CONTROL CIRCUIT

• US 20180091035A1
• Filed: 07/15/2015
• Published: 03/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: HANO, Mitsutaka
• Granted Patent: US 11,283,347 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0006 Arrangements for supplying an adequate voltage to the control circuit of converters
• 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 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4225 using a non-isolated boost converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/155 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/38 using boost topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/39 Circuits containing inverter bridges
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A control circuit of the present invention includes a drive circuit for outputting a gate drive signal, a charging circuit for generating a charging current when the drive circuit is started up, and a Vcc control circuit for, upon receiving an output from the charging circuit, outputting a control signal for supplying Vcc for the drive circuit, wherein the drive circuit, the charging circuit, and the Vcc control circuit are provided in one chip.

Claims

1. A control circuit comprising:

a drive circuit for outputting a gate drive signal;

a charging circuit for generating a charging current when the drive circuit is started up; and

a Vcc control circuit for, upon receiving an output from the charging circuit, outputting a control signal for supplying Vcc for the drive circuit,

wherein the drive circuit, the charging circuit, and the Vcc control circuit are provided in one chip.

2. The control circuit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first floating terminal connected to the drive circuit; and

a second floating terminal connected to the Vcc control circuit and insulated from the first floating terminal.

5. The control circuit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a shut off circuit for breaking connection between the charging circuit and the Vcc control circuit when the output from the charging circuit reaches a predetermined value.

6. The control circuit according to claim 2, wherein

the Vcc control circuit comprises:

a signal generation circuit for generating the control signal and controlling, using the control signal, an external converter provided outside the control circuit to generate the Vcc; and

a feedback circuit for detecting the Vcc generated by the external converter and transmitting a signal to the signal generation circuit to adjust the Vcc to a predetermined value.

7. The control circuit according to claim 2, wherein

the gate drive signal is applied to a gate of a first power device provided outside, and

the first floating terminal is connected to a source of the first power device.

8. The control circuit according to claim 7, wherein

the drive circuit comprises a detection circuit for detecting a current in a controlled portion controlled by the first power device, and

the drive circuit outputs the gate drive signal to adjust the current detected by the detection circuit to a predetermined value.

9. The control circuit according to claim 6, wherein

the control signal is applied to a gate of a second power device provided in the external converter, and

the second floating terminal is connected to a source of the second power device.

10. The control circuit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power factor improvement circuit for controlling a voltage booster circuit for boosting a supply voltage,

wherein the power factor improvement circuit is provided in the chip.

11. The control circuit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a system shut off circuit for shutting down the drive circuit when the Vcc becomes lower than a predetermined voltage,

wherein the system shut off circuit is provided in the chip.

12. The control circuit according to claim 7, wherein the first power device is an FET made of a wide bandgap semiconductor.

13. The control circuit according to claim 9, wherein the second power device is an FET made of a wide bandgap semiconductor.

14. The control circuit according to claim 12, wherein the wide bandgap semiconductor is any one of silicon carbide, a gallium nitride material, and diamond.

3. A control circuit comprising:

a drive circuit for outputting a gate drive signal;

a Vcc circuit for supplying Vcc to the drive circuit;

a first floating terminal connected to the drive circuit; and

a second floating terminal connected to the Vcc circuit and insulated from the first floating terminal,

wherein the drive circuit and the Vcc circuit are provided in one chip.

4. The control circuit according to claim 3, wherein

the Vcc circuit comprises:

a charging circuit for generating a charging current when the drive circuit is started up; and

a Vcc control circuit for, upon receiving an output from the charging circuit, outputting a control signal for supplying the Vcc.