Patent classifications
H02H3/046
REDUNDANT CIRCUIT DISCONNECTION FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES
Systems and methods for redundant circuit disconnection in electric vehicles are disclosed. Systems can include a resistive metallic fuse connected within an electrical circuit for a battery or otherwise, an inductor comprising a coil of at least one turn of wire about a longitudinal axis, and an AC power source configured to provide an alternating current across the inductor. The resistive metallic fuse may be disposed within the inductor along the longitudinal axis, and the AC power source may be configured to cause the inductor to induce within the resistive metallic fuse eddy currents of sufficient magnitude to melt or vaporize at least a portion of the resistive metallic fuse disposed therein.
SYSTEM FOR ACTIVELY DETECTING ALTERNATING CURRENT LOAD
A system for actively detecting an alternating current (AC) load includes a first power interface, a second power interface, a switch unit, and a control unit. The first power interface is coupled to an AC source to receive and provide an AC voltage. The second power interface is configured to be coupled to an electronic equipment to provide the AC source to the electronic equipment and provide a connection signal according to whether the electronic equipment is coupled to the second power interface. The switch unit is coupled between the first power interface and the second power interface and receives a switch signal to determine whether the AC voltage is transmitted to the second power interface. The control unit is coupled to the second power interface and the switch unit to provide the switch signal according to the connection signal.
Fuse sense circuit and method
A sense circuit and method for use in measuring the blown or unblown state of fusible links (fuses), particularly in integrated circuits. Embodiments include at least one additional reference resistance to allow for a greater margin of error in determining the actual state of a fuse. By having two or more reference resistances that can be independently selectable, additional combinations of reference resistance values are available to compare against the resistance of a fuse being tested.
Electrostatic discharge protection circuit including a pulse detection circuit
An electrostatic discharge protection circuit includes: a pulse detection unit, a delay unit, a control unit, and a discharge unit. The pulse detection unit is configured to detect an electrostatic pulse signal; the delay unit is configured to delay or enhance driving capability of the pulse detection signal output by the pulse detection unit; the control unit is configured to generate a control signal based on a first delay signal and a second delay signal output by the delay unit; and the discharge unit is configured to open or close an electrostatic charge discharge passage based on the control signal output by the control unit.
Arrangement to monitor DC circuit condition
An arrangement for monitoring a condition of a direct current voltage circuit including first and second supply poles for forming an operating voltage. A first fuse is connected to the first supply pole, and has a supply pole and an output pole. A second fuse is connected to the second supply pole, and has a supply pole and an output pole. The arrangement can form one or several reference voltages (U.sub.REFa,U.sub.REFb,U.sub.REFc), can form a first measurement voltage (U.sub.1a,U.sub.1b,U.sub.1c,U.sub.1d) between the output pole of the first fuse and the supply pole of the second fuse, and can form a second measurement voltage (U.sub.1a,U.sub.1b,U.sub.1c,U.sub.1d) between the output pole of the second fuse and the supply pole of the first or the second fuse. One or several reference voltages and measurement voltages can be compared to estimate a condition of the first and second fuse, and a comparison result can be indicated.
ELECTRIC FUSE CURRENT SENSING SYSTEMS AND MONITORING METHODS
Electrical current sensing and monitoring methods include connecting sensing a voltage across a conductor having a non-linear resistance such as a fuse element. The current flowing in the conductor is calculated based on at least a first detected state of the sensed voltage and a thermal equilibrium characterization of the conductor.
CIRCUIT PROTECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD
A DC and/or an AC power transmission circuit protection system is for protection of a cabling medium. The circuit protection system includes a power supply, a powered device and a circuit protection module that includes an over-current and/or over-voltage circuit module and/or a heat circuit protector. The protection system is disposed between the power supply and the powered device, and interrupts an electrical current that flows through the cabling medium when the over-current and/or over-voltage circuit module and/or the circuit protector exceeds a predetermined level. There is also provided a method to dispose the circuit protection system and the circuit protection module within the circuit and to interrupt the circuit when over-current and/or over-voltage circuit module and/or heat circuit protector exceeds a predetermined level.
Systems and methods for monitoring and estimating service life of electrical fuses
A fuse monitoring assembly for monitoring one or more fuses within a fuse housing includes an upper housing and a lower housing coupled to the upper housing and defining a housing cavity; at least one sensor configured to measure fuse data associated with the one or more fuses, the fuse data including operational data of the fuse and environmental data in which the one or more fuses are located; and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor to transmit the fuse data to a remote computing device. The remote computing device is configured to receive the fuse data; determine an estimated remaining fuse service life by analyzing the fuse data using a combination of a physics model and a machine-learning model; and generate a fuse message based on the analysis. The sensor and the processor are positioned within the housing cavity.
FAIL-OPEN ISOLATOR
A device includes first and second device terminals, a fuse, a first circuit, a first transistor, and a control circuit. The fuse terminal couples to the first device terminal. The first circuit couples to the second fuse terminal. The second fuse terminal has a first voltage. The first transistor has a first control input and first and second current terminals. The first current terminal couples to the second fuse terminal, and the second current terminal couples to the second device terminal. The control circuit: turns on the first transistor into a saturation region if the first voltage exceeds a threshold and a current through the fuse exceeds a trip threshold current of the fuse; and turns on the first transistor into a linear region if the first voltage exceeds a threshold and a current through the fuse is below the trip threshold current of the fuse.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING ELECTRIC POWER TO AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE
System and method for providing electric power to an electronic device. The method includes receiving electric power at a corresponding voltage, receiving a first standby electric power at a first standby voltage, directing the electric power to the electronic device through a corresponding fuse state indicator selectively connecting a corresponding power input of a monitoring circuit to the electronic device and relying on the first standby electric power to operate, combining the fuse state signal with a signal indicative of a presence of the electric power at the power input of the monitoring circuit to form a main state signal that can be selectively an alive state or a failure state; and, in response to the main state signal being in a failure state, disconnecting the electronic device from the power source.