IP Library Granted Patent US 10,587,263
Granted Patent B2
US 10,587,263 · App. 16/469,537 · Granted Mar 10, 2020

Load drive apparatus

Inventors: Takahiro Kawata (Hitachinaka, JP); Yoichiro Kobayashi (Hitachinaka, JP); Mitsuhiko Watanabe (Hitachinaka, JP)
Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
H03K17/687G01R31/26G01R31/2621H01L21/76H01L21/762H01L21/822H01L27/04H01L27/1203H02M7/48H02P25/04H02P27/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,587,263
App. No.
16/469,537
Granted
Mar 10, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided are a load drive apparatus in which a semiconductor chip using DTI for inter-element separation is mounted, the load drive apparatus being capable of diagnosing a dielectric strength voltage of the DTI and highly reliable and a failure diagnosis method of the load drive apparatus. There is provided a load drive apparatus in which a semiconductor chip is mounted. The semiconductor chip includes a load drive output unit formed on a semiconductor substrate. The load drive output unit has a first region where an MOSFET that controls load driving is formed and a second region insulated and separated by DTI from the first region and includes a first leakage current detection element provided in the first region, a second leakage current detection element provided in the second region, and a failure detection unit that determines a failure of the load drive output unit.

Claims (37)

1. A load drive apparatus in which a semiconductor chip is mounted,

wherein the semiconductor chip includes a load drive output unit formed on a semiconductor substrate,

the load drive output unit has a first region where an MOSFET that controls load driving is formed and a second region insulated and separated by DTI from the first region, and

wherein the load drive output unit includes:

a first leakage current detection element provided in the first region;

a second leakage current detection element provided in the second region; and

a failure detection unit that determines a failure of the load drive output unit.

2. The load drive apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein in a case where a potential difference is provided between the first leakage current detection element and the second leakage current detection element and a current equal to or more than a predetermined value is detected, the failure detection unit determines that the load drive output unit is faulty.

3. The load drive apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein in a case where a current is applied between the first leakage current detection element and the second leakage current detection element and a voltage equal to or less than a predetermined value is detected, the failure detection unit determines that the load drive output unit is faulty.

4. The load drive apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the semiconductor chip includes a redundant output unit of the load drive output unit,

wherein the redundant output unit includes a third region where an MOSFET that controls load driving is formed and a fourth region insulated and separated by DTI from the third region, and

wherein the redundant output unit includes:

a third leakage current detection element provided in the third region; and

a fourth leakage current detection element provided in the fourth region.

5. The load drive apparatus according to claim 4 ,

wherein in a case where the failure detection unit determines that the load drive output unit is faulty, when a potential difference is provided between the third leakage current detection element and the fourth leakage current detection element and a current equal to or less than a predetermined value is detected, a load drive function is switched from the load drive output unit to the redundant output unit.

6. The load drive apparatus according to claim 4 ,

wherein in a case where the failure detection unit determines that the load drive output unit is faulty, when a current is applied between the third leakage current detection element and the fourth leakage current detection element and a voltage equal to or more than a predetermined value is detected, the load drive function is switched from the load drive output unit to the redundant output unit.

7. The load drive apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the load drive apparatus includes a redundant output unit of the load drive output unit formed on a semiconductor substrate of another semiconductor chip different from the semiconductor chip,

wherein the redundant output unit has a third region where an MOSFET that controls load driving is formed and a fourth region insulated and separated by DTI from the third region, and

wherein the redundant output unit includes:

a third leakage current detection element provided in the third region; and

a fourth leakage current detection element provided in the fourth region.

8. The load drive apparatus according to claim 7 ,

wherein in a case where the failure detection unit determines that the load drive output unit is faulty, when a potential difference is provided between the third leakage current detection element and the fourth leakage current detection element and a current equal to or less than a predetermined value is detected, the load drive function is switched from the load drive output unit to the redundant output unit.

9. The load drive apparatus according to claim 7 ,

wherein in a case where the failure detection unit determines that the load drive output unit is faulty, when a current is applied between the third leakage current detection element and the fourth leakage current detection element and a voltage equal to or more than a predetermined value is detected, the load drive function is switched from the load drive output unit to the redundant output unit.

10. The load drive apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the failure detection unit determines a failure of the load drive output unit on-board.

11. The load drive apparatus according to claim 10 ,

wherein immediately after the load of the load drive apparatus is driven or before a power source is turned off, the failure detection unit performs a failure diagnosis of the load drive output unit.

12. The load drive apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the semiconductor substrate is an SOI substrate.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 25, 2021
From: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
To: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
Reel/Frame 056299/0447 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 17, 2019
From: KAWATA, TAKAHIRO; KOBAYASHI, YOICHIRO; WATANABE, MITSUHIKO
To: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 049482/0637 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2016-242287 · Dec 14, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190305772A1 · Oct 3, 2019