Semiconductor module

• US 9,906,009 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2015
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuji Electric Company Limited (Fuji Electric Systems Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Electric Company Limited (Fuji Electric Systems Company Limited)
• Inventors: Sato, Tadahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Stephen W
• Application Number:
  US14/842,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20150372471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 361 18
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48096 the kinked part being in proximity to the bonding area on the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48139 with an intermediate bond, e.g. continuous wire daisy chain
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49171 Fan-out arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49575 Assemblies of semiconductor devices on lead frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/07 the devices being of a type provided for in group H01L29/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/072 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/18 the devices being of types provided for in two or more different subgroups of the same main group of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13055 Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 1/0046 Commutating the detecting means in dependance of the fault, e.g. for reducing their number
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/08 responsive to excess current responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 5/04 responsive to abnormal temperature specially adapted for electric machines H02H7/0852
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/122 for inverters, i.e. dc/ac converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/48 using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/5387 : in a bridge configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/0828 : in composite switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/18 : Modifications for indicating state of switch
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/0806 : against excessive temperature

Abstract

A semiconductor module which includes a plurality of control circuits that respectively drive a plurality of semiconductor elements on and off and a plurality of signal output circuits for the respective control circuits and which output operation status information, where the signal output circuits are respectively provided with signal output terminals having an open-drain configuration, and the signal output terminals each are connected to an internal lead frame on which the power semiconductor elements and the control circuits are mounted.

Claims

1. A semiconductor module, comprising:

a plurality of power semiconductor elements;

a plurality of control circuits that respectively drive the semiconductor elements on and off; and

a plurality of signal output circuits that output operation status information and are respectively connected to the plurality of control circuits;

a plurality of signal output terminals having an open-drain configuration and respectively connected to the plurality of signal output circuits;

an internal lead frame connected to each of the plurality of signal output terminals; and

a circuit substrate upon which the internal lead frame, the plurality of power semiconductor elements and the plurality of control circuits are mounted;

wherein semiconductor elements forming the signal output terminals have different output resistance values in the respective signal output circuits.

2. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein a potential of the signal output terminal of one of the plurality of signal output circuits is pulled up or pulled down via a resistance inside the control circuit.

3. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein a potential of the internal lead frame is pulled up or pulled down via a resistance.

4. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the operation status information is abnormality information indicating abnormal operation of the power semiconductor elements.

5. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of control circuits are each provided with a protection circuit which detects the operation status information output to the internal lead frame and halts driving of the plurality of power semiconductor elements.

6. A semiconductor module, comprising:

a plurality of power semiconductor elements;

a plurality of control circuits that respectively drive the semiconductor elements on and off; and

a plurality of signal output circuits that output operation status information and are respectively connected to the plurality of control circuits;

a plurality of signal output terminals having an open-collector configuration and respectively connected to the plurality of signal output circuits;

an internal lead frame connected to each of the plurality of signal output terminals; and

a circuit substrate upon which the internal lead frame, the plurality of power semiconductor elements and the plurality of control circuits are mounted;

wherein semiconductor elements forming the signal output terminals have different output resistance values in the respective signal output circuits.

7. The semiconductor module according to claim 6, wherein a potential of the signal output terminal of one of the plurality of signal output circuits is pulled up or pulled down via a resistance inside the control circuit.

8. The semiconductor module according to claim 6, wherein a potential of the internal lead frame is pulled up or pulled down via a resistance.

9. The semiconductor module according to claim 6, wherein the operation status information is abnormality information indicating abnormal operation of the power semiconductor elements.

10. The semiconductor module according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of control circuits are each provided with a protection circuit which detects the operation status information output to the internal lead frame and halts driving of the plurality of power semiconductor elements.

11. A semiconductor module, comprising:

a plurality of power semiconductor elements;

a plurality of control circuits that respectively drive the semiconductor elements on and off; and

a plurality of signal output circuits that output operation status information and are respectively connected to the plurality of control circuits;

a plurality of signal output terminals respectively connected to the plurality of signal output circuits; and

an internal lead frame connected to each of the plurality of signal output terminals;

wherein semiconductor elements forming the signal output terminals have different output resistance values in the respective signal output circuits.

12. The semiconductor module according to claim 11, wherein a potential of the signal output terminal of one of the plurality of signal output circuits is pulled up or pulled down via a resistance.

13. The semiconductor module according to claim 11, wherein a potential of the internal lead frame is pulled up or pulled down via a resistance.

14. The semiconductor module according to claim 11, wherein the operation status information is abnormality information indicating abnormal operation of the power semiconductor elements.

15. The semiconductor module according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of control circuits are each provided with a protection circuit which detects the operation status information output to the internal lead frame and halts driving of the plurality of power semiconductor elements.