Semiconductor module

• US 20040004502A1
• Filed: 12/13/2002
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyamoto, Noboru
• Granted Patent: US 7,006,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/199
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0005 Processor details or data handling, e.g. memory registers or chip architecture
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0006 Digital architecture hierarchy
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/06 by measuring current and voltage G01R21/08 - G01R21/133 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/007 using microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/40 Testing power supplies testing photovoltaic devices H02S50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique for causing an external system to recognize a power loss of a switching semiconductor device in a semiconductor module comprising the switching semiconductor device. A switching semiconductor device (11) provided in a semiconductor module (10) includes a plurality of switching semiconductor elements. A loss calculating section (12) calculates a power loss generated in the switching semiconductor device (11) based on a voltage of each of the switching semiconductor elements which is measured by a voltage measuring section (13) and a current of each of the switching semiconductor elements which is measured by a current measuring section (14). The loss calculating section (12) outputs loss data indicative of the power loss thus calculated as a data signal to a motor control section (82) provided on the outside of the semiconductor module (10). The motor control section (82) can recognize the power loss generated in the switching semiconductor device (11) from the loss data.

Claims

1. A semiconductor module comprising a switching semiconductor device inside,

wherein loss data indicative of a power loss generated in said switching semiconductor device are output as a data signal to an outside.

2. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, further comprising a data output control section inside for communicating with a system which is external to said semiconductor module and controlling an output of said loss data to an outside,

said data output control section serving to output said loss data to said system in response to a request given from said system.

3. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, further comprising a storage section inside for storing a characteristic value of said switching semiconductor device and said loss data corresponding to each other,

said loss data stored in said storage section being output to an outside.

4. The semiconductor module according to claim 3, wherein said loss data corresponding to said characteristic value of said switching semiconductor device required by a system which is external to said semiconductor module are output from said storage section to said system.

5. The semiconductor module according to claim 4, wherein said system can directly read data from said storage section.

6. The semiconductor module according to claim 3, wherein said storage section stores a temperature of said switching semiconductor device as said characteristic value of said switching semiconductor device,

the semiconductor module further comprising a temperature measuring section inside for measuring said temperature of said switching semiconductor device,

said loss data corresponding to said temperature of said switching semiconductor device which is measured by said temperature measuring section being output from said storage section to an outside.

7. The semiconductor module according to claim 6, wherein said system can directly read data from said storage section.

8. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, further comprising a storage section inside for storing a characteristic value of a load of said switching semiconductor device and said loss data corresponding to each other,

said loss data stored in said storage section being output to an outside.

9. The semiconductor module according to claim 8, wherein said loss data corresponding to said characteristic value of said load required by a system which is external to said semiconductor module are output from said storage section to said system.

10. The semiconductor module according to claim 8, wherein said storage section stores a temperature of said switching semiconductor device, said characteristic value of said load and said loss data corresponding to each other,

the semiconductor module further comprising a temperature measuring section inside for measuring said temperature of said switching semiconductor device,

said loss data corresponding to said temperature of said switching semiconductor device which is measured by said temperature measuring section being output from said storage section to an outside.

11. The semiconductor module according to claim 9, wherein said system can directly read data from said storage section.

12. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein said switching semiconductor device is provided with a switching semiconductor element,

the semiconductor module further comprising inside:

a voltage measuring section for measuring a voltage to be applied to said switching semiconductor element;

a current measuring section for measuring a current to flow into said switching semiconductor element; and

a loss calculating section for obtaining said loss data based on said voltage measured by said voltage measuring section and said current measured by said current measuring section.