Automotive Chip Port Protection Against Reverse Battery Voltage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automotive-grade chips are vulnerable to damage from reverse connection of the power supply, leading to potential failures and reduced reliability due to high voltages at certain ports, which existing protection schemes like high-side and low-side protection configurations are inadequate in addressing.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system of reverse connection protection circuits between ports and internal circuit assemblies, including transistors and diodes, to cut off pathways or control the internal circuit assembly to prevent damage when high voltages are detected, combined with a protection circuit and voltage controller to manage ground connections, ensuring safe operation and minimal voltage drop during normal connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a diode is added between ground ports in low-side reverse connection protection configuration, then reverse connection protection is provided, but high voltages appear at certain ports causing damage to internal circuit assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The protection function is segmented into multiple independent protection circuits, each assigned to specific ports that are prone to high voltage during reverse connection. This allows targeted protection of vulnerable ports (such as data input ports, clock ports, and control ports) without affecting the entire chip's operation, thereby preventing internal circuit damage while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Protection circuits are introduced as intermediary elements between external ports and the internal circuit assembly. These protection circuits detect high voltage conditions and intervene by blocking or clamping the voltage, preventing direct exposure of the internal circuit to harmful high voltages while allowing normal signal transmission under normal conditions.
2Reliability
If reverse connection protection circuits are added to each port, then internal circuit assembly is protected from high voltage damage, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly protecting all ports, the invention applies protection circuits selectively to specific ports that are most vulnerable to high voltage during reverse connection. By identifying and protecting only the critical ports (data input, clock, control ports), the solution achieves effective internal circuit protection while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protection circuits are designed with multi-functionality to handle various types of voltage anomalies including reverse connection, over-voltage, and electrostatic discharge. By making each protection circuit capable of addressing multiple protection needs, the total number of circuits required is reduced, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while maintaining comprehensive protection.
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
Prevents internal circuit assembly damage from high voltages during reverse power supply connections, enhancing the reliability and cold-start performance of automotive-grade chips by minimizing voltage drops and maintaining safe operating conditions.
Implementation Method 1
in a case that a voltage at a corresponding port is equal to a reverse connection voltage of the controller
Implementation Method 2
cut off a pathway between the port and the internal circuit assembly
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides an automotive-grade chip, and a vehicle-mounted circuit. The automotive-grade chip includes: a plurality of reverse connection protection circuits, a plurality of ports, and an internal circuit assembly. The reverse connection protection circuit is electrically connected between the port and the internal circuit assembly, and the port is further electrically connected to a controller or electrically connected between the controller and a low dropout linear regulator. The reverse connection protection circuit is configured to, in the case that a voltage at a corresponding port is equal to a reverse connection voltage of the controller, cut off a pathway between the port and the internal circuit assembly and/or control the internal circuit assembly to stop functioning. In this way, the internal circuit assembly of the automotive-grade chip is prevented from damages, and reliability of the automotive-grade chip is improved.