Patent ID: 9007051
Filing Date: 2015-04-14
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
1. An electric current detection circuit for detecting an electric current flowing to each of a plurality of loads, comprising: a voltage generation circuit including a plurality of resistors coupled in series, and generating a plurality of different voltages by dividing a reference voltage with the plurality of resistors; a plurality of comparators determining a current level of the electric current flowing to each of the plurality of loads using the voltages generated by the voltage generation circuit as threshold values; a reference voltage shift circuit shifting the reference voltage; a selection section selecting one of the plurality of loads; and a signal output section outputting a selection signal to select each of the plurality of loads sequentially at a predetermined sampling period, and outputting a shift signal whose level is inverted each time all of the plurality of loads have been selected, wherein the electric current flowing to each of the plurality of loads is detected based on the current level determined by the plurality of comparators before shifting the reference voltage and the current level determined by the plurality of comparators after shifting the reference voltage, wherein the selection section selects each of the plurality of loads sequentially based on the selection signal so as to allow the plurality of comparators to determine the current level of the electric current flowing sequentially to each of the plurality of loads, and wherein the reference voltage shift circuit periodically shifts the reference voltage based on the shift signal.