Automotive Power
Short-circuit protection
TOPFET applications of high-side switches
Designed to meet the demands of the harsh automotive
environment, Philips’ TOPFETs integrate a wide array of
sophisticated control and protection measures into highly
robust devices.They offer a uniquely simple design-in process
for protected PowerMOS applications.
S e m i c o n d u c t o r s
Philips’ BUK2xx-50Y single-channel TOPFET family of 50V high-side switches
offers an extensive range of safety features including protection against short
circuits. Depending on the severity of the short circuit, the devices respond
in one of two ways: a very rapid latched short-circuit trip or a slower
thermal over-temperature protection.
Latched short-circuit protection
A latched short-circuit trip will occur when both the following conditions
are met:
1. The time elapsed since switch-on is greater than the parameter tdsc
Typically tdsc = 180 µs.
.
2. The battery-load voltage,VBL, is greater than the trip threshold voltage,
VBL(to), which is approximately two-thirds of the battery-ground voltage,
VBG. In this case, the device is actively limiting the load current to some
value IL(lim)
.
Under the above circumstances, the device latches OFF and stays latched
OFF until the input is toggled low and then high again, or the battery supply
is removed and replaced. As an example we use the following typical values:
VBG = 16V, VBL(to) = 10V and IL(lim) = 18 A.Then the maximum load
resistance that will trip the short-circuit detector is
Key features
• No external components required as protection is fully integrated
within the TOPFET
• Integrated RG for reverse battery and supply transients protection
• Very low power dissipation due to low on-state resistance
• Very low quiescent current
RL = (VBG –VBL(to)) / IL = (16 – 10) / 18 = 0.333 Ω
• Diagnostic status indicator
• Virtually undetectable charge pump noise
A load resistance lower than RL will be viewed as a short circuit and cause
the device to switch off. If this short circuit occurs at a time greater than
tdsc after switch-on (short circuit while already ON) the device will be
tripped within a few microseconds. However, if the short circuit is already
present at switch-on (turn-on into short circuit) the device will only trip
after a delay equal to tdsc.This delay ensures there is no unwanted tripping
during device turn on.
Key benefits
• Input and status circuits see past the internal RG and refer their levels
to true ground
• Low EMC emissions
Key applications
• 12 and 24V grounded loads
• High in-rush current loads
• Inductive loads
Thermal protection
In a ‘soft’ short circuit there is a gentler overload in which one of the
above conditions is not met and hence the latched short-circuit detector
• Replacements for relays and fuses