Packaged unidirectional power transistor and control circuit therefore
First Claim
1. A packaged unidirectional power transistor, comprising:
- a package with a number of pins at an outside of the package, the pins being connected to an inside of the package to provide a voltage and/or current connection between the outside and the inside, the pins comprising a control pin, a first current pin and a second current pin;
a bidirectional vertical power transistor inside the package, comprising;
a controllable bidirectional current path, through a body of the bidirectional vertical power transistor, between a first current terminal of the bidirectional vertical power transistor connected to the first current pin and a second current terminal of the bidirectional vertical power transistor connected to the second current pin;
a body terminal for controlling a voltage applied to the body; and
a control terminal for selectively opening and closing said current path by a control voltage applied to the control terminal;
a control circuit inside the package, the control circuitry including a transistor control driver connected to the control pin and the control terminal for driving the control terminal, the control circuitry including a body control circuit connected to the control pin and the body terminal for providing at the body terminal a body drive signal driving the body to allow current flow through the body in a forward direction, from the first current terminal to the second current terminal, as a function of the control voltage, and to block current flow in a reverse direction, reverse to the forward direction regardless of the control voltage,a first terminal contact connectable to the first current terminal of the bidirectional vertical power transistor;
a second terminal contact connectable to the second current terminal; and
wherein the body control circuit is connected to the first terminal contact and the second terminal contact and comprises a voltage detector to detect the polarity of a voltage between the first current terminal and the second current terminal to determine and to control the body as a function of the polarity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A packaged unidirectional power transistor comprises a package with a number of pins which provide a voltage and/or current connection between the outside and the inside. Inside the package, a bidirectional vertical power transistor is present with a controllable bidirectional current path, through a body of the bidirectional vertical power transistor, between a first current terminal of the bidirectional vertical power transistor connected to the first current pin and a second current terminal of the bidirectional vertical power transistor connected to the second current pin. A control circuit connects the control pin to the body terminal and the control terminal to drive the body and the control terminal, which allows current through the body in a forward direction, from the first current terminal to the second terminal, as a function of the control voltage, and to block current in a reverse direction regardless of the voltage.
94 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A packaged unidirectional power transistor, comprising:
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a package with a number of pins at an outside of the package, the pins being connected to an inside of the package to provide a voltage and/or current connection between the outside and the inside, the pins comprising a control pin, a first current pin and a second current pin; a bidirectional vertical power transistor inside the package, comprising; a controllable bidirectional current path, through a body of the bidirectional vertical power transistor, between a first current terminal of the bidirectional vertical power transistor connected to the first current pin and a second current terminal of the bidirectional vertical power transistor connected to the second current pin; a body terminal for controlling a voltage applied to the body; and a control terminal for selectively opening and closing said current path by a control voltage applied to the control terminal; a control circuit inside the package, the control circuitry including a transistor control driver connected to the control pin and the control terminal for driving the control terminal, the control circuitry including a body control circuit connected to the control pin and the body terminal for providing at the body terminal a body drive signal driving the body to allow current flow through the body in a forward direction, from the first current terminal to the second current terminal, as a function of the control voltage, and to block current flow in a reverse direction, reverse to the forward direction regardless of the control voltage, a first terminal contact connectable to the first current terminal of the bidirectional vertical power transistor; a second terminal contact connectable to the second current terminal; and wherein the body control circuit is connected to the first terminal contact and the second terminal contact and comprises a voltage detector to detect the polarity of a voltage between the first current terminal and the second current terminal to determine and to control the body as a function of the polarity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A control circuit for a unidirectional power transistor, the control circuit being connectable to a bidirectional vertical power transistor having a body terminal for controlling a voltage applied to a body of the bidirectional vertical power transistor, a control terminal for controlling a current flowing through the body via a controllable bidirectional current path between a first current terminal of the bidirectional vertical power transistor connected to the first current pin and a second current terminal of the bidirectional vertical power transistor connected to the second current pin, said control circuit comprising:
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a control input for receiving a transistor control signal; a body contact connectable to the body terminal; a control contact connectable to the control terminal; a transistor control driver connected to the control input, for driving the control terminal based on the control signal provided at the control input; a body control circuit connected to the control input and the body contact, for providing at the body contact a body drive signal driving the body to allow current flow through the body in a forward direction from the first current terminal to the second terminal as a function of a control voltage of the control terminal and to block current flow in a reverse direction reverse to the forward direction regardless of the control voltage; a first terminal contact connectable to the first terminal of the bidirectional vertical power transistor; and a second terminal contact connectable to the second terminal, and wherein the body control circuit is connected to the first terminal contact and the second terminal contact and comprises a voltage detector to detect the polarity of a voltage between the first terminal and the second terminal to determine and to control the body as a function of the polarity. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification