It is known from the prior art that electrical fuses and/or relays are increasingly replaced, in particular in vehicles, or motor vehicles, respectively, by electronic components, and in particular by self-protecting semiconductor switches. These preferably integrated semiconductor switches include, e.g. a measuring device having a measuring unit for electrical measurement the current of the load current and/or a self-protection against short circuits. It is possible to monitor and/or evaluate load currents over a specific measuring range with the measuring device.
It is disadvantageous with known solutions for devices with semiconductor switches, that an electrical current with very low amperage can only be detected (determined) with a high level of inaccuracy. It is often desirable thereby, to enlarge the measuring range, in order to detect, e.g. electrical currents in a measuring range of, in particular, ca. 0 A (ampere) to at least 40 A, with a high level of accuracy and/or precision, wherein very low currents, e.g. <10 mA (milliampere) are to be determined as well. Such an enlargement of the measuring range and/or improvement of the accuracy are associated thereby with the high costs for the production of the semiconductor switches. One cause is, e.g., the measurement error, which is prevalent, particularly with measurements of lower currents. Thus, the measurements of the electrical current with the measuring device exhibit a certain error, caused, e.g., by an undesired residual current. The error and/or residual current are caused, e.g., by the measuring device, in particular by an amplifier in the measuring device. The error and/or residual current is dependent, e.g., on manufacturing tolerances, temperature, and the amperage of the load current.