Up-Down Counter Circuit for Thermal Overload Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic circuit systems lack effective methods to dynamically control electrical consumers to prevent thermal overload, especially during startup or brief load peaks, without requiring explicit knowledge of nominal currents or complex calculations.
Innovation Solution
A circuit system utilizing an up-down counter and controllable clock divider circuit to dynamically adjust counting direction and speed based on actual and nominal currents, allowing for real-time monitoring and control of electrical consumers, thereby preventing thermal overload.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the electrical consumer is operated at higher power levels to improve productivity, then the output or effective yield per time is improved, but thermal overload occurs causing reliability deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of the electrical consumer by using an up-down counter that can change direction based on thermal conditions. The counter increments during operation and decrements during cooling periods, allowing the system to dynamically adjust between productivity and thermal safety. This dynamic approach enables operation at higher power levels when thermal conditions permit while automatically reducing power when thermal limits are approached, resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability.
2Device complexity
If a simple counter circuit is used to reduce device complexity, then the number of elements and structural complexity is reduced, but the ability to dynamically control counting direction and speed is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The up-down counter circuit serves multiple functions: it counts operation cycles, tracks thermal accumulation, determines cooling status, and controls switching duty cycle. By integrating these diverse functions into a single counter device that can count in both directions, the patent achieves high adaptability without proportionally increasing device complexity. The same counter hardware adapts to different thermal conditions and control requirements, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and versatility.
3Reliability
If thermal monitoring is implemented to prevent overload and improve reliability, then the ability to perform required function under specified conditions is improved, but the number of elements and structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-monitoring of thermal conditions using the up-down counter that automatically tracks operation and cooling cycles without requiring external temperature sensors or complex monitoring circuits. The counter itself serves as the thermal monitoring mechanism by comparing the number of on-cycles versus off-cycles, enabling reliability improvement through thermal management while minimizing additional device complexity. The system essentially monitors its own thermal state using existing control components.
Data Source
AI summary
A circuit system for controlling an electrical consumer, the circuit system including an up-down counter, and the circuit system being configured to generate a control signal for controlling the electrical consumer, in particular for shutting off the electrical consumer, as a function of a counter content of the up-down counter. The circuit system includes a controllable clock divider circuit, with the aid of which the circuit system is configured to predefine a counting direction and a counting speed of the up-down counter as a function of at least one variable characterizing an actual current and/or a nominal current of the electrical consumer.