Voltage Divider Fault Detection for Analog Port Overvoltage Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices and image forming apparatuses face challenges in accurately detecting faults in voltage divider circuits, particularly due to the occurrence of single faults in resistors, which can lead to overvoltage application to analog ports and potential damage to the LSI.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a voltage divider circuit with series and parallel resistors, along with an anomaly detection unit, which generates a divisional voltage and determines logical levels based on threshold values to detect faults, ensuring the voltage level detection circuit operates within safe input voltage ranges even during single faults.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple voltage divider circuit with single resistors is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates due to potential overvoltage damage from single faults
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage divider circuit is segmented into multiple resistor components (first resistor and second resistor) instead of using single resistors. This segmentation allows the circuit to maintain functionality even when one resistor experiences a fault, preventing overvoltage conditions and improving overall reliability without significantly increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit design incorporates redundant resistor paths that provide protection before faults occur. The parallel and series connections are arranged such that if one resistor fails, the other resistors automatically compensate to prevent overvoltage, cushioning against potential damage to the LSI beforehand.
2Reliability
If redundant components are added to prevent single faults, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage divider circuit is divided into multiple functional segments with different resistor configurations (series and parallel connections). This segmentation enables independent fault detection for each segment while maintaining overall circuit simplicity, allowing reliability improvement without proportional complexity increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The voltage divider circuit is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: normal voltage division, fault detection, and overvoltage protection. By making the circuit multi-functional, redundant components are minimized while still achieving reliable fault detection and protection capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device includes: a voltage divider circuit including a plurality of first resistors connected in series between a first node and a second node, and a plurality of second resistors connected in parallel between the second node and a ground line; and a voltage level detection circuit connected to the second node and to detect a voltage level of a divisional voltage generated at the second node.