Normally, the defined requirements for a Quad or Octal Driver are very much affected by the type of protection circuits used on the chip. Fault protection for an open or shorted load is an interactive function, making it important in the decision process of specifying the proper IC for an application. The various types of on-chip features may include protection for over-current, overvoltage and over-temperature. The response action to a fault condition may be either limiting or shutdown. Shutdown methods may include hysteresis and may require a logic reset. On-chip clamp diodes provide current steering to an external zener diode clamp as over-voltage protection from inductive switching pulses.Internal Zener diodes are also used to limit the output voltage on
the output driver of the IC. In addition, fault detection is available with diagnostic feedback, including serial bus (SPI) control. All of the protection features noted are represented in the Table 1 listing of Quad and Octal Low Side Drivers: