Airbag control device and semiconductor device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9827937-B2
Application number	US-201615167641-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2016
Priority date	Jun 11, 2015
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

An ECU includes a boosting circuit that boosts an input power supply voltage, a backup capacitor that charges a backup power supply in accordance with a boosted voltage boosted by the boosting circuit, an airbag ignition circuit that drives an airbag with the backup power supply charged by the backup capacitor as a driving power supply, and a bidirectional current limiting unit that limits a charging current flowing from the boosting circuit to the backup capacitor and limits a backflow current flowing from the backup capacitor to the boosting circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An airbag control device comprising:
a boosting circuit that boosts an input power supply voltage;
a backup capacitor that charges a backup power supply in accordance with a boosted voltage boosted by the boosting circuit;
an airbag driving circuit that drives an airbag with the charged backup power supply as a driving power supply; and
a current limiting circuit that limits a charging current flowing from the boosting circuit to the backup capacitor and limits a backflow current flowing from the backup capacitor to the boosting circuit.

2. The airbag control device according to claim 1 , wherein the current limiting circuit includes:
a charging current limiting circuit that limits the charging current to be smaller than a first current; and
a backflow current limiting circuit that limits the backflow current to be smaller than a second current.

3. The airbag control device according to claim 2 , wherein the charging current limiting circuit includes a constant current circuit that is connected between the boosting circuit and the backflow current limiting circuit and generates a constant current in accordance with an input-output voltage of the charging current limiting circuit.

4. The airbag control device according to claim 3 , wherein the constant current circuit includes a current mirror circuit that operates as a current mirror in accordance with the input-output voltage.

5. The airbag control device according to claim 3 , wherein the constant current circuit includes a transistor circuit that operates in a saturated state in accordance with the input-output voltage.

6. The airbag control device according to claim 2 , wherein the backflow current limiting circuit includes a constant current circuit that is connected between the charging current limiting circuit and the backup capacitor and generates a constant current in accordance with an input-output voltage of the backflow current limiting circuit.

7. The airbag control device according to claim 6 , wherein the constant current circuit includes a transistor circuit that operates in a saturated state in accordance with the input-output voltage.

8. The airbag control device according to claim 6 , wherein the constant current circuit includes a current mirror circuit that operates as a current mirror in accordance with the input-output voltage.

9. The airbag control device according to claim 1 , comprising:
a voltage measurement circuit that measures a voltage between the current limiting circuit and the backup capacitor.

10. The airbag control device according to claim 1 , comprising:
a control circuit that operates with a power supply on a basis of the boosted voltage and controls an operation of the airbag driving circuit.

11. An airbag control device comprising:
a boosting circuit that boosts an input power supply voltage;
a backup capacitor that charges a backup power supply for airbag driving in accordance with a boosted voltage boosted by the boosting circuit;
a current mirror circuit that is connected between the boosting circuit and the backup capacitor and supplies a first current to the backup capacitor based on the boosted voltage; and
a transistor circuit that is connected between the current mirror circuit and the backup capacitor and supplies a second current from the backup capacitor to the boosting circuit when in a saturated state.

12. The airbag control device according to claim 11 , wherein the current mirror circuit includes:
a first mirror transistor and a current source connected in series to the boosting circuit; and
a second mirror transistor connected between the boosting circuit and the transistor circuit and connected as a current mirror with the first mirror transistor.

13. The airbag control device according to claim 11 , wherein the transistor circuit includes:
a switch transistor connected between the current mirror circuit and the backup capacitor;
a resistor connected between a control terminal of the switch transistor and the backup capacitor; and
a current source connected to the control terminal of the switch transistor.

14. A semiconductor device comprising:
a first terminal to which a boosted voltage generated by boosting a power supply voltage is input from a boosting element;
a boosted voltage control circuit that controls a boosted voltage of the first terminal;
a second terminal that outputs the boosted voltage to a backup capacitor that charges a backup power supply for airbag driving; and
a current limiting circuit that limits a charging current flowing from the first terminal to the second terminal and limits a backflow current flowing from the second terminal to the first terminal.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein the current limiting circuit includes at least one current source that controls at least one transistor that controls at least one of the charging current and the backflow current.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 15 , wherein at least one of the at least one current source provides current to a current mirror circuit comprising at least two transistors.

17. The semiconductor device according to claim 16 , wherein the at least two transistors each comprises a PMOS transistor.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 16 , wherein the at least two transistors each comprises a bipolar transistor.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 15 , wherein the current limiting circuit includes a first current source in a first circuit for limiting the charging current and a second current source in a second circuit for limiting the backflow current.

20. The semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein the current limiting circuit that limits the backflow current comprises:
a transistor that controls the backflow current;
a constant current source that controls the transistor; and
a resistor interconnected between an output terminal of the constant current source and the second terminal.

Assignees

• Renesas Electronics Corp

Inventors

• Hayashi Yutaka

Classifications

• H02J7/34

  Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other DC sources, e.g. providing buffering (H02J7/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02M3/07

  using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode {, e.g. charge pumps} · CPC title

• H02M3/156

  with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators · CPC title

• B60R21/017 Primary

  including arrangements for providing electric power to safety arrangements {or their actuating means, e.g. to pyrotechnic fuses or electro-mechanic valves} · CPC title

• H02J7/345

  using capacitors as storage or buffering devices · CPC title