Adaptive gate drive voltage circuit

• US 7,265,601 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp. (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Ahmad, Faisal
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Rajnikant B.
• Application Number:
  US11/207,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20060038547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 323282-290, 323/222, 323/224, 323/265, 323271-274, 323/268, 363/17, 363/19, 363/75, 363/78, 363/84, 363/98, 327/366, 327/110, 327/380, 327/389, 327540-541, 327/381, 327/391, 327/403, 327/170, 327/543
• US Class Current: 327/403
• 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: H03F 3/217 Class D power amplifiers; Switching amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/063 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/0822 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/6871 the output circuit comprising more than one controlled field-effect transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0036 Means reducing energy consumption

Abstract

A circuit and method for reducing losses in a DC/DC converter by optimizing gate drive voltage. The circuit and method detect a change in the output load, or more specifically the output current, and adjust the gate voltage accordingly; in other words, providing adaptive gate drive voltage. In response to a reduction of output current, the invention reduces the gate voltage so as to reduce both conduction and switching losses in the semiconductor switching devices in the output stage.

Claims

1. A DC/DC converter comprising:

at least one switching device responsive to a drive signal having a drive voltage level, for receiving power at a DC input and delivering DC output current to an output circuit of said converter;

a driver for supplying said drive signal to said switching device;

an adaptive drive voltage circuit which generates a feedback signal responsive to said DC output current, and in response thereto generates a control signal; and

a linear regulator which receives said control signal at an input thereof, and controls said driver to supply said drive voltage level to said switching device;

wherein said linear regulator comprises;

an amplifier which receives said control signal at a first input thereof;

a drive voltage source comprising a resistance which generates said drive voltage level according to a current through said resistance, and a transistor in series with said resistance for controlling said current;

an output of said amplifier being connected to a control terminal of said transistor; and

a voltage from said drive voltage source being fed back to a second input of said amplifier.

2. The DC/DC converter of claim 1, wherein said adaptive drive voltage circuit, in response to a reduction of output current, reduces said drive voltage level so as to reduce losses in said switching device.

3. The DC/DC converter of claim 2, wherein said adaptive drive voltage circuit defines at least one current threshold, and selects one of at least two predetermined drive voltage levels, in response to whether said output current is above or below said threshold.

4. The DC/DC converter of claim 2, wherein said adaptive drive voltage circuit defines a first plurality of current thresholds, and selects one of a second plurality of predetermined drive voltage levels in response to whether said output current is above, below or between said first plurality of current thresholds.

14. The DC/DC converter of claim 1, wherein said adaptive drive voltage current comprises a summer which receives said feedback signal and a reference voltage and generates said control signal.

15. The DC/DC converter of claim 14, wherein said feedback signal is generated by an amplifier having a gain characteristic and supplied thereby to said summer.

18. The DC/DC converter of claim 1, wherein said resistance comprises a pair of resistors connected in series with said transistor, and said fed-back voltage is obtained at a junction point between said pair of resistors.

19. The DC/DC converter of claim 18, wherein said drive voltage source comprises a series circuit of said transistor and said two resistors connected between said DC input and a common point of said DC/DC converter.

5. A DC/DC converter comprising:

a pair of semiconductor switching devices for receiving power at a DC input and delivering DC output current to an output circuit of said converter connected to said pair of semiconductor switching devices;

a pair of drivers, each for supplying a respective gate drive signal to a corresponding gate of one of said switching devices, said gate drive signals having a gate drive voltage level;

an adaptive drive voltage circuit which generates a feedback signal responsive to said DC output current, and in response thereto generates a control signal; and

a linear regulator which receives said control signal at an input thereof, and controls said drivers to supply said drive voltage level to said switching devices;

wherein said linear regulator comprises;

an amplifier which receives said control signal at a first input thereof;

a drive voltage source comprising a resistance which generates said drive voltage level according to a current through said resistance, and a transistor in series with said resistance for controlling said current;

an output of said amplifier being connected to a control terminal of said transistor; and

a voltage from said drive voltage source being fed back to a second input of said amplifier.

6. The converter of claim 5, wherein said pair of semiconductor switching devices are connected in a totem-pole arrangement and said output circuit is connected to a junction point between said pair of semiconductor switching devices.

7. The converter of claim 5, comprising setting circuitry which responds to a reduction of said output current by reducing said gate drive voltage level, thereby reducing losses in said switching devices.

8. The converter of claim 7, wherein said reduction of said gate drive voltage level results in a reduction of switching losses and gate drive losses.

9. The converter of claim 7, wherein said setting circuitry defines at least one current threshold, and selects one of at least two predetermined gate drive voltage levels, in response to whether said output current is above or below said threshold.

10. The converter of claim 7, wherein said setting circuitry defines a first plurality of current thresholds, and selects one of a second plurality of predetermined drive voltage levels in response to whether said output current is above, below or between said first plurality of current thresholds.

11. The converter of claim 7, wherein said setting circuitry selects one of at least two reference voltages corresponding to said gate drive voltage level.

12. The converter of claim 11, wherein said setting circuitry comprises a multiplexer responsive to said output current and connected to said at least two reference voltages, and delivers one of said at least two reference voltages for controlling said gate drive voltage level.

13. The converter of claim 7, wherein said setting circuitry increases said gate drive voltage level in response to an increase in said output current, thereby reducing conduction losses in said switching devices.

16. The converter of claim 5, wherein said adaptive drive voltage current comprises a summer which receives said feedback signal and a reference voltage and generates said control signal.

17. The converter of claim 16, wherein said feedback signal is generated by an amplifier having a gain characteristic and supplied thereby to said summer.

20. The DC/DC converter of claim 5, wherein said resistance comprises a pair of resistors connected in series with said transistor, and said fed-back voltage is obtained at a junction point between said pair of resistors.

21. The DC/DC converter of claim 20, wherein said drive voltage source comprises a series circuit of said transistor and said two resistors connected between said DC input and a common point of said DC/DC converter.