Voltage controlled switching element gate drive circuit

• US 8,878,573 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2012
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2011
• 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: Sugahara, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): O NEILL, PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US13/480,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20120299624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 327/108, 327/109, 327/112, 327/170, 327/380, 327/381, 326 82- 85, 326/87
• US Class Current: 327/109
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/08 Modifications for protecting switching circuit against overcurrent or overvoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/16 Modifications for eliminating interference voltages or currents
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/161 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/164 using parallel switching arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/168 in composite switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/567 Circuits characterised by the use of more than one type of semiconductor device, e.g. BIMOS, composite devices such as IGBT
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/687 the devices being field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/6871 the output circuit comprising more than one controlled field-effect transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/6872 using complementary field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0063 High side switches, i.e. the higher potential [DC] or life wire [AC] being directly connected to the switch and not via the load
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0072 Low side switches, i.e. the lower potential [DC] or neutral wire [AC] being directly connected to the switch and not via the load
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0081 Power supply means, e.g. to the switch driver

Abstract

A voltage controlled switching element gate drive circuit makes it possible to suppress an occurrence of a malfunction, while suppressing surge voltage, surge current, and switching noise, when switching in a voltage controlled switching element. A gate drive circuit that supplies a gate voltage to the gate of a voltage controlled switching element, thus driving the voltage controlled switching element, includes a high potential side switching element and low potential side switching element connected in series, first variable resistors interposed between at least the high potential side switching element and a high potential power supply or the low potential side switching element and a low potential power supply, and a control circuit that adjusts the resistance values of the first variable resistors.

Claims

1. A voltage controlled switching element gate drive circuit that supplies a gate signal to a gate of a voltage controlled switching element to drive the voltage controlled switching element, the gate drive circuit comprising:

a high potential side switching element and low potential side switching element connected in series;

a first variable resistor interposed between at least the high potential side switching element and a high potential power supply or the low potential side switching element and a low potential power supply; and

a control circuit that adjusts a resistance value of the first variable resistor;

wherein the first variable resistor includes a constant-value resistor coupled to a variable-current source; and

wherein the first variable resistor further includes a switching element coupled to a node common to the constant-value resistor and the variable-current source.

2. The voltage controlled switching element gate drive circuit according to claim 1, wherein

the first variable resistor includes an insulated gate transistor and an output resistance of the insulated gate transistor is changeable in accordance with an input signal from the control circuit.

3. The voltage controlled switching element gate drive circuit of claim 1, wherein the variable-current source comprises a current mirror coupled to at least one switch controlled by the control circuit.

4. A voltage controlled switching element gate drive circuit that supplies a gate signal to a gate of a voltage controlled switching element to drive the voltage controlled switching element, the gate drive circuit comprising:

a high potential side switching element and low potential side switching element connected in series;

a first variable resistor interposed between at least the high potential side switching element and a high potential power supply or the low potential side switching element and a low potential power supply; and

a control circuit that adjusts a resistance value of the first variable resistor;

wherein

the first variable resistor includes an insulated gate transistor and an output resistance of the insulated gate transistor is changeable in accordance with an input signal from the control circuit; and

wherein

the first variable resistor has a configuration in which a voltage across a constant resistor, to which an output current from a variable current source is supplied, is applied between a gate and source of the insulated gate transistor, and the output current of the variable current source is adjusted with the control circuit.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a first switching element;

a second switching element coupled to the first switching element;

a first adjustable-resistance device coupled between the first switching element and a first terminal of a voltage source;

a second adjustable-resistance device coupled between the first switching element and a second terminal of the voltage source; and

a control device configured to adjust a first resistance value corresponding to the first adjustable-resistance device, and a second resistance value corresponding to the second adjustable-resistance device;

wherein at least one of the first adjustable-resistance device or the second adjustable-resistance device includes a constant-value resistance coupled to a variable- current source; and

wherein the at least one of the first adjustable-resistance device or the second adjustable-resistance device includes a switching element coupled to a common node of the constant-value resistance and the variable-current source.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the variable-current source comprises a current mirror coupled to at least one switch controlled by the control circuit.