Driver Circuit Short-Circuit Detection for Discrete Inputs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing driver circuits fail to distinguish between short-circuit fault conditions and discrete inputs, leading to potential damage or misinterpretation of signals in output devices.

Innovation Solution

A driver circuit that monitors power supply and uses interpretation logic to differentiate between short-circuit fault conditions and discrete inputs by analyzing characteristics such as duration and frequency of detected short-circuit conditions, allowing for the detection of intentional short-circuit conditions created by momentary switches without additional terminal connections or power supplies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the driver circuit monitors power supply to detect short-circuit conditions, then the reliability of fault detection is improved, but the ability to distinguish between fault conditions and discrete inputs deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshort-circuit fault detection reliabilityVSAvoidsignal interpretation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The driver circuit dynamically adapts its monitoring behavior based on the state of the output device. When the output device is in a high-impedance state, the circuit transitions to a discrete input detection mode, allowing the monitoring function to serve dual purposes without causing harmful short-circuit conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The circuit changes its operational parameters by switching between different monitoring modes depending on the output device state. The monitoring characteristics are adjusted based on whether the output device is active or in high-impedance state, enabling accurate distinction between fault conditions and intentional discrete inputs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If additional terminal connections or power supplies are added to detect discrete inputs, then the measurement precision of input detection is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediscrete input detection accuracyVSAvoidcontroller structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The existing power supply terminals and monitoring circuitry are made multi-functional. The same terminals that supply power to the output device are also used to detect discrete inputs when the output device is in high-impedance state, eliminating the need for additional terminals or power supplies

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The discrete input detection function is merged with the existing power supply and short-circuit monitoring functions. By combining these functions into a single integrated approach, the circuit achieves accurate input detection without increasing overall device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP2503849B1Discreet input signal generation via output short-circuit detection

Publication Date: 2016.12.21 HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORP

AI summary

A controller 10 has an output for supplying power to an output device. The controller monitors the supplied power to provide short-circuit protection to the output device. The controller also receives discrete inputs at the output based on the introduction of temporary short-circuit conditions introduced by a momentary switch connected between outputs of the controller in parallel with the output device. The controller detects short-circuit conditions in the output and distinguishes between short-circuit fault conditions and discrete inputs generated by activation of the momentary switch based on measured characteristics of the detected short-circuit conditions.