CIRCUIT CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20140218074A1
• Filed: 02/04/2014
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: KOMATSU, Takeyasu, MAEBARA, Tsuneo, MURATA, Yuusuke
• Granted Patent: US 9,094,010 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/109
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/14 Modifications for compensating variations of physical values, e.g. of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/567 Circuits characterised by the use of more than one type of semiconductor device, e.g. BIMOS, composite devices such as IGBT

Abstract

In the invention, a circuit control device controlling a semiconductor switching element having a control terminal and driven by voltage inputted to the control terminal, has an input voltage detector, a desired voltage setting portion and a control input generation portion. The input voltage detector detects inputted voltage to the switching element. The desired voltage setting portion sets a desired value of the voltage to be inputted to the switching element. The control input generation portion is connected to the control terminal of the switching element, the control input generation portion generating control input to the switching element such that the value to be detected by the input voltage detector closes to the set desired value. The desired voltage setting portion sets the desired value of the voltage on the basis of predetermined characteristics information and operating parameters of the switching element. The operating parameters include temperature of the switching element, Vce, Ice etc.

Claims

1. A circuit control device controlling a semiconductor switching element having a control terminal and driven by voltage inputted to the control terminal, comprising:

an input voltage detector that detects inputted voltage to the switching element;

a desired voltage setting portion that sets a desired value of the voltage to be inputted to the switching element on the basis of predetermined characteristics information of the switching element;

a control input generation portion connected to the control terminal of the switching element, the control input generation portion generating control input to the switching element such that the value to be detected by the input voltage detector approaches the set desired value.

2. The circuit control device according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature obtain portion that obtains temperature of the switching element;

wherein

the desired voltage setting portion sets the desired value on the basis of the predetermined characteristics information and the temperature of the switching element obtained by the temperature obtain portion.

3. The circuit control device according to claim 1, further comprising a first voltage obtain portion that obtains voltage between main terminals of the switching element;

the desired voltage setting portion sets the desired value on the basis of the predetermined characteristics information and the voltage between the main terminals obtained by the first voltage obtain portion.

4. The circuit control device according to claim 1, further comprising a first current obtain portion that obtains electrical current between main terminals of the switching element;

the desired voltage setting portion sets the desired value on the basis of the predetermined characteristics information and the current between the main terminals obtained by the first current obtain portion.

5. The circuit control device according to claim 1, further comprising a switching time obtain portion that obtains switching time of the switching element in response to the control input;

the desired voltage setting portion sets the desired value on the basis of the predetermined characteristics information and the switching time obtained by the switching time obtain portion.

6. The circuit control device according to claim 5, wherein:

the semiconductor switching elements are connected in parallel with each other; and

the desired voltage setting portion sets the desired value on the basis of the shortest switching time and/ or the longest switching time in the switching elements connected in parallel.

7. The circuit control device according to claim 1, further comprising, a malfunction detector that detects occurrence of malfunction in the switching element on the basis of the desired value of the voltage and the voltage detected by the input voltage detector.

8. The circuit control device according to claim 1, wherein the desired voltage setting portion sets the desired value, depending on time.