Insulated gate semiconductor device and driving circuit device and electronic system both using the same
First Claim
1. A semiconductor device comprising:
- a first terminal;
a second terminal;
a third terminal;
a first insulated gate transistor having a first current path coupled between said second terminal and said third terminal, and a gate coupled to said first terminal;
a second insulated gate transistor having a second current path coupled between said second terminal and said third terminal and a gate coupled to said first terminal, for monitoring a drain current supplied to the first current path of the first insulated gate transistor;
a first diode having an anode coupled to said first terminal, and a cathode, for preventing a current flowing from the second terminal to the first terminal when an overvoltage appears at the first terminal;
a switch circuit having a third current path coupled between said cathode of said first diode and said third terminal, and a control terminal coupled to one end of said second current path of said second insulated gate transistor, wherein the switch circuit is turned on to limit the drain current of the first insulated gate transistor based on the monitored drain current of the first insulated gate transistor; and
a protection circuit for preventing a breakdown of the first diode when the overvoltage appears at the first terminal, said protection circuit being coupled between said first terminal and said third terminal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improvement in conditions that protective functions of an insulated gate semiconductor device with a protection circuit incorporated therein are performed, an improvement in the cutoff of heating, the prevention of malfunctions and an improvement in ease of usage can be achieved.
The insulated gate semiconductor device of the present invention comprises a power insulated gate semiconductor element (M9), at least one MOSFET (M1 through M7) for a protection circuit, for controlling the power insulated gate semiconductor element, a constant-voltage circuit using forward voltages developed across diodes (D2a through D2f) for the constant-voltage circuit, and voltage restricting diodes (D1 and D0a through D0d) for controlling the upper limit of a power supply voltage of the constant-voltage circuit. Power to be supplied to the voltage restricting diodes is supplied from an external gate terminal of the power insulated gate semiconductor element.
The present invention can bring about an advantageous effect that an improvement in reliability of the insulated gate semiconductor device and an improvement in the ease of use can be achieved.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A semiconductor device comprising:
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a first terminal; a second terminal; a third terminal; a first insulated gate transistor having a first current path coupled between said second terminal and said third terminal, and a gate coupled to said first terminal; a second insulated gate transistor having a second current path coupled between said second terminal and said third terminal and a gate coupled to said first terminal, for monitoring a drain current supplied to the first current path of the first insulated gate transistor; a first diode having an anode coupled to said first terminal, and a cathode, for preventing a current flowing from the second terminal to the first terminal when an overvoltage appears at the first terminal; a switch circuit having a third current path coupled between said cathode of said first diode and said third terminal, and a control terminal coupled to one end of said second current path of said second insulated gate transistor, wherein the switch circuit is turned on to limit the drain current of the first insulated gate transistor based on the monitored drain current of the first insulated gate transistor; and a protection circuit for preventing a breakdown of the first diode when the overvoltage appears at the first terminal, said protection circuit being coupled between said first terminal and said third terminal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A semiconductor device comprising:
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a first terminal; a second terminal; a third terminal; an insulated gate transistor having a current path coupled between said second terminal and said third terminal, and a gate coupled to said first terminal; a temperature detecting circuit including a temperature detecting element for detecting a temperature of said semiconductor device, wherein said temperature detecting circuit outputs a temperature detecting signal when the temperature of said semiconductor device is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, and wherein said temperature detecting element is coupled between said first terminal and said third terminal; a first switch circuit having a first current path coupled between said first terminal and said third terminal, and a first control terminal coupled to receive said temperature detecting signal, the first switch circuit being turned on so as to cutoff the insulated gate transistor in response to said temperature detecting signal; and a constant-voltage circuit for generating an operating voltage of the temperature detecting circuit, and which is coupled between said first terminal and said third terminal; wherein the constant-voltage circuit includes a first diode having a first anode coupled to the first terminal and a first cathode coupled to the third terminal; wherein the temperature detecting element includes a second diode having a second anode coupled to a second control terminal and a second cathode coupled to the third terminal; wherein the temperature detecting circuit further includes; a second switch circuit having a second current path coupled between the first terminal, the third terminal, and the first control terminal, and having the second control terminal, the second switch circuit generating the temperature detecting signal; and a first resistor coupled between the second control terminal and the first terminal; and
wherein the temperature detecting element is coupled between the second control terminal and the third terminal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A semiconductor device comprising:
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a first terminal; a second terminal; a third terminal; an insulated gate transistor having a current path coupled between said second terminal and said third terminal and a gate coupled to said first terminal; a temperature detecting device adapted to output a temperature detecting signal when the temperature of said device is greater than or equal to a predetermined value; a switch circuit having a current path coupled between said first terminal and said third terminal, and a control terminal coupled to receive said temperature detecting signal; and a pad formed over a semiconductor substrate in which said insulated gate transistor, said temperature detecting device, and said switch circuit are formed, said pad being coupled to said third terminal; wherein said pad is arranged substantially at a center of said semiconductor substrate; and wherein said temperature detecting device is arranged adjacent to said pad.
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21. A semiconductor device comprising:
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an insulated gate transistor; a hysteresis-type cutoff circuit adapted to cut off said insulated gate transistor when a temperature of said semiconductor device is higher than or equal to a first temperature, and adapted to bring said insulated gate transistor into a conductive state when a temperature of said semiconductor device is lower than or equal to a second temperature; and a latch circuit adapted to continuously hold said insulated gate transistor at a cutoff state when a temperature of said device is changed to a temperature greater than or equal to a third temperature higher than said first temperature.
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22. A semiconductor device comprising,
an insulated gate transistor; -
a hysteresis-type cutoff circuit adapted to cut off said insulated gate transistor when a temperature of said device is higher than or equal to a first temperature, and adapted to bring said insulated gate transistor into a conductive state when a temperature of said device is lower than or equal to a second temperature; a current detecting circuit adapted to detect a current of said insulated gate transistor; and an overcurrent protection circuit adapted to render said insulated gate transistor non-conductive when said current of said insulated gate transistor is larger than or equal to a predetermined value.
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23. A semiconductor device comprising:
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an insulated gate transistor; a hysteresis-type cutoff circuit adapted to cut off said insulated gate transistor when a current of said insulated gate transistor is higher than or equal to a first value, and adapted to bring said insulated gate transistor into a conductive state when a current of said insulated gate transistor is lower than or equal to a second value which is smaller than said first value; and a latch circuit adapted to continuously hold said insulated gate transistor at a cutoff state when a temperature of said device is changed to a predetermined temperature.
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Specification