Patent ID: 8643993

Claim:
A short-circuit detection circuit for detecting whether an output node is short-circuited to a first predetermined level, wherein the output node is coupled to a capacitive load circuit, and the output node is also coupled to another node having a second predetermined level via a first transistor switch circuit controlled by a control signal, the short-circuit detection circuit comprising: a determination circuit coupled between the output node and the node having the second predetermined level, which, when enabled, generates a determination signal according to whether the output node is short-circuited to the first predetermined level; and a second transistor switch circuit, which generates a short-circuit detection signal according to the determination signal, wherein the second transistor switch circuit includes: a current path having a first end coupled to the node having the second predetermined level and a second end for generating the short-circuit detection signal, and a transistor switch on the current path for controlling the conduction of the current path, the transistor switch being controlled by the determination signal so that when the transistor switch is conductive, the current path conducts a current from the node having the second predetermined level to the second end of the current path or conducts a current from the second end of the current path to the node having the second predetermined level.