An electrical assembly comprises a plurality of modules (36), each module (36) including at least one switching element (38) and at least one energy storage device (40), the or each switching element (38) and the or each energy storage device (40) in each module (36) arranged to be combinable to selectively provide a voltage source, wherein each module (36) includes a respective sensor (46) that is configured to monitor at least one other of the plurality of modules (36), each sensor (46) configured to selectively detect an occurrence of an operational hazard in the or each corresponding monitored module (36).

A method and circuit for determining and extinguishing electrical faults includes a power supply, and electrical load, a controller module, and electrical sensors, and when the controller module does not extinguish the electrical fault, another switch blows a fuse.

A control device, such as a smart thermostat, employs solid state relays as switches to activate and deactivate systems controlled by the device. By measuring the current flow through the power buses to one or more of the solid state relays of the control device, potentially damaging over current conditions can be distinguished from permissible transient over-current conditions and the control device can deactivate any solid state relays which would be damaged while allowing solid state relays which are experiencing allowable transients to remain operating. In the case of a severe over current condition, a current monitoring device can issue a fault signal, triggering an interrupt condition which will cause a processor in the controller to shut down the affected solid state relays very quickly.

The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus for controlling temperature of component of power source separation circuit in which a temperature detection circuit may be implemented in a circuit that uses a power source different from a power source used by the control microcomputer, may directly measure a temperature of a circuit component, and may deliver a protective signal to the control microcomputer using a comparator and an insulating phototransistor, thereby implementing a protective operation.

An object of the present invention is to stop the driving of a semiconductor element swiftly at a time of abnormality while sharing an output terminal between temperature information and an error signal in an IPM. In the intelligent power module of the present invention, each drive circuit includes an output control circuit configured to select the error signal while the error signal generation circuit outputs the error signal, to select the temperature signal while the error signal generation circuit does not output the error signal, and to output a selected signal as an alarm signal. The temperature signal generation circuit is configured to change the voltage value of the temperature signal in accordance with the element temperature of the specific semiconductor element within a voltage range different from the voltage value of the error signal.

A solid-state circuit breaker (SSCB) with self-diagnostic, self-maintenance, and self-protection capabilities includes: a power semiconductor device; an air gap disconnect unit connected in series with the power semiconductor device; a sense and drive circuit that switches the power semiconductor device OFF upon detecting a short circuit or overload of unacceptably long duration; and a microcontroller unit (MCU) that triggers the air gap disconnect unit to form an air gap and galvanically isolate an attached load, after the sense and drive circuit switches the power semiconductor device OFF. The MCU is further configured to monitor the operability of the air gap disconnect unit, the power semiconductor device, and other critical components of the SSCB and, when applicable, take corrective actions to prevent the SSCB and the connected load from being damaged or destroyed and/or to protect persons and the environment from being exposed to hazardous electrical conditions.

A time-admittance fault detection and isolation system includes a series of time-admittance switches spaced apart along the power line, each including a respective time-admittance function. Together, the time-admittance functions define a cascade trip sequence in a downstream-to-upstream direction, which autonomously causes a closest upstream time-admittance switch to a fault to trip to isolate the fault on an upstream side of the fault without communication with the time-admittance switches. The fault detection and isolation system may also include a radio communicating a trip signal from the closest upstream time-admittance switch to the fault to a closest downstream time-admittance switch to the fault. The trip signal causes the closest downstream time-admittance switch to the fault to trip to isolate the fault on a downstream side of the fault. A tie switch closes to back-feed a portion of the electric power line downstream from the closest downstream time-admittance switch to the fault.

Provided herein is a power distribution system comprising a main power bus, sub-buses coupled to the main power bus, and a controller. The sub-buses provide power to electrical components of a vehicle. Each of the sub-buses includes an electrically programmable fuse in series with a relay. The controller is configured to detect a fault in a sub-bus of the sub-buses, determine a fault type associated with the fault, and in response to determining the fault type, generate a command to cause the relay to change a relay state.

This disclosure is directed to circuits and techniques for protecting a power switch when the power switch is turned ON. A driver circuit may detect whether the power switch is in a desaturation mode or an overcurrent state based on a signal at a detection pin, and disable the power switch in response to detecting that the power switch is in the desaturation mode or the overcurrent state. In addition, the driver circuit may detect whether the power switch is trending towards a safe operating area (SOA) limit of the power switch based on a rate of change of the signal, and disable the power switch in response to detecting that the power switch is trending towards the SOA limit.

A gate-driving circuit for turning on and off a switch device including a gate terminal coupled to a driving node, a drain terminal coupled to a power node, and a source terminal is provided. The gate-driving circuit includes a driving switch and a voltage control circuit. The driving switch includes a gate terminal coupled to a control node, a drain terminal coupled to the power node, and a source terminal coupled to the driving node. The voltage control circuit is coupled between the control node and the driving node. When a positive pulse is generated at the control node, the voltage control circuit provides the positive pulse to the driving node with a time delay.