Methods and apparatus for reducing MOSFET body diode conduction in a half-bridge configuration
First Claim
1. A method for operating first and second switches arranged in a half-bridge configuration, the first and second switches having first and second gates, respectively, comprising:
- controlling first and second gate voltages on the first and second gates, respectively, such that the first switch is on and the second switch is off;
controlling one of the first and second gate voltages such that the corresponding one of the first and second switches operates as a constant current source;
after the one of the first and second switches has been operating as a constant current source, controlling the second gate voltage such that the second switch is on; and
controlling the first gate voltage such that the first switch is off.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for operating first and second switches arranged in a half-bridge configuration are described. First and second gate voltages on the first and second gates, respectively, of the first and second switches are controlled such that the first switch is on and the second switch is off. One of the first and second gate voltages is controlled such that the corresponding one of the first and second switches operates as a constant current source. After one of the first and second switches has been operating as a constant current source, the second gate voltage is controlled such that the second switch is on and the first gate voltage is controlled such that the first switch is off.
104 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for operating first and second switches arranged in a half-bridge configuration, the first and second switches having first and second gates, respectively, comprising:
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controlling first and second gate voltages on the first and second gates, respectively, such that the first switch is on and the second switch is off; controlling one of the first and second gate voltages such that the corresponding one of the first and second switches operates as a constant current source; after the one of the first and second switches has been operating as a constant current source, controlling the second gate voltage such that the second switch is on; and controlling the first gate voltage such that the first switch is off. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for operating first and second switches arranged in a half-bridge configuration, the first and second switches having first and second gates, respectively, comprising:
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controlling first and second gate voltages on the first and second gates, respectively, such that the first switch is on and the second switch is off; controlling the first gate voltage such that the first switch operates as a constant current source; while the first switch is operating as a constant current source, controlling the second gate voltage such that the second switch is on; and after the second switch is turned on, controlling the first gate voltage such that the first switch is off.
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12. A method for operating first and second switches arranged in a half-bridge configuration, the first and second switches having first and second gates, respectively, comprising:
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controlling first and second gate voltages on the first and second gates, respectively, such that the first switch is on and the second switch is off; controlling the second gate voltage such that the second switch operates as a constant current source; while the second switch is operating as a constant current source, controlling the first gate voltage such that the first switch is turned off; and after the first switch is turned off, controlling the second gate voltage such that the second switch is on.
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13. A switching circuit comprising:
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first and second switches arranged in a half-bridge configuration, the first and second switches having first and second gate terminals, respectively, the half-bridge configuration having an output terminal; and gate control circuitry coupled to the output terminal and the first and second gate terminals which is operable to control the first and second switches to alternately operate as constant current sources to facilitate current commutation between the first and second switches. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. An integrated circuit comprising:
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first and second transistors arranged in a half-bridge configuration, the first and second transistors having first and second gate terminals, respectively, the half-bridge configuration having an output node; gate control circuitry coupled to the output node and the first and second gate terminals which is operable to control the first and second transistors to alternately operate as constant current sources to facilitate current commutation between the first and second transistors. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification