Patent ID: 8698549
Filing Date: 2014-04-15
Classification: B60R,H01H,H01L,H02J

Abstract:
1. A power device comprising: a plurality of output cells; a plurality of bonding wires provided corresponding to the output cells; a control terminal driving circuit; a wire cut/uncut detection circuit generating a wire cut/uncut detection signal that indicates whether any one of the bonding wires is cut or none of the bonding wires are cut, wherein each of the output cells includes an output transistor, wherein first side electrodes of the output transistors are commonly coupled to a first power source, wherein each of second side electrodes of the output transistors is coupled to an output terminal through the corresponding bonding wire, wherein the control terminal driving circuit supplies a drive signal to a control terminal of the respective output transistors, wherein each of the bonding wires is designed to be fused and cut if the output transistor included in the corresponding output cell is short-circuited, wherein the wire cut/uncut detection circuit includes: a first switching circuit provided between the first side terminal and a first node; and a plurality of second switching circuits provided corresponding to the output transistors, wherein each of the second switching circuits is provided so as to couple the first node and a second power source voltage line to which a second power source voltage lower than the first power source voltage is supplied, wherein each of the second switching circuits is switched to the ON state when the second side electrode of the corresponding output transistor is at a high level, and switched to an OFF state when the second side electrode of the corresponding output transistor is at a low level, and wherein the first switching circuit is controlled to be switched to the OFF state when each of the output transistors is in the ON state, and switched from the OFF state to the ON state when a predetermined time has passed after each of the output transistors is switched from the ON state to the OFF state.