When using DC power supplies, turning off switches and unplugging from sockets can result in arc discharge, and when arc discharge occurs, heat is generated, which can cause damage to contacts, wiring of disconnection points to melt, and fires. In order to solve this problem, an object is to prevent inrush current when connecting a power supply, detect arc discharge generated when disconnecting direct current, and stop arc discharge over a short period of time. All of the loads that are connected to a DC power supply are equipped with a soft-start function that gradually and smoothly increases current so as to prevent current from flowing suddenly when connected to a power supply, and if a sudden drop in the power supply voltage is detected, an arc discharge is deemed to have occurred, and the flow of current from the power supply to the load is cut off immediately.

A memory system includes a connector through which power for the memory system is to be supplied from an external device, a controller, a nonvolatile memory device, a power source circuit connected to the controller and the nonvolatile memory device by power lines through which power is supplied to the controller and the nonvolatile memory device, and a power source control circuit that receives a supply of power from the external device through the connector and supplies the power to the power control circuit. The power source control circuit is configured to detect using a divided voltage of a voltage of the power supplied thereto, that the voltage of the power supplied thereto is higher than a predetermined voltage and interrupt the power supplied to the power control circuit if the voltage of the power supplied thereto is higher than the predetermined voltage.

An embodiment electronic circuit includes an electronic switch comprising a load path, a first protection circuit configured to generate a first protection signal based on a current-time-characteristic of a load current through the load path of the electronic switch, and a drive circuit configured to drive the electronic switch based on the first protection signal. The first protection circuit includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to receive an ADC input signal representing the load current, to sample the ADC input signal once in each of a plurality of successive sampling periods, and to output an ADC output signal that includes a sequence of values such that each of the values represents a respective sample of the ADC input signal. The ADC is configured to pseudo-randomly select a sample time in each sampling period.

An embodiment electronic circuit includes an electronic switch comprising a load path, and a control circuit configured to drive the electronic switch. The control circuit is configured to operate in one of a first operation mode and a second operation mode based at least on a level of a load current of the electronic switch. In the first operation mode the control circuit is configured to generate a first protection signal based on a current-time-characteristic of the load current and drive the electronic switch based on the first protection signal. The control circuit is configured to generate a status signal such that the status signal has a wakeup pulse when the operation mode changes from the second operation mode to the first operation mode and, after the wakeup pulse, a signal level representing a level of the load current.

Embodiments include a vehicle power distribution system comprising a vehicle battery having a nominal voltage; a plurality of electric loads, each load being associated with a rated voltage; and an integrated circuit coupled to the vehicle battery and comprising a plurality of solid-state circuitry blocks respectively coupled to the electric loads, each block including a circuit protection system and configured to supply the rated voltage associated with the electric load coupled to the block. Embodiments also includes a vehicle power distribution module comprising an integrated circuit configured to receive a first voltage from a vehicle battery and to supply respective rated voltages to a plurality of electric loads, the integrated circuit comprising a plurality of solid-state circuitry blocks, and each circuitry block including a circuit protection system and being coupled to a respective one of the electric loads.

System controller and method for a power converter. For example, a system controller for a power converter includes a logic controller configured to generate a modulation signal, and a driver configured to receive the modulation signal, generate a drive signal based at least in part on the modulation signal, and output the drive signal to a switch to affect a current flowing through an inductive winding for a power converter. Additionally, the system controller includes a voltage-to-voltage converter configured to receive a first voltage signal, the modulation signal, and a demagnetization signal, and to generate a second voltage signal based at least in part on the first voltage signal, the modulation signal, and the demagnetization signal.

A short detection circuit includes a reference voltage generator that generates a reference voltage based on a power voltage, a comparison voltage generator that generates a comparison voltage that is higher or lower than a normal state voltage of a short detection target voltage by a predetermined adjustment voltage based on the reference voltage, a voltage comparator that generates a comparison result voltage by comparing the short detection target voltage with the comparison voltage, and a short detector that determines whether a target line transferring the short detection target voltage is electrically shorted based on the comparison result voltage. Thus, the short detection circuit can accurately detect an electrical short due to particles that exist in a display device.

A method for protecting batteries with consideration for the influence of a load coupled to a battery pack is provided. The battery pack includes a terminal to be coupled to a capacitor of the load, and a battery management system for controlling a protection operation according to a voltage of the terminal, counting a number of protection operation executions after the load is coupled to the battery pack, and differently controlling a deactivation time of the protection operations depending on whether or not the number of executions is greater than or equal to a reference count.

A load control device includes an energization circuit unit connected between a power source and a load and configured to switch ON and OFF of energization of the load, a failure detection unit connected to a downstream side of the energization circuit unit, a current interruption unit connected to an upstream side of the energization circuit unit and configured to interrupt supply of current of the power source to the energization circuit unit based on an input from the failure detection unit, and a control unit configured to supply an ON-OFF control signal to the energization circuit unit. The energization circuit unit includes a first semiconductor switch and a second semiconductor switch which are connected in parallel to each other The control unit supplies a common ON-OFF control signal to the first semiconductor switch and the second semiconductor switch.

A wireline release tool for downhole intervention, the tool including a housing having an electrical input and an electrical output; a pass-through switch located inside the housing and electrically connected between the electrical input and the electrical output; and a current limiter device located inside the housing and electrically connected between the electrical input and the electrical output. The pass-through switch is connected in parallel to the current limiter device, between the electrical input and the electrical output