Half bridge driver circuits
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A half bridge GaN circuit, comprising:
- a low side circuit, comprising;
a low side switch comprising a low side switch control gate, a first source, and a first drain, anda low side switch driver, configured to control a conductivity state of the low side switch according to a first input signal;
a high side circuit, comprising;
a high side switch comprising a high side switch control gate, a second source, and a second drain, wherein the second source is connected to the first drain, anda high side switch driver referenced to a voltage at the second source, wherein the high side switch driver is configured to control a conductivity state of the high side switch according to a second input signal,wherein the high side switch driver is configured to prevent a change of conductivity state of the high side switch in response to voltage transients of the voltage of the second source,wherein the low side circuit further comprises a level shift circuit configured to receive the second input signal and to generate a level shift signal configured to control an output state of the high side switch driver.
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Abstract
GaN-based half bridge power conversion circuits employ control, support and logic functions that are monolithically integrated on the same devices as the power transistors. In some embodiments, a low side GaN device communicates through one or more level shift circuits with a high side GaN device. Both the high side and the low side devices may have one or more integrated control, support and logic functions.
183 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A half bridge GaN circuit, comprising:
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a low side circuit, comprising; a low side switch comprising a low side switch control gate, a first source, and a first drain, and a low side switch driver, configured to control a conductivity state of the low side switch according to a first input signal; a high side circuit, comprising; a high side switch comprising a high side switch control gate, a second source, and a second drain, wherein the second source is connected to the first drain, and a high side switch driver referenced to a voltage at the second source, wherein the high side switch driver is configured to control a conductivity state of the high side switch according to a second input signal, wherein the high side switch driver is configured to prevent a change of conductivity state of the high side switch in response to voltage transients of the voltage of the second source, wherein the low side circuit further comprises a level shift circuit configured to receive the second input signal and to generate a level shift signal configured to control an output state of the high side switch driver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A half bridge GaN circuit, comprising:
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a low side circuit, comprising; a low side switch comprising a low side switch control gate, a first source, and a first drain, and a low side switch driver, configured to control a conductivity state of the low side switch according to a first input signal; a high side circuit, comprising; a high side switch comprising a high side switch control gate, a second source, and a second drain, wherein the second source is connected to the first drain, and a high side switch driver referenced to a voltage at the second source, wherein the high side switch driver is configured to control a conductivity state of the high side switch according to a plurality of pulses, and wherein durations of on and off times of the high side switch are based on durations of the pulses, wherein the low side circuit further comprises a level shift circuit configured to generate the pulses in response to a second input signal. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A half bridge GaN circuit, comprising:
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a low side circuit, comprising; a low side switch comprising a low side switch control gate, a first source, and a first drain, and a low side switch driver, configured to control a conductivity state of the low side switch according to a first input signal; a high side circuit, comprising; a high side switch comprising a high side switch control gate, a second source, and a second drain, wherein the second source is connected to the first drain, and a high side switch driver referenced to a voltage at the second source, wherein the high side switch driver is configured to control a conductivity state of the high side switch according to a second input signal, and a trigger circuit configured to, in response to a voltage of a first power supply referenced to the voltage of the second source being less than a threshold greater than the voltage of the second source, cause the high side switch to turn-off, wherein the low side circuit further comprises a level shift circuit configured to receive the second input signal and to generate a level shift signal configured to control an output state of the high side switch driver. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification