CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE CIRCUIT

• US 20170366083A1
• Filed: 06/14/2017
• Published: 12/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Emsenhuber, Matthias
• Granted Patent: US 10,158,285 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/08 Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/088 for the simultaneous control of series or parallel connected semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/06 using resistors or capacitors, e.g. potential divider
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/217 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/537 using semiconductor devices only, e.g. single switched pulse inverters

Abstract

In various embodiments, a circuit is provided. The circuit may include a plurality of cascode stages connected in series with one another, a voltage divider which is connected in parallel with the plurality of cascode stages and is coupled to the cascode stages in order to make available a first electrical backup potential at at least one cascode stage of the plurality of cascode stages, and a controller which is configured to couple the at least one cascode stage of the plurality of cascode stages to a predefined second electrical backup potential if a voltage which is present at the voltage divider satisfies a predefined criterion.

Claims

1. A circuit, comprising:

a plurality of cascode stages connected in series with one another;

a voltage divider which is connected in parallel with the plurality of cascode stages and is coupled to the cascode stages in order to make available a first electrical backup potential at at least one cascode stage of the plurality of cascode stages; and

a controller which is configured to couple the at least one cascode stage of the plurality of cascode stages to a predefined second electrical backup potential if a voltage which is present at the voltage divider satisfies a predefined criterion.

2. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

a switching input for switching the plurality of cascode stages.

3. The circuit of claim 2,

wherein an additional cascode stage of the plurality of cascode stages comprises a switch which can be switched by the switching input.

4. The circuit of claim 3,

wherein the additional cascode stage comprises a common-source or common-emitter transistor whose gate or base makes available the switching input.

5. The circuit of claim 1,

wherein the voltage divider comprises at least one of at least one resistive voltage divider stage or at least one capacitive voltage divider stage.

6. The circuit of claim 1,

wherein at least one voltage divider stage of the voltage divider comprises a diode.

7. The circuit of claim 1,

wherein the voltage divider comprises at least two voltage divider stages which are connected in parallel.

8. The circuit of claim 1,

wherein the voltage divider comprises at least one voltage divider stage which is capacitively coupled to a reference potential.

9. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage source, which is configured to make available the second backup potential.

10. The circuit of claim 1,

wherein the second backup potential comprises less fluctuation than the voltage which is present at the voltage divider;

or

wherein by the voltage divider the first backup potential is divided off from the voltage which is present at the voltage divider.

11. The circuit of claim 1,

wherein the at least one cascode stage comprises a switch which is configured to switch, by means of the backup potential, whichever of the at least one cascode stage is respectively coupled.

12. The circuit of claim 1,

wherein the at least one cascode stage comprises a transistor in gate connection mode or base connection mode, the gate or base of which is coupled to the voltage divider.

13. A rectifier circuit, comprising:

a circuit, comprising;

a plurality of cascode stages connected in series with one another;

a voltage divider which is connected in parallel with the plurality of cascode stages and is coupled to the cascode stages in order to make available a first electrical backup potential at at least one cascode stage of the plurality of cascode stages; and

a controller which is configured to couple the at least one cascode stage of the plurality of cascode stages to a predefined second electrical backup potential if a voltage which is present at the voltage divider satisfies a predefined criterion.

14. A voltage source, comprising:

a circuit, comprising;

a plurality of cascode stages connected in series with one another;

a voltage divider which is connected in parallel with the plurality of cascode stages and is coupled to the cascode stages in order to make available a first electrical backup potential at at least one cascode stage of the plurality of cascode stages; and

a controller which is configured to couple the at least one cascode stage of the plurality of cascode stages to a predefined second electrical backup potential if a voltage which is present at the voltage divider satisfies a predefined criterion.

15. A circuit arrangement, comprising:

a first circuit, comprising;

a plurality of cascode stages connected in series with one another;

a voltage divider which is connected in parallel with the plurality of cascode stages and is coupled to the cascode stages in order to make available a first electrical backup potential at at least one cascode stage of the plurality of cascode stages; and

a controller which is configured to couple the at least one cascode stage of the plurality of cascode stages to a predefined second electrical backup potential if a voltage which is present at the voltage divider satisfies a predefined criterion;

a second circuit which is configured for contactless communication and is coupled to the first circuit.

16. An inverter, comprising:

a circuit, comprising;

a plurality of cascode stages connected in series with one another;

a voltage divider which is connected in parallel with the plurality of cascode stages and is coupled to the cascode stages in order to make available a first electrical backup potential at at least one cascode stage of the plurality of cascode stages; and

a controller which is configured to couple the at least one cascode stage of the plurality of cascode stages to a predefined second electrical backup potential if a voltage which is present at the voltage divider satisfies a predefined criterion.

17. A circuit, comprising:

a first cascode stage and a second cascode stage;

a voltage divider which is connected in parallel with the first cascode stage and the second cascode stage and has a first voltage component output which is coupled to the first cascode stage, and a second voltage component output which is coupled to the second cascode stage;

a controller which is configured to couple the first voltage component output to the second voltage component output if a voltage at least one of at the first voltage component output or at the second voltage component output satisfies a predefined criterion.

18. A circuit, comprising:

a first cascode stage and a second cascode stage;

a voltage divider which is connected in parallel with the first cascode stage and the second cascode stage and has a first voltage divider stage which is coupled to the first cascode stage, and has a second voltage divider stage which is coupled to the second cascode stage; and

a controller which is configured to bypass at least one of the first voltage divider stage or the second voltage divider stage if a voltage which is present at the voltage divider satisfies a predefined criterion.

19. A method of operating a circuit, which circuit comprises a plurality of cascode stages, the method comprising:

coupling at least one cascode stage of the plurality of cascode stages to a predefined backup potential if a voltage which is present at the circuit satisfies a predefined criterion; and

otherwise coupling the at least one cascode stage to a backup potential which is divided off from the voltage.

20. A method of operating a circuit, which circuit comprises at least one cascode stage and a voltage divider stage, the method comprising:

dividing off a backup potential from a voltage which is present at the circuit, by means of the voltage divider stage;

inputting the backup potential into the at least one cascode stage; and

bypassing the voltage divider stage if the voltage satisfies a predefined criterion.