Regulator IC Rotation Lock Detection via Current Mirror
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor integrated circuits for voltage regulators lack the ability to detect a motor rotation lock state, which can lead to abnormal heat generation and breakdown, and require additional components like encoders or hall elements, increasing costs.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor integrated circuit with a voltage control transistor, a control circuit, and comparison circuits that detect current changes to determine rotation lock and short-circuiting states, using external elements for current-voltage conversion and delay circuits to prevent false detections, allowing for detection of rotation lock states without increasing system cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a motor driver with lock detection function is used, then the rotation lock state can be detected, but the system cost increases due to additional components like encoders or hall elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the rotation lock detection function with the existing regulator IC by utilizing the current mirror circuit that is already present for overcurrent protection. The detection function is merged into the existing current sensing infrastructure, eliminating the need for separate detection components like encoders or hall elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The current mirror circuit serves multiple functions: it provides overcurrent protection for the motor driver and simultaneously detects rotation lock states. By making the circuit universal, the patent avoids adding dedicated detection hardware, thereby reducing system cost while maintaining detection capability.
2Reliability
If the regulator IC integrates rotation lock detection, then detection reliability improves even when motor driver fails, but the regulator IC circuit complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation lock detection circuit is merged with the existing current mirror circuit structure. By reusing the same transistors and current sensing infrastructure already present in the regulator IC for overcurrent protection, the patent avoids adding separate detection circuitry, thereby maintaining detection reliability without significantly increasing circuit complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If a current mirror circuit is used for detection, then the detection function is achieved using existing components, but false detections may occur due to current variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a delay circuit that activates after the current mirror detects a potential rotation lock condition. This preliminary delay action allows the system to filter out transient current variations and false signals before confirming a rotation lock state, thereby improving detection accuracy while still using the existing current mirror circuit.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a semiconductor integrated circuit for a regulator, including: a voltage control transistor connected between a voltage input terminal to which a DC voltage is input and an output terminal; a control circuit that controls the voltage control transistor according to a feedback voltage of an output; a first transistor which is provided in parallel with the voltage control transistor and to which an electric current in a proportional reduction from an electric current flowing to the voltage control transistor flows; a first comparison circuit that determines which of the electric current flowing to the first transistor and a predetermined current value is larger; and a first output terminal for outputting the determination result. An output of the first comparison circuit is inverted in response to the flowing to the first transistor of the electric current smaller than a preset rotation lock detection current value.