Circuit arrangement and method for gate-controlled power semiconductor devices
First Claim
1. A switch module comprising:
- a first connection, a second connection, and at least one control connection;
a plurality of parallel connected switching elements each having a first electrode electrically connected to the first connection, a second electrode electrically connected to the second connection, and a control electrode electrically connected to the at least one control connection; and
a fault protection device operatively electrically connected between the at least one control connection and the switching elements, wherein the fault protection device comprises passive electrical components which are selected such that in the event of a fault in at least one of the plurality of switching elements, a control voltage is provided to the control electrodes of non-faulty switching elements in a passive manner, which control voltage is sufficient to switch at least some of the non-faulty switching elements to a conducting state or to maintain them in a conducting state;
wherein the fault protection device comprises a resistance matrix that provides the control voltage to the control electrodes of the non-faulty switching elements, wherein the control voltage is greater than the turn-on threshold voltage of the switching elements and is provided in response to a defined turn-on voltage which is applied to the at least one control connection.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A switch module includes a collector connection, an emitter connection, and a gate connection. The switch module includes a plurality of parallel connected switching elements, e.g., insulated-gate bipolar transistors, each having a collector electrode electrically connected to the collector connection, an emitter electrode electrically connected to the emitter connection, and a gate electrode electrically connected to the gate connection. A fault protection device is operatively electrically connected between the gate connection and the switching elements and comprises passive electrical components which are selected such that in the event of a fault in at least one of the plurality of switching elements, a gate-emitter voltage is provided to the gate electrodes of non-faulty switching elements in a passive manner.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A switch module comprising:
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a first connection, a second connection, and at least one control connection; a plurality of parallel connected switching elements each having a first electrode electrically connected to the first connection, a second electrode electrically connected to the second connection, and a control electrode electrically connected to the at least one control connection; and a fault protection device operatively electrically connected between the at least one control connection and the switching elements, wherein the fault protection device comprises passive electrical components which are selected such that in the event of a fault in at least one of the plurality of switching elements, a control voltage is provided to the control electrodes of non-faulty switching elements in a passive manner, which control voltage is sufficient to switch at least some of the non-faulty switching elements to a conducting state or to maintain them in a conducting state; wherein the fault protection device comprises a resistance matrix that provides the control voltage to the control electrodes of the non-faulty switching elements, wherein the control voltage is greater than the turn-on threshold voltage of the switching elements and is provided in response to a defined turn-on voltage which is applied to the at least one control connection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification