1. An automotive electrical system protection device for an electrical system of an automotive vehicle having a starter motor and other electrical accessory loads, a battery having a threshold voltage below which the starter motor will not operate, the automotive electrical system protection device comprising:
a primary conductor connected directly between a positive pole of the battery and the accessory loads;
a normally closed run-down relay connected electrically to the primary conductor;
a normally closed high current relay interposed to the primary conductor;
a secondary conductor connected directly across the high current relay;
a fuse interposed to the secondary conductor so that the fuse is orientated electrically in parallel to the high current relay;
wherein under high current conditions, the fuse protects the high current relay from high current arcing by opening immediately after the high current relay opens; and
wherein under run-down current conditions and when the battery threshold voltage is reached, the run-down relay opens.
2. The automotive electrical system protection device set forth in claim 1 wherein the fuse is a manual fuse which blows to open the secondary conductor.
3. The automotive electrical system protection device set forth in claim 2 wherein the high current relay is a latching relay.
4. The automotive electrical system protection device set forth in claim 3 comprising a controller constructed and arranged to open the run-down relay and the high current relay.
5. The automotive electrical system protection device set forth in claim 4 wherein the high current and run-down relays have respective first and second electric coils energized by the controller.
6. The automotive electrical system protection device set forth in claim 1 wherein the run-down relay is connected electrically in parallel to the high current relay, and wherein the high current relay opens when the battery threshold voltage is reached during run-down current conditions.
7. The automotive electrical system protection device set forth in claim 6 wherein the run-down current relay is interposed to the secondary conductor and orientated electrically in series with the fuse.
8. The automotive electrical system protection device set forth in claim 7 wherein the fuse is engaged electrically before the run-down current relay.
9. The automotive electrical system protection device set forth in claim 8 comprising an enable wire engaged to the secondary conductor after the fuse to transmit an enable signal to the controller.
10. The automotive electrical system protection device set forth in claim 9 comprising a blown fuse warning indicator which initiates via the controller and the enable wire, and wherein the fuse is a manual fuse.
11. The automotive electrical system protection device set forth in claim 6 wherein the relays are orientated electrically before the starter motor and accessory loads.
12. The automotive electrical system protection device set forth in claim 1 wherein the run-down current relay is interposed to the primary conductor before the high current relay so that the run-down current relay is orientated in series with the high current relay.
13. The automotive electrical system protection device set forth in claim 12 wherein the run-down relay is a latching relay.
14. The automotive electrical system protection device set forth in claim 13 wherein the high current relay is a latching relay.
15. The automotive electrical system protection device set forth in claim 13 wherein the high current relay is a spring loaded manual reset switch.
16. The automotive electrical system protection device set forth in claim 12 comprising a controller constructed and arranged to open the run-down and high current relays.
17. The automotive electrical system protection device set forth in claim 16 comprising a short circuit detector constructed and arranged to measure current at the primary conductor before the run-down relay and communicate with the controller.
18. The automotive electrical system protection device set forth in claim 17 wherein the starter motor is engaged electrically to the primary conductor after the high current relay
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An analogue-to-digital converter for converting an input signal (Vin) to a digital code representing said input signal comprising:
a comparator arranged for comparing the input signal (Vin) with a reference signal (VA) and for producing a comparator output signal;
a search logic block arranged for being fed with the comparator output signal and for determining said digital code; and
a digital-to-analogue converter arranged for receiving input from the search logic block and for generating said reference signal (VA) to be applied to said comparator;
wherein the digital-to-analogue converter comprises, for generating the reference signal, at least a first portion implemented with equal capacitors and so positioned that the reference signal can be used for deriving at least the most significant bit of the digital code.
2. The analogue-to-digital converter as in claim 1, wherein the first portion is implemented with at least three equal capacitors.
3. The analogue-to-digital converter as in claim 1, further comprising a second portion implemented with binary weighted capacitors.
4. The analogue-to-digital converter as in claim 1, wherein the first portion is arranged for being controlled by a thermometer coded signal.
5. The analogue-to-digital converter as in claim 3, wherein the second portion is arranged for being controlled by a thermometer coded signal.
6. The analogue-to-digital converter as in claim 3, wherein the second portion is arranged for being controlled by a binary coded signal.
7. The analogue-to-digital converter as in claim 1 comprising a plurality of the digital-to-analogue converters.
8. The analogue-to-digital converter as in claim 7 wherein the plurality of digital-to-analogue converters is coupled by an analogue addition circuit.
9. The analogue-to-digital converter as in claim 7 wherein the plurality of digital-to-analogue converters is summed by a weighted summing amplifier.
10. A method for converting an input signal to a digital code with an analogue-to-digital converter as in claim 1, comprising the step of determining the most significant bit by comparing the input signal with a signal charged on a capacitor of the first portion of the analogue-to-digital converter.