Fail-Safe Device With Self-Biased Drive Block and Isolation Trench
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fail-safe devices in vehicles require external components and cannot activate the fail-safe function in all failure scenarios, such as watchdog failures, power supply issues, or door actuator malfunctions, and lack compactness and efficient current absorption.
Innovation Solution
A fail-safe device integrated into a single chip with a self-biased drive block, internal power supply, and deep-trench isolation, enabling detection of failures and activation of critical switches like MOSFETs even in low power conditions, without external components, and providing physical isolation and compactness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If external components are used for fail-safe function, then the fail-safe function can be activated in specific failure scenarios, but the device complexity increases and cannot cover all failure scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fail-safe circuit with the main device into a single integrated chip, combining previously separate components (power-management device, fail-safe logic, external components) into one unified device. This integration enables comprehensive failure detection across all scenarios while reducing device complexity by eliminating the need for multiple separate components and external connections.
2Adaptability or versatility
If two distinct chips are used for power-management and fail-safe functions, then functional separation is achieved, but compactness and integration are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines power-management functions and fail-safe functions into a single integrated chip, eliminating the need for two distinct chips. The fail-safe circuit is directly integrated with the power-management circuitry, allowing both functional separation (through internal circuit design) and high integration (single chip) to coexist.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated chip performs multiple functions including power-management, failure detection across all scenarios (watchdog, power supply, thermal, door actuator), and fail-safe activation. This multi-functional design replaces the need for separate specialized chips while maintaining functional integrity.
3Reliability
If conventional fail-safe devices are used, then power management functions are covered, but other failure scenarios like door actuator malfunctions cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The fail-safe circuit is designed with universal detection capability that monitors multiple failure scenarios including watchdog failures, power supply under-voltage, thermal shutdown conditions, and door actuator malfunctions. This multi-functional detection capability ensures comprehensive safety coverage across all vehicle door zone operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A fail-safe device may be coupled to a main device for actuating a switch responsive to a failure. The fail-safe device may include a fail-safe circuit, and an isolation trench surrounding the fail-safe circuit and isolating the fail-safe circuit from the main device. The fail-safe device may include an internal power supply connection, an internal reference voltage connection, a self-biased drive block configured to drive the at least one switch, and a receiver configured to receive failure signals from the main device.