Fully integrated CMOS overvoltage protection circuit for automotive applications

• Published in: Electronics letters Vol. 51; no. 17; pp. 1316 - 1318
• Main Authors: Boni, A, Tonelli, M, Magnanini, A, Caselli, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Institution of Engineering and Technology 20.08.2015
• Subjects: automotive applications; automotive electronics; car engine; Circuits and systems; CMOS integrated circuits; CMOS technology; fuel injector; ignition coil; integrated circuit; integrated circuit design; integrated circuit reliability; integrated detection; overvoltage protection; overvoltage protection circuit; power device output; prototype chip; size 350 nm; voltage peaks; voltage signal; power device output; integrated circuit reliability; voltage signal; voltage peaks; fuel injector; size 350 nm; automotive applications; ignition coil; overvoltage protection circuit; car engine; integrated circuit design; automotive electronics; CMOS technology; CMOS integrated circuits; integrated circuit; prototype chip; overvoltage protection; integrated detection
• ISSN: 0013-5194; 1350-911X; 1350-911X
• DOI: 10.1049/el.2015.1813

The voltage signal at the output of the power device driving the ignition coil or the fuel injector of a car engine is often required to be detected and processed for control and diagnostic purposes. Providing this kind of signals to an integrated circuit raises several design and reliability issues due to the presence of voltage peaks of several hundred volts. The design and implementation of an integrated detection and overvoltage protection circuit is presented. A prototype chip was implemented in a 350 nm CMOS technology without a thick-oxide option. The measured performance over the −40 to +125°C temperature range is in good agreement with the simulation results.