Mode-Controlled Voltage Excursion Detector
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing voltage overvoltage/undervoltage detectors in electronic circuits often lead to false detections during mode transitions, causing temporary unavailability and potential safety risks due to unnecessary resets, which conflict with the requirements of safety and availability.
Innovation Solution
A mode-controlled voltage excursion detector that temporarily adjusts sensitivity or thresholds during mode transitions to prevent false detection of voltage excursions, thereby minimizing unnecessary resets and maintaining system availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the voltage detector always senses the power supply voltage regardless of operating state, then voltage excursions can be detected, but false detections occur during mode transitions causing unnecessary resets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the detection sensitivity adjustable based on operating mode. The detector transitions from static always-on detection to dynamic mode-controlled detection, where the sensitivity control module adjusts detection thresholds or disables detection temporarily during mode transitions to prevent false detections while maintaining detection accuracy during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the detection parameters (sensitivity, thresholds) based on operating conditions. During mode transitions, the sensitivity control module modifies detection parameters to mask expected voltage excursions, thereby preventing false detections. During normal operation, standard detection parameters are used to ensure detection accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If the detector maintains high sensitivity to detect voltage excursions, then detection precision is improved, but false detections during mode transitions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sensitivity control module acts as an intermediary between the voltage monitor and the detection output. It receives information about operating modes and intermediate voltage excursion signals, then intelligently controls whether to output false detection signals during mode transitions, thereby filtering harmful false detections while preserving true voltage excursion detections.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by detecting mode transitions in advance and temporarily adjusting or disabling voltage detection sensitivity before actual voltage excursions occur during the transition. This prevents false detections from being generated in the first place, rather than filtering them after detection.
3Reliability
If voltage detection is continuously active, then system safety is maintained, but unnecessary resets occur during mode transitions reducing system availability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by enabling voltage detection during normal operation modes and temporarily disabling it during mode transition periods. This periodic switching between detection and non-detection states based on operating mode ensures safety during stable operation while avoiding false resets during transitions, thereby reducing unnecessary system unavailability time.
Data Source
AI summary
A mode-controlled voltage excursion detector apparatus for monitoring a supply voltage of a power supply applied to a load and a method of operating thereof is described. A voltage monitor is configured to detect an excursion event if the supply voltage exceeds or falls below at least one defined threshold, to generate an excursion event signal upon detection of the excursion event and to provide the generated excursion event signal to the excursion event output for being outputted via an excursion event output. A sensitivity control module is configured to receive a signal indicative of potential voltage excursions. A sensitivity control module is further operatively coupled to the sensitivity control input and configured to disable the outputting of an excursion event signal generated during a defined period of time in response to the reception of the signal, which triggers the disabling of the outputting.