Patent ID: 6955164
Filing Date: 2005-10-18
Classification: F02D,F02P,G01K

Abstract:
1. An interface for providing thermal overload protection, comprising: a switching device including a control terminal and a pair of output terminals, wherein the pair of output terminals are configured to provide a drive current to an inductive load responsive to a control signal on the control terminal; a temperature indicating device located approximate the switching device, the temperature indicating device receiving a bias current and providing a temperature signal that provides an indication of a temperature of the switching device; a drive circuit coupled to the control terminal of the switching device, the drive circuit providing the control signal at the control terminal of the switching device responsive to an external signal; and a thermal monitoring circuit coupled across the temperature indicating device, the thermal monitoring circuit providing a shutdown signal to the drive circuit when the temperature of the switching device is above a predetermined temperature level as indicated by the temperature signal, wherein the drive circuit responds to the shutdown signal by removing current sources and current sinks from the control terminal of the switching device at which point leakage currents associated with the control terminal of the switching device cause the switching device to reduce the drive current to the inductive load.