscillator driving circuit and the microcontroller unit; and the oscillator driving circuit is configured to be connected with a load; wherein the microcontroller unit is configured to output a pulse width modulation signal with a predetermined frequency and voltage to the push-pull circuit, judge a current and/or a voltage fluctuation fed back by the current feedback circuit and/or the voltage feedback circuit are/is greater than a threshold, and stop operation of the load if the fluctuation is greater than the threshold.

An electronic fuse for a power supply includes at least two switching elements and a regulation unit, wherein a first switching element is arranged in a main branch, where the regulation unit is switches off the first switching element when a predetermined threshold value is exceeded by a prevailing current value, and a second switching element that is also actuated by the regulation unit, which is arranged in an auxiliary branch parallel to the first switching element and assumes a substantial proportion of a resulting power loss when an overload occurs, and the second switching element, which is arranged in at least one auxiliary branch, is configured or optimized for linear operation, and where the at least two switching elements are configured such that the line resistance of the second switching element is at least twice the line resistance of the first switching element.