Patent ID: 7499253

Claim:
A semiconductor integrated-circuit unit comprising: a temperature protective circuit for detecting an abnormal heat generation of the unit to perform a temperature protective operation, wherein said temperature protective circuit includes: a heat generation detecting section for detecting a monitored temperature; a limiting signal producing section for limiting continuously or stepwise the drive of a load according to said monitored temperature such that, the higher said monitored temperature, the more the drive of the load is limited and such that, the lower said monitored temperature, the less the drive of the load is limited, after said monitored temperature exceeds a first threshold temperature, based on the detected results of said heat generation detecting section; and a shutting down signal producing section for shutting down the drive of said load when said monitored temperature reaches a second threshold temperature higher than the first threshold temperature, based on the detected results of said heat generation detecting section, wherein the shutting down signal producing section restarts the drive of said load when said monitored temperature reaches a third threshold temperature lower than the second threshold temperature, after the drive of said load is shut down, wherein said limiting signal producing section enhances continuously or stepwise the drive of said load according to said monitored temperature, after said monitored temperature becomes lower than the third threshold temperature.