A device for hooking up a signal-outputting mechanism with two potential sensors each of which has allocated to it two evaluation terminals, wherein the potentials of the evaluation terminals depend inversely on the resistances between the respective evaluation terminals.

A semiconductor device, including a control circuit that has a gate control circuit driving a power semiconductor element. The control circuit further includes a plurality of alarm detection circuits respectively detecting a plurality of abnormalities, a protection circuit stopping the gate control circuit responsive to the detection of any abnormality, an alarm signal generation circuit generating an alarm signal responsive to the detected abnormality, a warning detection circuit detecting a warning before any of the abnormalities is detected, and a pulse generation circuit generating a warning signal while the warning is being detected. The alarm signal is a one-shot pulse having a pulse width thereof corresponding to the detected abnormality, such that alarm signals generated responsive to different abnormalities have different pulse widths. The warning signal includes a plurality of successive pulses, each of which has a pulse width smaller than any of the pulse widths of the alarm signals.

A signal detection circuit includes: a voltage dividing circuit having at least a first pair of voltage dividing capacitors connected in series for dividing an input voltage and configured to output a divided voltage, and a detection circuit configured to detect the divided voltage. The first pair of voltage dividing capacitors are included in one semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes: (i) a semiconductor substrate, (ii) a first conductor layer, (iii) a first dielectric layer, (iv) a second conductor layer, (v) a second dielectric layer, (vi) a third conductor layer, and (vii) a short-circuit portion configured to short-circuit the first conductor layer and the semiconductor substrate.

Technologies and techniques for operating an appliance. A command button of an operating part is actuated, the actuation of the command button being detected by a microcontroller using measuring instruments. The read-in measured values are evaluated such that it is determined whether the measuring signal has a regular form for actuating the command button, or an irregular form. A function associated with the actuated command button is implemented if it is established that the measuring signal has a regular form. When a regular form is identified, optionally an acoustic, haptic or optical acknowledgement signal is emitted, and when an irregular form is identified, an acoustic, haptic or optical fault signal is emitted.

The present invention relates to the protection of a driver circuit for actuating a semiconductor switch. A voltage drop in a series resistor between the driver circuit and a control connection of the semiconductor switch is evaluated for this purpose. If the voltage drop across the series resistor exceeds a prespecified threshold value and this threshold value is exceeded for at least a predetermined period of time, the driver circuit for the semiconductor switch is then deactivated.

A circuit for detecting a leakage current in a semiconductor element includes a setting circuit and a detector. The semiconductor element includes a first terminal at a high-potential-side of the semiconductor element, a second terminal at a low-potential-side of the semiconductor element, and a control terminal. The control terminal receives a signal for controlling a conduction state between the first terminal and the second terminal. The setting circuit sets a duration during which a charging current flows to the control terminal as an undetectable duration, in response to turning on the semiconductor element. The detector outputs a detected signal based on a condition that the leakage current flowing from the control terminal to the second terminal, after the undetectable duration has been elapsed.

Provided are embodiments for determining solenoid plunger position by performing a method which includes generating, by a first signal circuit, a first signal based at least in part on a pull-in current value of a current applied to a solenoid coil of a solenoid. The method further includes generating, by a second signal circuit, a second signal by applying a time delay to the first signal. The method further includes comparing, by a comparator circuit, the first signal and the second signal to determine whether a plunger of the solenoid has moved within the solenoid from a first position to a second position. The method further includes, responsive to determining that the plunger of the solenoid has moved within the solenoid from the first position to the second position, reducing the current applied to the solenoid coil of the solenoid from the pull-in current value to a hold current value.

A prefabricated substation is provided with a solid state breaker and a transformer. The substation preferably transforms voltage from a medium voltage to a low voltage. The substation also breaks current flow through the substation when a fault occurs. The primary components of the substation, including the transformer and solid state breaker, are located together within the housing.

An isolated gate driver has a first portion in a first voltage domain and a second portion in a second voltage domain. The first and second portions are coupled by an isolation communication channel. The isolated gate driver transmits across the isolation communication channel a serial word containing first drive strength information and simultaneously transmits gate information with the serial word across the isolation communication channel. The gate information indicates a state of a gate signal for a transistor coupled to the second portion of the isolated gate driver. A demodulator circuit demodulates a signal containing the gate information and the drive strength information transmitted across the isolation communication channel in the serial word. A gate signal output circuit coupled to the demodulator circuit supplies the gate signal based on the gate information with a drive strength of the gate signal being based on the drive strength information.

An isolated gate driver has a first portion in a first voltage domain and a second portion in a second voltage domain. The first and second portions are coupled by an isolation communication channel. The isolated gate driver transmits across the isolation communication channel a serial word containing first drive strength information and simultaneously transmits gate information with the serial word across the isolation communication channel. The gate information indicates a state of a gate signal for a transistor coupled to the second portion of the isolated gate driver. A demodulator circuit demodulates a signal containing the gate information and the drive strength information transmitted across the isolation communication channel in the serial word. A gate signal output circuit coupled to the demodulator circuit supplies the gate signal based on the gate information with a drive strength of the gate signal being based on the drive strength information.