Patent ID: 7719811

Claim:
A system for monitoring and protecting a field-effect transistor (FET), said system comprising: a FET switch device including a FET having a plurality of terminals, a logic device coupled to at least one of said terminals of said FET and operable to generate a feedback status signal associated with the operational condition of said FET, and a feedback status output associated with said logic device and adapted for communicating said feedback status signal; a counter operable to keep a first updatable count that is incremented only in response to an actual short-circuit condition experienced by said FET, a second updatable count that is incremented only in response to a false short-circuit detection and at least a third updatable count that is incremented only in response to a fault detection; a controller with memory coupled to said feedback status output of said FET switch device and also said counter; and a diagnostic testing control module for being coupled to said controller with memory; said controller is operable to monitor both said feedback status signal and the first, second, or third count of said counter and selectively permit activation of said FET according to said feedback status signal and said first, second, or third count of said counter; and said diagnostic testing control module is operable to obtain short-circuit count information from said controller with memory.