Device for controlling a MOS transistor

• US 8,416,548 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Doffin, Hugues
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kitov, Zeev V
• Application Number:
  US12/161,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20100270894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,303 Days
• Field of Search: 361/1, 361/91.1, 361/56, 361/42, 361/49
• US Class Current: 361/91.1
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/0822 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/6877 the control circuit comprising active elements different from those used in the output circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0036 Means reducing energy consumption

Abstract

A device for controlling a transistor, the device comprising an amplifying device (15) for controlling the transistor gate via an output control signal, the device including a first input connected to the transistor drain, the whole assembly forming a first connection, a second input connected to the transistor source, the whole assembly forming a second connection. The control device also comprises: at least one protecting device including at least one switching element (T1) which is inserted in series in the first connection of the amplifying device (15) to prevent a leakage current from passing through the first connection, and a device generating a regulating voltage to control the transistor, the generating device being configured such that there exists the same number of semiconductor junctions between the first and second connections. The invention is in particular applicable on battery charging devices.

Claims

1. A MOSFET power transistor in combination with a control device for controlling the power transistor;

the power transistor comprising a gate, a source and a drain;

the control device comprising;

an amplification device (15) comprising a negative first input (NEG), a positive second input (POS) and an output;

a first resistor (R9) and a second resistor (R18);

the amplification device controlling the gate of the power transistor through an output control signal emitted by the output of the amplification device (15);

the negative first input (NEG) connected to the drain of the power transistor through the first resistor (R9) and forming a first connection; and

the positive second input (POS) connected to the source of the power transistor by a second connection;

a feedback loop between the output of the amplification device (15) and the negative first input (NEG) thereof, the feedback loop including the second resistor (R18);

a leakage protection device provided to prevent passage of a leakage current through the power transistor and the control device, the current being able to discharge a supply source connected to the power transistor and the control device;

the leakage protection device comprising a first one-way semiconductor element (D4), a second one-way semiconductor element (D9) and a third one-way semiconductor element (D3) inserted in series in the first connection, the feedback loop and the second connection of the amplification device (15), respectively;

the direction of insertion of each of the one-way semiconductor elements (D3, D4, D9) being determined such as to prevent the passage of the leakage current;

the number of the one-way semiconductor elements (D3, D4) inserted in the first and second connections being determined such as to have the same number N of semiconductor junctions between the first and second connections.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the control device is implemented in an integrated circuit (ASIC).

3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the number of semiconductor junctions N is equal to 1.

4. A control system for managing two batteries for a motor vehicle, comprising a first combination and a second combination according to claim 1;

the first and second combinations provided to put the batteries in parallel.

5. A power bridge for a polyphase rotary electrical machine comprising at least one bridge arm including MOSFET power transistors and an associated control device (10) for each of the transistors;

the at least one bridge arm being associated with a phase of the machine;

the transistors and the control device forming the combination according to claim 1.

6. A rotary electrical machine comprising a control system for managing two batteries according to claim 4.

7. A rotary electrical machine comprising a power bridge according to claim 5.

8. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the control device (10) comprises first (I1) and second (I2) supply sources, which are designed to polarize said first (D3) and second D4) one-way semiconductor elements.

9. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the one-way semiconductor elements (D4, D9 and D3) are diodes.