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Systems and methods of diagnosing a condition of a reverse-voltage protection switch in an electric system. The electric system includes a power source, an electric load, and a reverse-voltage protection switch in a series-type configuration. The electric system further includes a ground switch conf

Systems and methods of diagnosing a condition of a reverse-voltage protection switch in an electric system. The electric system includes a power source, an electric load, and a reverse-voltage protection switch in a series-type configuration. The electric system further includes a ground switch configured to selectively connect the source terminal of the reverse-voltage protection circuit to ground. The terminals of the reverse-voltage protection circuit are disconnected from the power source. The ground switch is closed to connect one terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch to ground. A bias voltage is applied to the other terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch and the reverse-voltage protection switch is opened. An improper short-circuit condition across the reverse-voltage protection switch is detected when the voltage at the biased terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch is less than a threshold when the reverse-voltage protection switch is opened.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of monitoring operation of a reverse-voltage protection circuit in an electrical system, the system including an electric load and the reverse-voltage protection circuit in a series-type configuration with a power source, the reverse-voltage protection circuit including a reverse-voltage

1. A method of monitoring operation of a reverse-voltage protection circuit in an electrical system, the system including an electric load and the reverse-voltage protection circuit in a series-type configuration with a power source, the reverse-voltage protection circuit including a reverse-voltage protection switch having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal, the first terminal being coupled to the electric load, the second terminal being coupled to the power source, the reverse-voltage protection switch opening and closing a connection between the first terminal and the second terminal based on an input to the control terminal, anda ground switch connected between the first terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch and ground, the method comprising: disconnecting the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch from the power source;closing the ground switch to connect the first terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch to ground;applying a biasing voltage to the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch;opening the reverse-voltage protection switch; anddetermining that an improper short-circuit condition exists across the reverse-voltage protection switch when the voltage at the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch is less than a threshold while the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch is disconnected from the power source, the ground switch is closed, the reverse-voltage protection switch is opened, and the bias voltage is applied to the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the acts of closing the reverse-voltage protection switch; anddetermining that an improper open-circuit condition exists across the reverse-voltage protection switch when then voltage at the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch exceeds a threshold while the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch is disconnected from the power source, the ground switch is closed, the reverse-voltage protection switch is closed, and the bias voltage is applied to the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical system further includes a low-side switch connected in a series-type configuration between the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch and the power source, and wherein the act of disconnecting the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch from the power source includes opening the low-side switch. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical system further includes a high-side switch connected in a series-type configuration between the power source and the electric load, the high-side switch controlling operation of the electric load by selectively connecting the electric load to the power source, anda low-side switch connected in a series-type configuration between the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch and the power source. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the act of disconnecting the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch from the power source includes opening the low-side switch, and the method further comprising opening the high-side switch to disconnect the electric load from the power supply. 6. An electrical system comprising: an electric load;a power supply connected to the load;a reverse-voltage protection switch connected in a series-type configuration with the electric load and the power supply, the reverse-voltage protection switch including a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal, the first terminal being coupled to the electric load, the second terminal being coupled to the power source, the reverse-voltage protection switch opening and closing a connection between the first terminal and the second terminal based on an input to the control terminal;a ground switch connected between the first terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch and ground;a bias voltage source connected to the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection circuit; anda control system configured to monitor the operation of the reverse-voltage protection switch by disconnecting the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch from the power source;closing the ground switch to connect the first terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch to ground;applying a biasing voltage to the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch;opening the reverse-voltage protection switch; anddetermining that an improper short-circuit condition exists across the reverse-voltage protection switch when the voltage at the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch is less than a threshold while the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch is disconnected from the power source, the ground switch is closed, the reverse-voltage protection switch is opened, and the bias voltage is applied to the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch. 7. The electrical system of claim 6, wherein the control system is further configured to close the reverse-voltage protection switch; anddetermine that an improper open-circuit condition exists across the reverse-voltage protection switch when then voltage at the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch exceeds a threshold while the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch is disconnected from the power source, the ground switch is closed, the reverse-voltage protection switch is closed, and the bias voltage is applied to the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch. 8. The electrical system of claim 6, further comprising a low-side switch connected in a series-type configuration between the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch and the power source, and wherein the control system is configured to disconnect the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch from the power source by opening the low-side switch. 9. The electrical system of claim 6, further comprising a high-side switch connected in a series-type configuration between the power source and the electric load, the high-side switch controlling operation of the electric load by selectively connecting the electric load to the power source, anda low-side switch connected in a series-type configuration between the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch and the power source. 10. The electrical system of claim 9, wherein the control system is configured to disconnect the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch from the power source by opening the low-side switch, and is further configured to monitor the operation of the reverse-voltage protection switch by opening the high-side switch to disconnect the electric load from the power supply. 11. The electrical system of claim 9, wherein the reverse-voltage protection switch includes a field-effect transistor, the first terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch includes a source terminal of the field-effect transistor, and the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch includes a drain terminal of the field-effect transistor. 12. An electrical system comprising: a power supply;an electric load;a high-side switch including a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal, the high-side switch opening and closing a connection between the first terminal of the high-side switch and the second terminal of the high-side switch based on an input to the control terminal of the high-side switch, the high-side switch being connected between the power supply and the electric load in a series-type configuration such that the first terminal of the high-side switch is connected to the power supply and the second terminal of the high-side switch is connected to the electric load;a reverse-voltage protection switch including a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal, the reverse-voltage protection switch opening and closing a connection between the first terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch and the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch based on an input to the control terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch, the reverse-voltage protection switch being connected between the electric load and a low-side switch such that the first terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch is connected to the electric load and the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch is connected to the low-side switch;the low-side switch including a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal, the low-side switch opening and closing a connection between the first terminal of the low-side switch and the second terminal of the low-side switch based on an input to the control terminal of the low-side switch, the low-side switch being connected between the reverse-voltage protection switch and the power supply in a series-type configuration such that the first terminal of the low-side switch is connected to the reverse-voltage protection switch and the second terminal of the low-side switch is connected to the power supply;a ground switch including a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal, the ground switch opening and closing a connection between the first terminal of the ground switch and the second terminal of the ground switch based on an input to the control terminal of the ground switch, the first terminal of the ground switch being connected to the first terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch and the second terminal of the ground switch being connected to ground;a bias voltage source connected to the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch;a voltage measuring circuit connected to the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch; anda control system connected to the control terminal of the high-side switch, the control terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch, the control terminal of the low-side switch, and the control terminal of the ground switch, and configured to control operation of the electric load by selectively opening and closing the high-side switch and the low-side switch,monitor operation of the reverse-voltage protection switch by opening the low-side switch to disconnect the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch from the power supply;opening the high-side switch to disconnect the electric load from the power supply;closing the ground switch to connect the first terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch to ground;activate the bias voltage source to apply a bias voltage to the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch;opening the reverse-voltage protection switch; anddetermining that an improper short-circuit condition exists across the reverse-voltage protection switch when the voltage at the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch is less than a threshold while the high-side switch is open, the low-side switch is open, the ground switch is closed, the reverse-voltage protection switch is opened, and the bias voltage is applied to the second terminal of the reverse-voltage protection switch.