Integrated hall-controlled switch devices

• US 9,496,867 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2016
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Maerz, Sebastian, Le Gall, Jean-Marie
• Primary Examiner(s): Parker, Kenneth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fan, Bo
• Application Number:
  US15/041,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20160173088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 278 Days
• Field of Search: 324/244, 324/247, 324/251, 341/110, 257/423
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9517 using galvanomagnetic devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source

Abstract

Embodiments relate to Hall-controlled switch devices. In an embodiment, a Hall switch and a load switch are integrated in a single integrated circuit device. Embodiments can provide load switching and optional simultaneous logic signaling, for example to update a microcontroller or electronic control unit (ECU), while reducing space and complexity and thereby cost.

Claims

1. A Hall-controlled device comprising:

an integrated circuit package;

Hall switch circuitry disposed in the integrated circuit package;

load switch circuitry coupled to the Hall switch circuitry and disposed in the integrated circuit package; and

a leadframe disposed in the integrated circuit package, wherein the Hall switch circuitry is arranged on a first, top side of the leadframe configured to face a magnetic field source and the load switch circuitry is arranged on a second, bottom side of the leadframe configured to face a circuit board or other mounting surface to which the leadframe is configured to attach opposing the first side.

2. The Hall-controlled device of claim 1, further comprising a pull-up resistor coupled to the Hall switch circuitry and the load switch circuitry.

3. The Hall-controlled device of claim 2, wherein the pull-up resistor is disposed in the package.

4. The Hall-controlled device of claim 1, wherein the load switch circuitry comprises one of a transistor, an active power switch, an nMOS device, a pMOS device, a linear current source, or a switched current source.

5. The Hall-controlled device of claim 1, wherein the Hall switch circuitry comprises a Hall probe.

6. The Hall-controlled device of claim 1, wherein the load switch circuitry is configured to switch a load in a range of about 100 milliamps (mA) to about 50 A.

7. The Hall-controlled device of claim 6, wherein the load switch circuitry is configured to switch a load in a range of about 100 mA to about 20 A.

8. The Hall-controlled device of claim 6, wherein the load comprises a light or an LED.

9. The Hall-controlled device of claim 1, wherein the Hall switch circuitry is configured to send a logic signal to a microcontroller.

10. The Hall-controlled device of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional load switch circuitry coupled to the Hall switch circuitry and disposed in the package.

11. The Hall-controlled device of claim 1, further comprising at least one of integrated load protection circuitry or integrated load diagnostics disposed in the package.

12. A method comprising:

sensing a magnetic field by a Hall-effect sensor arranged on a first, top side of a leadframe disposed in a package, wherein the first, top side of the leadframe is configured to face a magnetic field source;

sending a signal related to the magnetic field by the Hall-effect sensor to a load switch arranged on a second, bottom side of the leadframe disposed in the package, wherein the second, bottom side of the leadframe is configured to face a circuit board or other mounting surface to which the leadframe is configured to attach opposing the first side; and

selectively switching a load by the load switch according to the signal from the Hall-effect sensor using the load switch.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein sending a signal further comprises sending a signal related to the magnetic field by the sensor to a microcontroller.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising integrating a pull-up resistor in the package.

15. An integrated circuit comprising:

Hall-effect switching circuitry comprising a Hall-effect element;

load switching circuitry coupled to the Hall-effect switching circuitry;

an integrated circuit package housing the Hall-effect switching circuitry and the load switching circuitry; and

a leadframe disposed in the integrated circuit package, wherein the Hall-effect switching circuitry is arranged on a first, top side of the leadframe configured to face a magnetic field source and the load switching circuitry is arranged on a second, bottom side of the leadframe configured to face a circuit board or other mounting surface to which the leadframe is configured to attach opposing the first side.

16. The integrated circuit of claim 15, further comprising a pull-up resistor housed in the package.

17. The integrated circuit of claim 15, wherein the Hall-effect switching circuitry is configured to send a logic signal and a load-control signal in parallel.

18. A Hall-controlled device comprising:

an integrated circuit package;

Hall switch circuitry arranged in the integrated circuit package;

load switch circuitry arranged in the integrated circuit package and coupled to the Hall switch circuitry;

a back bias magnetic material coupled to the integrated circuit package; and

a leadframe disposed in the integrated circuit package, wherein the Hall switch circuitry is arranged on a first, top side of the leadframe configured to face a magnetic field source and the load switch circuitry is arranged on a second, bottom side of the leadframe configured to face a circuit board or other mounting surface to which the leadframe is configured to attach opposing the first side.

19. The Hall-controlled device of claim 18, wherein the back bias magnetic material is coupled to the integrated circuit package within the integrated circuit package.