POWER DEVICE TEMPERATURE MONITOR
First Claim
1. A power device temperature monitor, comprising:
- a power device having a control terminal and an output terminal, the output terminal configured to output a current as directed by a voltage of the control terminal;
an inductor coupled to the output terminal of the power device;
an amplifier coupled to the inductor; and
a computing device that receives an output of the amplifier, the computing device configured to derive a temperature of the power device based upon the output of the amplifier.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A power device temperature monitor is provided. The power device temperature monitor includes a power device having a control terminal and an output terminal, where the output terminal is configured to output a current as directed by a voltage of the control terminal. The power device temperature monitor includes an inductor coupled to the output terminal of the power device and an amplifier coupled to the inductor. The power device temperature monitor includes a computing device that receives an output of the amplifier, the computing device is configured to derive a temperature of the power device based upon the output of the amplifier.
19 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A power device temperature monitor, comprising:
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a power device having a control terminal and an output terminal, the output terminal configured to output a current as directed by a voltage of the control terminal; an inductor coupled to the output terminal of the power device; an amplifier coupled to the inductor; and a computing device that receives an output of the amplifier, the computing device configured to derive a temperature of the power device based upon the output of the amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A temperature monitor for power transistors, comprising:
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a plurality of power transistors arranged in parallel, the plurality of power transistors having a control voltage; a plurality of inductors arranged in series, each inductor of the plurality of inductors coupling outputs of neighboring power transistors such that an output current of the plurality of power transistors is routed through the plurality of inductors; an amplifier coupled to at least one of the plurality of inductors; an analog-to-digital converter coupled to an output of the amplifier; and a processor in communication with the analog-to-digital converter, the processor configured to execute instructions for computing temperature information relating to the power transistors based upon an analog-to-digital conversion of the output of the amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for monitoring temperature of a power transistor, the method comprising:
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measuring a voltage across an inductor coupled to an output of the power transistor, versus time; deriving a delay time of the power transistor or a switching time of the power transistor, from the measured voltage across the inductor versus time; and deriving an estimate of an operating temperature of the power transistor based upon the derived delay time or the derived switching time, wherein at least one method operation is executed through a processor. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification