Gate drive control system for SiC and IGBT power devices
First Claim
1. A gate-drive controller for a power semiconductor device comprising:
- a comparator having a reference input terminal, a signal input terminal, coupled to receive an output signal of the power semiconductor device, and an output terminal, the comparator providing a Boolean output signal that is in a first state when a value of a signal applied to the signal input terminal is less than a reference value applied to the reference input terminal and in a second state when the value of the signal applied to the signal input terminal is greater than or equal to the reference value applied to the reference input terminal;
a master control unit (MCU) having a first input terminal configured to receive a turn-off trigger signal, a second input terminal configured to receive the Boolean signal provided by the comparator, a third input terminal configured to receive a de-saturation (DSAT) signal, a first output terminal configured to provide a drive signal for the power semiconductor device and a second output terminal configured to provide the reference value to the reference input terminal of the comparator;
wherein the MCU includes program instructions that cause the MCU to;
generate a first intermediate drive signal for the power semiconductor device when the trigger signal indicates that the power semiconductor device is to be turned off;
generate a second intermediate drive signal, different from the first drive signal, when the DSAT signal indicates that the power semiconductor device is experiencing de-saturation; and
to generate a final drive signal for the power semiconductor when the Boolean signal indicates that the output signal from the power semiconductor device has changed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A gate-drive controller for a power semiconductor device includes a master control unit (MCU) and a comparator that compares output signal of the power semiconductor device to a reference value generated by the MCU. The MCU, in response to a turn-off trigger signal, generate a first intermediate drive signal for the power semiconductor device and generates a second intermediate drive signal, different from the first drive signal, when a DSAT signal indicates that the power semiconductor device is experiencing de-saturation. The MCU generates a final drive signal for the power semiconductor when the output signal of the comparator indicates that the output signal of the power semiconductor device has changed relative to the reference value.
26 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A gate-drive controller for a power semiconductor device comprising:
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a comparator having a reference input terminal, a signal input terminal, coupled to receive an output signal of the power semiconductor device, and an output terminal, the comparator providing a Boolean output signal that is in a first state when a value of a signal applied to the signal input terminal is less than a reference value applied to the reference input terminal and in a second state when the value of the signal applied to the signal input terminal is greater than or equal to the reference value applied to the reference input terminal; a master control unit (MCU) having a first input terminal configured to receive a turn-off trigger signal, a second input terminal configured to receive the Boolean signal provided by the comparator, a third input terminal configured to receive a de-saturation (DSAT) signal, a first output terminal configured to provide a drive signal for the power semiconductor device and a second output terminal configured to provide the reference value to the reference input terminal of the comparator; wherein the MCU includes program instructions that cause the MCU to; generate a first intermediate drive signal for the power semiconductor device when the trigger signal indicates that the power semiconductor device is to be turned off; generate a second intermediate drive signal, different from the first drive signal, when the DSAT signal indicates that the power semiconductor device is experiencing de-saturation; and to generate a final drive signal for the power semiconductor when the Boolean signal indicates that the output signal from the power semiconductor device has changed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A gate-drive controller for a power semiconductor device comprising:
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a comparator having a reference input terminal, a signal input terminal, coupled to receive an output signal of the power semiconductor device, and an output terminal, the comparator providing a Boolean output signal that is in a first state when a value of a signal applied to the signal input terminal is less than a reference value applied to the reference input terminal and in a second state when the value of the signal applied to the signal input terminal is greater than or equal to the reference value applied to the reference input terminal; a master control unit (MCU) having a first input terminal configured to receive a trigger pulse having a rising edge and a falling edge, a second input terminal configured to receive the Boolean signal provided by the comparator, a first output terminal configured to provide a drive signal for the power semiconductor device and a second output terminal configured to provide the reference value to the comparator; wherein the MCU includes program instructions that cause the MCU to; in response to detecting the rising edge of the trigger pulse, generate a first reference value and a first drive signal for the power semiconductor device, the first drive signal tending to turn the power semiconductor device partially on; generate a second drive signal for the power semiconductor device when the Boolean signal changes between the first state and the second state, wherein the second drive signal tends to turn the power semiconductor device completely on; in response to the falling edge of the trigger pulse, generate a second reference value and a third drive signal for the power semiconductor device, the third drive signal tending to turn the power semiconductor device partially off; generate a fourth drive signal for the power semiconductor device when the Boolean signal changes between the second state and the first state, the fourth drive signal tending to turn the power semiconductor device completely off. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification