Fast switching for power inverter
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- an inverter including a high-side switch coupled to a low-side switch, said inverter generating a time-varying drive current from a plurality of drive control signals, a high-side positive rail voltage, a high-side negative rail voltage, a low-side positive rail voltage, and a low-side negative rail voltage wherein controlling the switches to generate said time-varying drive current produces a potential transitory overshoot condition for one of said switches of said inverter;
a drive control, coupled to said inverter, to generate said drive control signals and to set a level of each of said rail voltages responsive to a plurality of controller signals; and
a controller monitoring one or more parameters indicative of said potential transitory voltage overshoot condition, said controller dynamically adjusting, responsive to said monitored parameters, said controller signals to reduce a risk of occurrence of said potential transitory voltage overshoot condition;
wherein said controller signals include a variable regulator signal and wherein said drive control includes a first driver stage coupled to a gate of said high-side switch and a high-side DC bias supply regulation mechanism providing said high-side positive rail voltage and said high-side negative rail voltage to said first drive transistor, said drive control also including a second driver stage coupled to a gate of said low-side switch and a low-side DC bias supply regulation mechanism providing said low-side positive rail voltage and said high-side negative rail voltage to said second drive transistor, wherein said regulation mechanisms each receive a positive supply voltage and a negative supply voltage wherein said regulation mechanisms provide said high-side positive rail voltage and said low-side positive rail voltage at said positive supply voltage and wherein said regulation mechanisms provide said high-side negative rail voltage and said low-side negative rail voltage at a variable negative voltage responsive to said variable regulator signal with said variable negative voltage provided in a range from about zero volts to about said negative supply voltage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus includes an inverter including a high-side switch coupled to a low-side switch, the inverter generating a time-varying drive current from a plurality of drive control signals, a positive rail voltage, and a negative rail voltage wherein controlling the switches to generate the time-varying drive current produces a potential transitory overshoot condition for one of the switches of the inverter; a drive control, coupled to the inverter, to generate the drive control signals and to set a level of each of the rail voltages responsive to a plurality of controller signals; and a controller monitoring one or more parameters indicative of the potential transitory voltage overshoot condition, the controller dynamically adjusting, responsive to the monitored parameters, the controller signals to reduce a risk of occurrence of the potential transitory voltage overshoot condition.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
- an inverter including a high-side switch coupled to a low-side switch, said inverter generating a time-varying drive current from a plurality of drive control signals, a high-side positive rail voltage, a high-side negative rail voltage, a low-side positive rail voltage, and a low-side negative rail voltage wherein controlling the switches to generate said time-varying drive current produces a potential transitory overshoot condition for one of said switches of said inverter;
a drive control, coupled to said inverter, to generate said drive control signals and to set a level of each of said rail voltages responsive to a plurality of controller signals; and
a controller monitoring one or more parameters indicative of said potential transitory voltage overshoot condition, said controller dynamically adjusting, responsive to said monitored parameters, said controller signals to reduce a risk of occurrence of said potential transitory voltage overshoot condition;
wherein said controller signals include a variable regulator signal and wherein said drive control includes a first driver stage coupled to a gate of said high-side switch and a high-side DC bias supply regulation mechanism providing said high-side positive rail voltage and said high-side negative rail voltage to said first drive transistor, said drive control also including a second driver stage coupled to a gate of said low-side switch and a low-side DC bias supply regulation mechanism providing said low-side positive rail voltage and said high-side negative rail voltage to said second drive transistor, wherein said regulation mechanisms each receive a positive supply voltage and a negative supply voltage wherein said regulation mechanisms provide said high-side positive rail voltage and said low-side positive rail voltage at said positive supply voltage and wherein said regulation mechanisms provide said high-side negative rail voltage and said low-side negative rail voltage at a variable negative voltage responsive to said variable regulator signal with said variable negative voltage provided in a range from about zero volts to about said negative supply voltage.
- an inverter including a high-side switch coupled to a low-side switch, said inverter generating a time-varying drive current from a plurality of drive control signals, a high-side positive rail voltage, a high-side negative rail voltage, a low-side positive rail voltage, and a low-side negative rail voltage wherein controlling the switches to generate said time-varying drive current produces a potential transitory overshoot condition for one of said switches of said inverter;
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2. An apparatus, comprising:
- an inverter including a high-side switch coupled to a low-side switch, said inverter generating a time-varying drive current from a plurality of drive control signals, a high-side positive rail voltage, a high-side negative rail voltage, a low-side positive rail voltage, and a low-side negative rail voltage wherein controlling the switches to generate said time-varying drive current produces a potential transitory overshoot condition for one of said switches of said inverter;
a drive control, coupled to said inverter, to generate said drive control signals and to set a level of each of said rail voltages responsive to a plurality of controller signals; and
a controller monitoring one or more parameters indicative of said potential transitory voltage overshoot condition, said controller dynamically adjusting, responsive to said monitored parameters, said controller signals to reduce a risk of occurrence of said potential transitory voltage overshoot condition;
wherein said time-varying current includes a time-varying amplitude and wherein a DC link capacitance couples said high-side positive rail voltage of said high-side switch with said low-side negative rail voltage of said low-side switch and wherein said parameters include said time-varying amplitude and a voltage across said DC link capacitance and wherein said controller signals include a first series of high-side pulse width modulation (PWM) signals and second series of low-side PWM signals for generation of said time-varying current and wherein said controller signals include a variable regulator signal to set said high-side negative rail voltage and said low-side negative rail voltage at a variable regulated voltage in a range from about zero volts to about a negative supply voltage. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- an inverter including a high-side switch coupled to a low-side switch, said inverter generating a time-varying drive current from a plurality of drive control signals, a high-side positive rail voltage, a high-side negative rail voltage, a low-side positive rail voltage, and a low-side negative rail voltage wherein controlling the switches to generate said time-varying drive current produces a potential transitory overshoot condition for one of said switches of said inverter;
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10. A method, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) calculating a maximum available voltage overshoot for an inverter producing a time-varying drive current;
b) determining a current voltage overshoot for said inverter responsive to said time-varying drive current;
c) operating said inverter in a first operational mode for minimization of switching losses when said current voltage overshoot is not greater than said maximum available voltage overshoot while increasing a risk of occurrence of a potential transitory voltage overshoot condition destructive to said inverter; and
d) operating said inverter in a second operational mode for reduction of said risk of occurrence of said potential transitory voltage overshoot condition when said current voltage overshoot is greater than said maximum available voltage overshoot while increasing switching losses;
wherein said operational modes selectively switch one or more variable voltage regulators to control a negative rail voltage of said inverter with said first operational mode providing a first voltage for said negative rail voltage providing a faster switching time than with said second operational mode providing a second voltage for said negative rail voltage. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
- a) calculating a maximum available voltage overshoot for an inverter producing a time-varying drive current;
Specification