Wire Protection Circuit Using Electro-Thermal Current Limiting

The patent implements dynamic protection by replacing static fuse ratings with real-time temperature monitoring and adaptive current limiting. The system continuously measures wire temperature and adjusts the current threshold dynamically based on thermal conditions, enabling the protection mechanism to adapt to varying operational scenarios and transient current spikes while maintaining high reliability.

The patent replaces the mechanical melting action of conventional fuses with an electronic control system that uses temperature sensing and active current limiting. Instead of relying on the physical melting of a fuse element, the system uses electronic circuitry to detect temperature conditions and actively regulate current flow, providing more precise and reversible protection suitable for complex automotive power distribution networks.

The patent extracts only the essential thermal parameters needed for protection decisions from the complete electro-thermal model. Instead of implementing the full model with multiple reference values and complex calculations, the system extracts and monitors only the critical temperature threshold and its rate of change, achieving fast protection responsiveness with minimal circuit complexity.

The patent changes the parameter representation from multiple static reference values to dynamic temperature thresholds based on real-time thermal conditions. The system uses variable current thresholds that change according to the measured wire temperature and its derivative, allowing the protection level to adapt dynamically without requiring complex reference setting circuitry.

The patent uses simple, low-cost circuit elements that perform adequate temperature estimation without requiring complex computational hardware. Instead of using high-precision multipliers, dividers, and integrators that occupy large semiconductor area, the system employs basic analog circuits with resistors, capacitors, and operational amplifiers that provide sufficient accuracy for protection purposes at minimal area cost.

The patent applies partial action by implementing only the necessary level of computational complexity required for safe operation. Rather than performing complete electro-thermal analysis with full integration and multiple reference values, the system uses simplified calculations that capture the dominant thermal behavior, achieving adequate temperature estimation accuracy with significantly reduced circuit complexity and semiconductor area.