ADAPTIVE GATE DRIVE CONTROL METHOD AND CIRCUIT FOR COMPOSITE POWER SWITCH
First Claim
1. A method of controlling a hybrid switch, the method comprising:
- providing a controllable hybrid switch comprising a first semiconductor switch operably coupled in parallel to a second semiconductor switch, each respective semiconductor switch being individually controllable and having a respective switching speed and a respective power-processing capability, wherein the first semiconductor switch has a faster switching speed than that of the second semiconductor switch and wherein the second semiconductor switch has a higher power-processing capability than that of the first semiconductor switch;
accessing first device data for the controllable hybrid switch, the device data comprising a first reference value V1REF for a first default turn-on transition time interval Δ
T1 and a second reference value V2REF for a second default turn-off transition time interval Δ
T2;
enabling the controllable hybrid switch and controlling the operation of the controllable hybrid switch so that it operates in accordance with the first device data; and
dynamically adjusting the duration of the default Δ
T1 and Δ
T2 used to control operation of the controllable hybrid switch, so as to compensate for at least one of variations in a current to a load operably coupled to the controllable hybrid switch and environmental conditions at the controllable hybrid switch.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Provided is a method of controlling a hybrid switch comprising a first individually controllable semiconductor switch operably coupled in parallel to a second individually controllable semiconductor switch. The first semiconductor switch has a faster switching speed and lower power-processing capability than the second semiconductor switch. A first reference value V1REF for a first default turn-on transition time interval ΔT1 and a second reference value V2REF for a second default turn-off transition time interval ΔT2 are accessed for the controllable hybrid switch, which is enabled and controlled so that it operates in accordance with V1REF and V2REF. The duration of the default ΔT1 and ΔT2 used to control operation of the controllable hybrid switch is dynamically adjusted to compensate for at least one of variations in a current to a load operably coupled to the controllable hybrid switch and environmental conditions at the controllable hybrid switch.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method of controlling a hybrid switch, the method comprising:
-
providing a controllable hybrid switch comprising a first semiconductor switch operably coupled in parallel to a second semiconductor switch, each respective semiconductor switch being individually controllable and having a respective switching speed and a respective power-processing capability, wherein the first semiconductor switch has a faster switching speed than that of the second semiconductor switch and wherein the second semiconductor switch has a higher power-processing capability than that of the first semiconductor switch; accessing first device data for the controllable hybrid switch, the device data comprising a first reference value V1REF for a first default turn-on transition time interval Δ
T1 and a second reference value V2REF for a second default turn-off transition time interval Δ
T2;enabling the controllable hybrid switch and controlling the operation of the controllable hybrid switch so that it operates in accordance with the first device data; and dynamically adjusting the duration of the default Δ
T1 and Δ
T2 used to control operation of the controllable hybrid switch, so as to compensate for at least one of variations in a current to a load operably coupled to the controllable hybrid switch and environmental conditions at the controllable hybrid switch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for controlling the operation of a hybrid switch, the method comprising:
-
providing a controllable hybrid switch, the controllable hybrid switch comprising a first semiconductor switch operably coupled in parallel to a second semiconductor switch, each semiconductor switch being individually controllable and having a respective switching speed and a respective power-processing capability, wherein the first semiconductor switch has a faster switching speed than that of the second semiconductor switch and wherein the second semiconductor switch has a higher power-processing capability than that of the first semiconductor switch; enabling the hybrid switch; dynamically receiving data indicating operating condition information for at least one of the controllable hybrid switch, the first semiconductor switch, and the second semiconductor switch; if the operating condition information indicates imminent failure of at least one of the first semiconductor switch, and the second semiconductor switch, then; turning off the respective first or second semiconductor switch whose operating condition indicates the imminent failure; and dynamically controlling operation of the controllable hybrid switch by controlling operation of the other of the first and second semiconductor switches to be in at least one of three operating modes;
operating for a limited time, operating at reduced power, or operating for both a limited time and at reduced power. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A controllable hybrid switch, comprising:
-
a first semiconductor switch, the first semiconductor switch being controllable and having a first switching speed and a first power-processing capability; a second semiconductor switch operably coupled in parallel to the first semiconductor switch, the second semiconductor switch being controllable and having a second switching speed that is slower than the first switching speed and a second power-processing capability that is larger than the first power-processing capability; a first set of sensors sensing a first set of operating parameters for the first semiconductor switch, the first set of operating parameters including at least a first junction temperature, a first voltage across the first semiconductor switch, and a first current through the first semiconductor switch; and a second set of sensors sensing a second set of operating parameters for the second semiconductor switch, the second set of operating parameters including at least a second junction temperature, a second voltage across the second semiconductor switch, and a second current through the second semiconductor switch; and wherein the first and second semiconductor switches and first and second sets of sensors are constructed and arranged to be in operable communication with a controller, wherein the controller is programmed to; access first device data for the controllable hybrid switch, the device data comprising a first reference value V1REF for a first default turn-on transition time interval Δ
T1 and a second reference value V2REF for a second default turn-off transition time interval Δ
T2;enable the controllable hybrid switch and control the operation of the controllable hybrid switch so that it operates in accordance with the first device data; and dynamically adjust the duration of the default Δ
T1 and Δ
T2 used to control operation of the controllable hybrid switch, so as to compensate for at least one of variations in a current to a load operably coupled to the controllable hybrid switch and environmental conditions at the controllable hybrid switch. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification