Multiple current sensor device, a multiple current shunt device and a method for providing a sensor signal

• US 9,523,720 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Ausserlechner, Udo, Strutz, Volker
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollington, Jermele M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Lamarr
• Application Number:
  US13/832,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20140266269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 324/713, 324/522, 324691-724, 324/117.R
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/203 Resistors used for electric measuring, e.g. decade resistors standards, resistors for comparators, series resistors, shunts resistors in general H01C; microwave or radiowave terminations H01P1/26; coupling devices H01R
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/00 Arrangements for measuring currents or voltages or for indicating presence or sign thereof G01R5/00 takes precedence; for measuring bioelectric currents or voltages A61B5/24
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0092 measuring current only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4903 Connectors having different sizes, e.g. different diameters
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0009 Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter

Abstract

A multiple current sensor device or a multiple current shunt device includes at least two resistive sections comprising a first resistive section and a second resistive section, at least two connecting sections comprising a first connecting section and a second connecting section and a common connecting section. The first resistive section is electrically coupled in between the first connecting section and the common connecting section. The second resistive section is electrically coupled in between the second connecting section and the common connecting section. Using an embodiment may improve a trade-off between an efficient integration, a compact integration, a compact implementation and an accurate determination of at least one value indicative of at least one of multiple currents.

Claims

1. A discrete multiple current sensor device comprising:

an evaluation circuit; and

at least a first current rail and a second current rail, the first current rail and the second current rail comprising a common connecting section,

the first current rail further comprising a first resistive section and a first connecting section such that the first resistive section is electrically coupled in between the first connecting section and the common connecting section,

the second current rail further comprising a second resistive section and a second connecting section such that the second resistive section is electrically coupled in between the second connecting section and the common connecting section,

wherein the evaluation circuit is configured to determine at least one voltage drop across one of the at least two resistive sections and to provide a sensor signal indicative of at least one current value of a current flowing through the respective resistive section based on the at least one determined voltage drop, and

wherein the evaluation circuit is configured to determine at least two voltage drops across the at least two resistive sections comprising a first voltage drop and a second voltage drop, the discrete current sensor device further comprising at least one terminal coupled to the evaluation circuit, wherein the evaluation circuit and the at least one terminal are configured to perform at least two operations of a group of operations, wherein the group of operations comprises supplying the evaluation circuit with a reference potential, supplying the evaluation circuit with a supply signal, receiving a control signal, providing an information carrying signal indicative of or based on the first determined voltage drop, providing an information carrying signal indicative of or based on the second determined voltage drop and receiving an information carrying signal.

2. The discrete multiple current sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation circuit comprises at least one semiconductor die, which is mechanically, electrically and thermally coupled to at least one of the first current rail and the second current rail.

3. The discrete multiple current sensor device according to claim 2, comprising a plane die attach surface, onto which the die of the evaluation circuit is attached, wherein the die attach surface is at least partially formed by at least a part of a surface of the first current rail or of the second current rail.

4. The discrete multiple current sensor device according to claim 3, wherein the evaluation circuit comprises at least one temperature sensor, wherein temperature sensor is configured to provide a signal comprising information on at least one temperature value, and wherein the evaluation circuit is further configured to provide the sensor signal indicative of the at least one current value based on the information from the temperature sensor.

5. The discrete multiple current sensor device according to claim 4, wherein the evaluation circuit comprises for each of the at least two resistive sections at least one temperature sensor associated to each one of the at least two resistive sections.

6. The discrete multiple current sensor device according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the at least two resistive sections and at least one of the common connecting section and the at least one of the at least two connecting sections are fabricated from an essentially identical material, and wherein at least one of the at least two resistive sections comprises at least one of a smaller thickness perpendicular to the die attach surface and a smaller width in a plane parallel to the die attach surface than the connecting section electrically coupled to the respective resistive section.

7. The discrete multiple current sensor device according to claim 6, wherein the multiple current sensor device comprises a leadframe, and wherein the at least two resistive sections, the at least two connecting sections and the common connecting section are part of the leadframe.

8. The discrete multiple current sensor device according to claim 3, wherein the evaluation circuit is electrically coupled to the at least two resistive sections in at least one connecting area by at least one electrical connection leaving the die of the evaluation circuit, wherein the at least one connecting area is a projection area of a coupling area of the multiple current sensor device along a projection direction perpendicular to a plane comprising the first resistive section and the second resistive section, the coupling area being configured to couple the multiple current sensor device electrically to a current trace, or wherein the at least one connecting area is a projection area of the at least one resistive section and the at least one connecting section.

9. The discrete multiple current sensor device according to claim 8, wherein the evaluation circuit is electrically coupled to the at least two resistive sections in square sub-regions of the connecting areas completely comprised in the connecting areas, the square sub-regions having a width of at most 50% of a smallest characteristic length of the connecting area parallel to the die attach surface.

10. The discrete multiple current sensor device according to claim 3, wherein the die of the evaluation circuit is at least partially mounted on the die attach surface using a flip-chip mounting style.

11. The discrete multiple current sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the first current rail and the second current rail are together essentially U-shaped.

