LOW SIDE AND HIGH SIDE DRIVERS FOR A MOTOR

• US 20160065102A1
• Filed: 08/27/2014
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Thierry Sicard
• Inventors: SICARD, THIERRY
• Granted Patent: US 9,893,725 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/08 with pulse width modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/18 Modifications for indicating state of switch
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0063 High side switches, i.e. the higher potential [DC] or life wire [AC] being directly connected to the switch and not via the load
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0072 Low side switches, i.e. the lower potential [DC] or neutral wire [AC] being directly connected to the switch and not via the load

Abstract

A driver circuit for driving a portion of a motor system is disclosed. The driver circuit may include a current reverse detector operable to detect a current direction associated with the portion of the motor system, an insulated gate bipolar transistor (“IGBT”) driver, and an IGBT. The IGBT driver may include: a first input coupled to an output of the current reverse detector and a second input coupled to an operation indication signal.

Claims

1. A driver circuit for driving a portion of a motor system, the driver circuit comprising:

a current reverse detector operable to detect a current direction associated with the portion of the motor system;

an insulated gate bipolar transistor (“

IGBT”

) driver comprising;

a first input coupled to an output of the current reverse detector; and

a second input coupled to an operation indication signal; and

an IGBT comprising;

a control electrode coupled to an output of the IGBT driver;

a first current electrode coupled to a first voltage supply; and

a second current electrode coupled to an input of the motor system.

2. The driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the driver circuit comprises a high-side driver circuit for the portion of the motor system, and wherein the operation indication signal comprises a high-side on signal.

3. The driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the driver circuit comprises a low-side driver circuit for the portion of the motor system, and wherein the operation indication signal comprises a low-side on signal.

4. The driver circuit of claim 1, further comprising a diode coupled between the first and second current electrodes of the IGBT.

5. The driver circuit of claim 1, further comprising a diode having a cathode coupled to the first current electrode of the IGBT and an anode coupled to an input of the current reverse detector.

6. The driver circuit of claim 1, further comprising a diode having a cathode coupled to the second current electrode of the IGBT and an anode coupled to an input of the current reverse detector.

7. The driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the current reverse detector comprises:

a comparator comprising;

a first input coupled to a second voltage source; and

a second input coupled to a reference voltage source; and

a flip-flop comprising;

a first input coupled to an output of the comparator;

a second input coupled to the operation indication signal; and

an output coupled to the output of the current reverse detector.

8. The driver circuit of claim 7, wherein the current reverse detector further comprises a resistive element coupled between the first input of the comparator and the second voltage source.

9. The driver circuit of claim 7, wherein the current reverse detector comprises:

a comparator comprising;

a first input coupled to a second voltage source; and

a second input coupled to a reference voltage source; and

a flip-flop comprising;

a first input coupled to an output of the comparator;

a second input coupled to a logic circuit operable to provide a logic level associated with the operation indication signal; and

an output coupled to the output of the current reverse detector.

10. The driver circuit of claim 9, wherein the logic circuit comprises an exclusive NOR gate comprising:

a first input coupled to the operation indication signal; and

a second input coupled to a complementary input signal.

11. A driver circuit for driving a portion of a motor system, the driver circuit comprising:

a high-side driver comprising;

a first current reverse detector;

a first insulated gate bipolar transistor (“

IGBT”

) driver comprising;

a first input coupled to an output of the first current reverse detector; and

a second input coupled to a first operation indication signal; and

a first IGBT comprising;

a control electrode coupled to an output of the first IGBT driver;

a first current electrode coupled to a first voltage supply; and

a second current electrode coupled to an input of a motor; and

a low-side driver comprising;

a second current reverse detector;

a second insulated gate bipolar transistor (“

IGBT”

) driver comprising;

a first input coupled to an output of the second current reverse detector; and

a second input coupled to a second operation indication signal; and

a second IGBT comprising;

a control electrode coupled to an output of the second IGBT driver;

a first current electrode coupled to a second voltage supply; and

a second current electrode coupled to the input of a motor.

12. The driver circuit of claim 11, further comprising a diode coupled between the current electrodes of the first IGBT.

13. The driver circuit of claim 11, further comprising a diode coupled between the current electrodes of the second IGBT.

14. The driver circuit of claim 11, further comprising a diode having a cathode coupled to the first current electrode of the first IGBT and an anode coupled to an input of the first current reverse detector.

15. The driver circuit of claim 11, further comprising a diode having a cathode coupled to the second current electrode of the second IGBT and an anode coupled to an input of the second current reverse detector.

16. The driver circuit of claim 11, wherein the first current reverse detector comprises:

a comparator comprising;

a first input coupled to a third voltage source; and

a second input coupled to a reference voltage source; and

a flip-flop comprising;

a first input coupled to an output of the comparator;

a second input coupled to the first operation indication signal; and

an output coupled to the output of the current reverse detector.

17. The driver circuit of claim 11, wherein the second current reverse detector comprises:

a comparator comprising;

a first input coupled to a third voltage source; and

a second input coupled to a reference voltage source; and

a flip-flop comprising;

a first input coupled to an output of the comparator;

a second input coupled to the second operation indication signal; and

an output coupled to the output of the second current reverse detector.

18. The driver circuit of claim 11, wherein the first and second current reverse detectors each comprise:

a comparator comprising;

a first input coupled to a third voltage source; and

a second input coupled to a reference voltage source; and

a flip-flop comprising;

a first input coupled to an output of the comparator;

a second input coupled to a logic circuit operable to provide a logic level associated with the operation indication signal; and

an output coupled to the output of the current reverse detector.

19. The driver circuit of claim 18, wherein the logic circuit comprises an exclusive NOR gate comprising:

a first input coupled to the operation indication signal; and

a second input coupled to a complementary input signal.

20. The driver circuit of claim 18, wherein each current reverse detector further comprises a resistive element coupled between the first input of the comparator and the third voltage source.