Configurable Single-Wire Feedback for Power Switch Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Safety-critical power systems with power switches face challenges in monitoring data consistency due to the risk of signal corruption and high costs associated with additional input pins, requiring a reliable, flexible, and cost-effective solution for data consistency monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a chain of driver units connected via a single-wire connection, where a control circuitry outputs configuration data to configure feedback signals, allowing for various types of feedback signals to be generated and transmitted through a single-wire connection, including signature signals, individual control signals, and driver status signals, enabling flexible monitoring and diagnostic capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional input pins are used to monitor data consistency, then reliability of signal monitoring is improved, but device cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the feedback signal transmission with the existing single-wire connection used for control signals. The same wire that carries control signals from the control device to the gate driver also carries feedback signals from the gate driver back to the control device, eliminating the need for additional dedicated feedback pins and reducing device complexity while maintaining monitoring reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The single-wire connection is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as both a control signal output line and a feedback signal input line. This multi-functional use of the existing wire infrastructure enables data consistency monitoring without requiring additional hardware resources, thereby reducing device cost while improving reliability
2Reliability
If a parallel loop back of control signals is implemented, then data consistency monitoring is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of implementing a separate parallel loop back circuit, the patent combines the feedback path with the existing control signal path by using the same single-wire connection for both directions of communication. This integration approach achieves data consistency monitoring while avoiding the additional circuit complexity that would result from a fully parallel implementation
3Reliability
If known monitoring solutions are used, then some aspects of data volume are covered, but flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic configurability where the gate driver can be programmed through configuration registers to select different feedback signal types (e.g., status flags, diagnostic information, signature signals). This dynamic adaptation capability allows the monitoring solution to be flexibly configured for different applications and data volumes, overcoming the rigidity of known monitoring solutions while maintaining reliable data consistency monitoring
Data Source
AI summary
A system can generate a configurable feedback. The system includes a number of circuitries that are coupled to a number of drivers and connected to each other in a chain via a single-wire connection. Control circuitry is connected to the plurality of circuitries and adapted to output configuration data to at least one circuitry of the plurality of circuitries to configure a feedback signal to be delivered by the plurality of circuitries to the control circuitry via the single-wire connection.