Patent ID: 7586726

Claim:
An overcurrent detection circuit for detecting an overcurrent condition whereby a magnitude of a switched current that flows between input and output terminals of a switching element exceeds a predetermined value, comprising a condition detection circuit adapted to produce a condition detection signal varying in accordance with an electrical condition quantity relating to a condition of said switching element, said electrical condition quantity having a predetermined correlation with said switched current, a temperature detection circuit adapted to produce a temperature detection signal varying in accordance with a temperature of said switching element, an analog circuit adapted to perform a specific analog signal processing operation for conversion of said temperature detection signal to an output signal, and a judgement circuit for performing a comparison operation to compare a magnitude of said condition detection signal with a comparison threshold value, to judge when said overcurrent condition is occurring, while applying said output signal from said analog circuit to compensate said comparison operation against a temperature dependency of said condition detection signal; wherein in performing said conversion, said analog circuit modifies a temperature variation characteristic of said temperature detection signal to convert said temperature variation characteristic to a predetermined non-linear form of characteristic.