Patent ID: 6130813
Filing Date: 2000-10-10
Classification: H02H,H02J

Abstract:
A protection circuit for an electronic device having a first and a second switch, each switch operable to electrically connect a first power source and a second power source, respectively, to a load, and each switch adapted to receive a first and a second signal, respectively, for selectively activating and deactivating the respective switch, the protection circuit comprising:a current-sense circuit coupled to the first and second switches, the current-sense circuit operable to measure a current supplied to the load through at least one of the first and the second switches, and operable to provide an over-current signal;a latch coupled to the current-sense circuit, the latch operable to receive the over-current signal from the current-sense circuit, and provide a switch deactivating signal as the first signal and the second signal to the first and second switch, respectively;a controller operable to provide at least one of an activating signal and a deactivating signal to each of the first switch and the second switch, the controller being coupled to the latch, the latch being operable to provide the switch deactivating signal to the controller, and the controller being operable to provide the switch deactivating signal as the first signal and the second signal to the first and second switch, respectively;a comparator having an non-inverted input, an inverted input, and an output; andan output switch coupled to the output of the comparator and operable to be activated and deactivated by a comparator output signal.