Actuating Element Monitoring via Voltage Drop Regulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for monitoring electrical loads with actuating elements, such as field-effect transistors, generate unwanted voltage/current pulses when briefly disconnected at intervals, leading to potential malfunctions and fail to accurately detect malfunctions independently of power consumption.
Innovation Solution
An open-loop control device regulates the actuating element's voltage drop against a prescribed setpoint, using a closed-loop control system to maintain a sufficient voltage drop for current measurement, and compares actuating signals to detect malfunctions, ensuring the actuating elements operate within a range of increased resistance without maximum conductivity or insulation, reducing power levels to prevent damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the actuating element is briefly disconnected at intervals to test functionality, then the disconnection capability can be verified, but unwanted voltage/current pulses are generated that can lead to malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating element is periodically actuated at time intervals to switch off, enabling periodic functionality testing. However, this periodic action generates unwanted voltage/current pulses that can cause malfunctions. The patent resolves this by using a regulating circuit to control the actuation timing and duration, ensuring that the testing occurs without generating harmful pulses that would compromise system reliability.
2Productivity
If the actuating element is operated at maximum current transmission capacity, then the load can be fully controlled, but the voltage drop is insufficient for accurate current measurement and malfunction detection
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating element is operated at partial current transmission capacity during measurement intervals rather than maximum capacity. This partial action allows sufficient voltage drop to occur for accurate current measurement and malfunction detection, while still maintaining adequate control over the load. The regulating circuit adjusts the actuating signal to achieve this optimal partial operation state.
3Reliability
If the actuating element is briefly disconnected for testing, then malfunction detection is enabled, but power consumption increases and damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
A voltage-measuring device continuously monitors the voltage drop across the actuating element and feeds this information back to the regulating circuit. This feedback mechanism enables the system to detect malfunctions by analyzing voltage changes during actuation intervals, while the regulating circuit optimizes power consumption by only performing measurements when necessary and adjusting actuation duration to minimize energy usage.
4Productivity
If the actuating element is operated with high current, then the load can be effectively controlled, but crosscurrents may occur and functional safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating element's operating state is dynamically adjusted between different current levels. During normal operation, high current enables effective load control. During measurement intervals, the regulating circuit reduces the actuating signal to a lower current level that maintains sufficient voltage drop for measurement while preventing crosscurrents. This dynamic switching between operational states ensures both control effectiveness and functional safety.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively detects malfunctions in actuating elements by maintaining a stable voltage drop and comparing actuating signals, reducing power consumption and preventing damage, while ensuring functional safety by avoiding crosscurrents and minimizing unwanted pulses.
Implementation Method 1
A voltage-measuring device is used to measure the voltage drop between source and drain on the field-effect transistor. At high currents and a sufficiently high voltage drop on the field-effect transistor, which has an ohmic character during operation, the current in the two current paths can be determined.
Data Source
AI summary
Method and device for monitoring an electrical load connected to a power supply, with first and second current paths, each having an actuating element, the current transmission capacity of which is alterable by an actuating signal, wherein the operating state of each actuating element is characterized by a voltage drop and the actuating signal. An open-loop control device is configured to activate the actuating elements, at least at measuring intervals spaced apart from one another in time, and evaluate values of the electrical variables obtained for detecting a malfunction of the actuating element, wherein one of the two variables is held at a prescribed value, and the values of the other variable are correlated with one another. A field-effect transistor is activated such that the transistor is not connected through, but rather that a greater voltage drops across the transistor than would be the case in the connected through state.