A failure diagnosis circuit configured to diagnose an open-circuit failure in a reverse connection protection transistor includes a power supply unit having a switching transistor electrically connected to a power source and the reverse connection protection transistor and is brought into an on state or an off state in response to a control signal, and in which power is supplied from the power source to the reverse connection protection transistor when the switching transistor is in the on state; a power supply control unit that controls power supply to the reverse connection protection transistor and stop of the power supply by outputting the control signal to the switching transistor; and a diagnosis unit that diagnoses an open-circuit failure in the reverse connection protection transistor on the basis of an output state of the control signal and a detection result of voltage between the switching transistor and the reverse connection protection transistor.

The present disclosure provides a system, apparatus and method for providing rapid shutdown for photovoltaic power systems and provides a system, apparatus and method for providing arc sensing for photovoltaic power systems. An AC current can be put on the DC bus to control PV panel shutdown. Local mean decomposition can be used to sense arcing on the DC bus.

A three-output DC voltage supply for providing a positive, an intermediate, and a negative voltage supply is provided which includes a positive DC voltage bus and a negative DC voltage bus configured to be connected to a DC power source, a first voltage divider connected between the positive DC voltage bus and the negative DC voltage bus, wherein the first voltage divider includes a voltage-setting component and a resistive component, and a short-circuit protection component including first and second transistors of opposite types connected between the voltage-setting component and the resistive component, wherein a base of the first transistor is connected to a collector of the second transistor to define a first base/collector node, a base of the second transistor is connected to a collector of the first transistor to define a second base/collector node, and the intermediate voltage supply is provided by either the first or second gate/collector nodes.

In order both to accommodate instantaneous current as well as overcurrent protection in accordance with the load, an overcurrent protection circuit has: a threshold value generation unit that, in accordance with a threshold value control signal, switches between setting an overcurrent detection threshold value to a first set value ( Iref) and a second set value ( Iset) lower than the first set value; an overcurrent detection unit that compares a sense signal in accordance with the current being monitored and the overcurrent detection value and generates an overcurrent protection signal; a reference value generation unit that generates a reference value ( Iset) in accordance with the seconds set value; a comparison unit that compares the sense signal and the reference value, and generates a comparison signal; and a threshold value control unit that monitors the comparison signal, and generates a threshold value control signal.

A switch box includes a circuit substrate having a conductor pattern, a switching element that is mounted on the circuit substrate, a bus bar having a current input and output portion formed at one end thereof and a mounting portion formed at the other end thereof, the mounting portion being connected to the conductor pattern of the circuit substrate so as to be electrically conducted to the switching element through the conductor pattern, and a magnetic sensor that is mounted on the circuit substrate to detect a magnetic field generated due to a current flowing into the bus bar. The magnetic sensor is disposed in a gap formed between the circuit substrate and the bus bar.

In order both to accommodate instantaneous current as well as overcurrent protection in accordance with the load, an overcurrent protection circuit has: a threshold value generation unit that, in accordance with a threshold value control signal, switches between setting an overcurrent detection threshold value to a first set value (Iref) and a second set value (Iset) lower than the first set value; an overcurrent detection unit that compares a sense signal in accordance with the current being monitored and the overcurrent detection value and generates an overcurrent protection signal; a reference value generation unit that generates a reference value (Iset) in accordance with the seconds set value; a comparison unit that compares the sense signal and the reference value, and generates a comparison signal; and a threshold value control unit that monitors the comparison signal, and generates a threshold value control signal.

A method for a power system is disclosed. The method includes receiving signals, activating switches to pass a current from a power source to an apparatus. The method also includes deactivating switches and bypassing the power source. The power source may be a photovoltaic power source. The signals may be power line communication (PLC) signals.

A switching device includes a semiconductor power switch and a temperature sensitive element (TSE). The power switch has a normal operating temperature range and an active area. The TSE is connected to the power switch proximate the active area, and configured such that conduction of an electric current through the TSE is negligible when a temperature of the TSE is within the normal operating temperature range. Conduction increases when a temperature of the TSE is above the normal operating temperature range. This continues to a level sufficient for turning off the semiconductor power switch, e.g., by shorting the gate and source of the power switch. The TSE thus protects the power switch from thermal damage during an overcurrent event. An inverter circuit includes a direct current link capacitor and multiple switching pairs of the switching devices.

Example implementations of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle, a fault monitoring device for a vehicle and a semiconductor device for detecting an overvoltage and/or an overcurrent. The semiconductor device includes a first die and a second die, which is configured to detect an overvoltage and/or an overcurrent in the electrical supply and/or communication of the first die. The semiconductor device also includes an output for outputting a signal, which indicates the overvoltage and/or the overcurrent.

A direct current (DC) electrical panel (DC Combiner) is disclosed which includes a plurality of input pairs of positive and negative inputs, each input pair of the plurality of input pairs is configured to provide a positive DC input at a predefined voltage and a negative DC return, each positive input is coupled to a protection circuit whereby each such positive input is isolated from other positive inputs of the plurality of input pairs, thereby generating a protected input, each protected input is coupled to a busbar, and the busbar coupled to a plurality of switched circuits via a breaker switch in line with a protected input.