Power driver circuit with reduced turnoff time

• US 5,550,497 A
• Filed: 05/26/1994
• Issued: 08/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Carobolante, Francesco
• Primary Examiner(s): Callahan, Timothy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, JUNG H
• Application Number:
  US08/249,851
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 327/316, 327/374, 327/377, 327/440, 327/442, 327/483, 327/502, 327/520, 327/580, 327/376, 327/387, 327/396, 327/401, 327/110
• US Class Current: 327/110
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/04206 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/0822 in field-effect transistor switches

Abstract

This application discloses circuit and method for reducing the turn-off time of a power transistor driving an inductive load. The circuit clamps the gate to source of a power transistor by using two field effect transistors as the current path across the gate and source of the power transistor. A zener diode connected from the source to gate of the two field effect transistors is used to provide high voltage protection.

Claims

1. A circuit for reducing a turn-off time of a power transistor, comprising:

a first transistor, having a gate and having a source-drain path connected on a first end to a gate of said power transistor, the source-drain path having a second end;

a second transistor having a source-drain path connected at a first end to the second end of said first transistor, having a second end connected to a source of said power transistor, having a gate connected to the gate of said first transistor, and

a first and a second means for controlling said power transistor such that when said power transistor is turned on, said first and second transistors are turned off and when said power transistor is turned off, said first and second transistors are turned on.

2. The circuit of claim 1 further comprising a voltage regulator diode for preventing an over-voltage condition, the voltage regulator connected between the second end of said first transistor and the gates of said first and second transistors.

3. The circuit of claim 2 wherein said diode comprise a zener diode.

4. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said first transistor and said second transistor are field effect transistors.

5. The circuit of claim 4 wherein said first transistor and said second transistor are n-channel field effect transistors.

6. A circuit for driving an inductive load, comprising:

a power transistor having a drain connected to a Vcc voltage, having a source connected to said inductive load, and having a gate;

a first transistor having a drain connected to the gate of said power transistor, having a source, and having a gate;

a second transistor having a source connected to the source of said first transistor, having a drain connected to the source of said power transistor, and having a gate connected to the gate of said first transistor; and

a first and second means for controlling said power transistor such that when said power transistor is turned on, said first and second transistor are turned off and when said power transistor is turned on, said first and second transistor are turned off.

7. The circuit of claim 6 further comprising a voltage regulator diode having an anode connected to the source of said first transistor and the source of said second transistors, and having a cathode connected to the gate of said first transistor and to the gate of said second transistor.

8. The circuit of claim 7 wherein said diode comprises a zener diode.

9. The circuit of claim 6 wherein said first transistor and said second transistor comprise field effect transistors.

10. The circuit of claim 9 wherein said first transistor and said second transistor are n-channel MOSFETS.

11. A circuit for reducing a turn-off time of a power transistor, comprising:

a first transistor, having a source connected to a gate of said power transistor, having a drain, and having a gate;

a second transistor having a drain connected to the drain of said first transistor, having a source connected to a source of said power transistor, having a gate connected to the gate of said first transistor; and

a first and second means for controlling said power transistor such that when said power transistor is turned on, said first and second transistors are turned off and when said power transistor is turned off, said first and second transistors are turned on.

12. The circuit of claim 11 further comprising a voltage regulator diode connected between the gates and drains of said first and second transistors.

13. The circuit of claim 12 wherein said diode comprises a zener diode.

14. The circuit of claim 11 wherein said first transistor and said second transistor are field effect transistors.

15. The circuit of claim 14 wherein said first transistor and said second transistor are n-channel field effect transistors.

16. A method for reducing a turn-off time of a power transistor comprising the step of:

clamping a gate to a source of said power transistor by using a first n-channel MOSFET transistor connected in series with a second n-channel MOSFET transistor as a current path for said clamping wherein each of the two transistors have a parasitic source to drain diode and wherein the first and second transistors are configured drain to drain so that the parasitic diode of the first transistor blocks the current through the parasitic diode of the second transistor.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of clamping further comprises limiting a gate to drain voltage of said first and second n-channel MOSFET transistors with a zener diode.