12. The discrete multiple current sensor device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least two resistive sections comprises a material with a smaller variation of the electrical resistivity with temperature than a material of at least one of the at least two connecting sections and the common connecting section.

13. The discrete multiple current sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation circuit comprises at least one electrostatic discharge protective circuit configured to protect the evaluation circuit from a damage due to an electrostatic discharge.

14. The discrete multiple current sensor device according to claim 13, wherein the electrostatic discharge protective circuit comprises at least one of at least one electrostatic discharge protective diode and an electrically conductive connection of a terminal of the multiple current sensor device and at least one of the at least two resistive sections, the at least two connecting sections and the common connecting section.

15. A multiple current shunt device comprising:

at least two resistive sections comprising a first resistive section and a second resistive section;

at least two connecting sections comprising a first connecting section and a second connecting section; and

a common connecting section,

wherein the first resistive section is electrically coupled in between the first connecting section and the common connecting section;

wherein the second resistive section is electrically coupled in between the second connecting section and the common connecting section; and

wherein at least one of the at least two resistive sections comprises a material with a smaller variation of the electrical resistivity with temperature than a material of at least one of the at least two connecting sections and the common connecting section,

wherein a die comprising an evaluation circuit is arranged on a plane die attach surface, wherein at least one of the at least two resistive sections, the at least two connecting sections and the common connecting section form the plane die attach surface.

16. The multiple current shunt device according to claim 15, wherein the common connecting section and the at least two connecting sections are configured to be directly mountable onto a printed circuit board.

17. The multiple current shunt device according to claim 15, wherein the materials of the at least two resistive sections are essentially identical and wherein the materials of the at least two connecting sections are essentially identical.

18. The multiple current shunt device according to claim 15, wherein the multiple current shunt device is designed such that a reference plane exists, which intersects all of the at least two resistive sections, and wherein the electrical contacts between all of the at least two connecting sections and the respective resistive sections are completely arranged in one half space on one side of the reference plane and wherein the electrical contacts between the common connecting section and all of the at least two resistive sections are completely arranged in the other half space on the other side of the reference plane.

19. The multiple current shunt device according to claim 15, wherein the die comprising the evaluating circuit is electrically connected to the at least two connecting sections and the common connecting section by bond wires.

20. A double current sensor device comprising:

an evaluation circuit; and

a first current rail and a second current rail, the first current rail and the second current rail comprising a common connecting section,

the first current rail further comprising a first resistive section and a first connecting section such that the first resistive section is electrically coupled in between the first connecting section and the common connecting section,

the second current rail further comprising a second resistive section and a second connecting section such that the second resistive section is electrically coupled in between the second connecting section and the common connecting section,

wherein the evaluation circuit is configured to determine at least one voltage drop across one of the at least two resistive sections and to provide a sensor signal indicative of at least one current value of a current flowing through the respective resistive section based on the at least one determined voltage drop;

wherein a die of the evaluation circuit is at least partially mounted on a die attach surface using a flip-chip mounting style;

wherein the die attach surface is at least partially formed by at least a part of a surface of the first current rail or of the second current rail, and

wherein the evaluation circuit is configured to determine at least two voltage drops across the at least two resistive sections comprising a first voltage drop and a second voltage drop, the double current sensor device further comprising at least one terminal coupled to the evaluation circuit, wherein the evaluation circuit and the at least one terminal are configured to perform at least two operations of a group of operations, wherein the group of operations comprises supplying the evaluation circuit with a reference potential, supplying the evaluation circuit with a supply signal, receiving a control signal, providing an information carrying signal indicative of or based on the first determined voltage drop, providing an information carrying signal indicative of or based on the second determined voltage drop and receiving an information carrying signal.

21. A method for providing a sensor signal, comprising:

providing a discrete sensor device, comprising;

an evaluation circuit; and

at least a first current rail and a second current rail, the first current rail and the second current rail comprising a common connecting section,

the first current rail further comprising a first resistive section and a first connecting section such that the first resistive section is electrically coupled in between the first connecting section and the common connecting section,

the second current rail further comprising a second resistive section and a second connecting section such that the second resistive section is electrically coupled in between the second connecting section and the common connecting section,

providing a first current comprising a magnitude the first connecting section of the discrete sensor device;

providing a second current comprising a magnitude to the second connecting section of the discrete sensor device;

providing a sensor signal comprising information concerning the magnitudes of the first current and of the second current using the evaluation circuit,

wherein the evaluation circuit is configured to determine at least two voltage drops across the at least two resistive sections comprising a first voltage drop and a second voltage drop, the discrete current sensor device further comprising at least one terminal coupled to the evaluation circuit, wherein the evaluation circuit and the at least one terminal are configured to perform at least two operations of a group of operations, wherein the group of operations comprises supplying the evaluation circuit with a reference potential, supplying the evaluation circuit with a supply signal, receiving a control signal, providing an information carrying signal indicative of or based on the first determined voltage drop, providing an information carrying signal indicative of or based on the second determined voltage drop and receiving an information carrying signal.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first current and the second current are simultaneously provided to the discrete multiple current sensor device.