An integrated smart driver for inductive loads with self-monitoring/diagnostic capability

This work presents a single-chip integrated Smart Driver, especially suited for inductive loads, although it can be used also for capacitive or resistive loads. The proposed smart driver has been realized in a 0.35 μm HVMOS technology. Besides the power MOS device and the relevant gate driving circuitry, the smart driver has integrated self-monitoring/diagnostic capability, it can sustain the large temperature and battery voltage variations of automotive applications, and can be directly connected through a CAN or LIN interface to a vehicle network or to a control host, thus realizing a single-chip actuator control unit. With respect to the state of the art the proposed circuit topology avoids integrating power diodes, occupying large chip area, or zener diodes. The latter are not available in low-cost HVMOS technology typically used for large volume market applications.