Patent ID: 8918222

Claim:
A power supply controller connected to a power-supply path for supplying power from a power source to a load for controlling power supply from the power source to the load, and having a sleep mode in which current consumption is reduced, comprising: a switch input detection circuit configured to generate a power-supply command signal commanding any one of start and stop of the power supply from the power source to the load; a switch circuit connected between the power source and the power-supply path and configured to permit and inhibit the power supply from the power source to the load; a power-supply path protection circuit configured to control switching operation of the switch circuit according to the power-supply command signal, to calculate a temperature of the power-supply path regardless of whether power is supplied to the load, not to calculate the temperature of the power-supply path in the sleep mode, to determine whether the calculated temperature of the power-supply path reaches an upper limit, and to inhibit power supply to the load by the switch circuit according to the calculated temperature reaching the upper limit to protect the power-supply path; and a sleep mode setting circuit configured to determine whether the temperature of the power-supply path satisfies a temperature condition independent of the upper limit and to set the power supply controller to the sleep mode according to a result of the determination indicating the temperature of the power-supply path satisfying the temperature condition.