Patent ID: 7046013

Claim:
A combination comprising a broken-wire-failure detection circuit and a higher circuit connected thereto, said broken-wire-failure detection circuit including a first power line; a first signal line; a first ground line; at least one of first resistance means connected between the first power line and the first signal line, and second resistance means connected between the first signal line and the first ground line; third resistance means connected between the first power line and the first ground line; an internal resistance value R 01 between the first power line and the first signal line; an internal resistance value R 02 between the first signal line and the first ground line; and an internal resistance value R 03 between the first power line and the first ground line, and said higher circuit including a second power line connected to the first power line; a second signal line connected to the first signal line and having a signal output terminal; a second ground line connected to the first ground line; and at least one of fourth resistance means connected between the second power line and the second signal line, and fifth resistance means connected between the second signal line and the second ground line, wherein said third resistance means serves to reduce an apparent pull-down-resistance value when a connection between the first power line and the second power line is broken, and decrease an apparent pull-up-resistance value when a connection between the first ground line and the second ground line is broken.