HALF BRIDGE DRIVER CIRCUITS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A half bridge GaN circuit, comprising:
- a low side circuit, comprising;
a low side switch having a low side switch control gate and a first source,a level shift driver, comprising;
a first level shift driver input connected to a first logic signal, wherein the first logic signal is referenced to the voltage of the first source, anda level shift driver output, configured to transmit a first level shift input signal,a low side switch driver, comprising;
a first low side switch driver input configured to receive a second logic signal, wherein the second logic signal is referenced to a voltage at the first source, anda first low side switch driver output connected to the low side switch control gate and configured to transmit a low side switch control signal to the low side switch control gate, wherein the low side switch control signal is generated based on the second logic signal,a first level shift circuit configured to receive the first level shift input signal and to generate a first level shift signal, anda second level shift circuit configured to generate a second level shift signal; and
a high side circuit, comprising;
a high side switch having a high side switch control gate and a second source,a first high side receiver circuit referenced to a voltage at the second source and configured to receive the first level shift signal and to generate a first high side driver control signal,a second high side receiver circuit referenced to the voltage of the second source and configured to receive the second level shift signal and to generate a second high side driver control signal, anda high side switch driver referenced to the voltage of the second source, wherein the high side switch driver comprises;
one or more logic inputs configured to receive the first and second high side driver control signals, anda high side switch driver output connected to the high side switch control gate and configured to transmit a high side switch control signal to the high side switch control gate, wherein the high side switch control signal is generated base on the first and second high side driver control signals,wherein the first and second high side receiver circuits are configured to prevent a change of voltage state of the high side control gate in response to voltage transients of the voltage of the second source.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
GaN-based half bridge power conversion circuits employ control, support and logic functions that are monolithically integrated on the same devices as the power transistors. In some embodiments, a low side GaN device communicates through one or more level shift circuits with a high side GaN device. Both the high side and the low side devices may have one or more integrated control, support and logic functions.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A half bridge GaN circuit, comprising:
-
a low side circuit, comprising; a low side switch having a low side switch control gate and a first source, a level shift driver, comprising; a first level shift driver input connected to a first logic signal, wherein the first logic signal is referenced to the voltage of the first source, and a level shift driver output, configured to transmit a first level shift input signal, a low side switch driver, comprising; a first low side switch driver input configured to receive a second logic signal, wherein the second logic signal is referenced to a voltage at the first source, and a first low side switch driver output connected to the low side switch control gate and configured to transmit a low side switch control signal to the low side switch control gate, wherein the low side switch control signal is generated based on the second logic signal, a first level shift circuit configured to receive the first level shift input signal and to generate a first level shift signal, and a second level shift circuit configured to generate a second level shift signal; and a high side circuit, comprising; a high side switch having a high side switch control gate and a second source, a first high side receiver circuit referenced to a voltage at the second source and configured to receive the first level shift signal and to generate a first high side driver control signal, a second high side receiver circuit referenced to the voltage of the second source and configured to receive the second level shift signal and to generate a second high side driver control signal, and a high side switch driver referenced to the voltage of the second source, wherein the high side switch driver comprises; one or more logic inputs configured to receive the first and second high side driver control signals, and a high side switch driver output connected to the high side switch control gate and configured to transmit a high side switch control signal to the high side switch control gate, wherein the high side switch control signal is generated base on the first and second high side driver control signals, wherein the first and second high side receiver circuits are configured to prevent a change of voltage state of the high side control gate in response to voltage transients of the voltage of the second source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A half bridge GaN circuit, comprising:
-
a low side circuit, comprising; a low side switch having a low side switch control gate and a first source, a level shift driver, comprising; a first level shift driver input connected to a first logic signal, wherein the first logic signal is referenced to the voltage of the first source, and a level shift driver output, configured to transmit a first level shift input signal, a low side switch driver, comprising; a first low side switch driver input configured to receive a second logic signal, wherein the second logic signal is referenced to a voltage at the first source, and a first low side switch driver output connected to the low side switch control gate and configured to transmit a low side switch control signal to the low side switch control gate, wherein the low side switch control signal is generated based on the second logic signal, a first level shift circuit configured to receive the first level shift input signal and to generate a first level shift signal, and a second level shift circuit configured to generate a second level shift signal; and a high side circuit, comprising; a high side switch having a high side switch control gate and a second source, a first high side receiver circuit referenced to a voltage at the second source and configured to receive the first level shift signal and to generate a first high side driver control signal, a second high side receiver circuit referenced to the voltage of the second source and configured to receive the second level shift signal and to generate a second high side driver control signal, and a high side switch driver referenced to the voltage of the second source, wherein the high side switch driver comprises; one or more logic inputs configured to receive the first and second high side driver control signals, and a high side switch driver output connected to the high side switch control gate and configured to transmit a high side switch control signal to the high side switch control gate, wherein the high side switch control signal is generated base on the first and second high side driver control signals, wherein the first and second level shift signals comprise a plurality of pulses, and wherein the high side switch gate control signal is generated in response to the pulses, and wherein durations of on and off times of the high side switch are based on durations of the pulses. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A half bridge GaN circuit, comprising:
-
a low side circuit, comprising; a low side switch having a low side switch control gate and a first source, a level shift driver, comprising; a first level shift driver input connected to a first logic signal, wherein the first logic signal is referenced to the voltage of the first source, and a level shift driver output, configured to transmit a first level shift input signal, a low side switch driver, comprising; a first low side switch driver input configured to receive a second logic signal, wherein the second logic signal is referenced to a voltage at the first source, and a first low side switch driver output connected to the low side switch control gate and configured to transmit a low side switch control signal to the low side switch control gate, wherein the low side switch control signal is generated based on the second logic signal, a first level shift circuit configured to receive the first level shift input signal and to generate a first level shift signal, and a second level shift circuit configured to generate a second level shift signal; and a high side circuit, comprising; a high side switch having a high side switch control gate and a second source, a first high side receiver circuit referenced to a voltage at the second source and configured to receive the first level shift signal and to generate a first high side driver control signal, a second high side receiver circuit referenced to the voltage of the second source and configured to receive the second level shift signal and to generate a second high side driver control signal, and a high side switch driver referenced to the voltage of the second source, wherein the high side switch driver comprises; one or more logic inputs configured to receive the first and second high side driver control signals, and a high side switch driver output connected to the high side switch control gate and configured to transmit a high side switch control signal to the high side switch control gate, wherein the high side switch control signal is generated base on the first and second high side driver control signals, and a trigger circuit configured to, in response to a voltage of a first power supply referenced to the voltage of the second source being less than a threshold greater than the voltage of the second source, cause the high side switch to turn-off. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
Specification