Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Stmicroelectronics International N.v.

Antonino Torres

Giovanni Luca Torrisi

Sergio Tommaso Spampinato

Davide Giuseppe Patti

Leonardo Fragapane

Romeo Letor

Donato Tagliavia

Nicola A Liporace

An integrated circuit device includes: a Buck converter; and a control circuit for the Buck converter, which includes: a comparator configured to compare a feedback voltage of the Buck converter with a reference voltage that increases from a first voltage to a second voltage; a pulse-width modulator configured to generate a pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal having a timing-varying pulse width proportional to the reference voltage; an AND gate configured to generate a first control signal by performing a logic AND operation on an output of the comparator and the PWM signal; a pulse generator configured to generate a second control signal by generating a pulse in response to a rising edge in the output of the comparator; and a selection circuit configured to, based on an output voltage of the Buck converter, select the first control signal or the second control signal as a control signal for the Buck converter.

Soft start for Buck converter

An electrical protection device including an input line, an output terminal, and a power transistor coupled between the input line and the output terminal A sensing transistor is connected between the input line and the output terminal and has a body terminal. A control stage is coupled to respective control terminals of the power transistor and of the sensing transistor and is configured to limit a first current of the power transistor to a protection value. A body-driving stage is coupled to the body terminal and is configured to bias the body terminal of the sensing transistor as a function of an operating condition of the power transistor.

Electrical protection device and method of protecting an electronic device

A control circuit for an inductive load driver includes a control block activated by a trigger signal and an output coupled to the control terminal of a power element. The control circuit includes an auxiliary current generator capable of delivering a current that is added to the current provided by control block and the sum of these currents is provided to the control terminal of the power element. The auxiliary current generator enables the inductive load driver to operate normally even though the trigger voltage is less than an optimal voltage value.

Control circuit for an inductive load driver

A device integrated in a semiconductor substrate of a first type of conductivity being crowned by a semiconductor layer of a second type of conductivity comprising a voltage controlled resistive structure and an IGBT device, wherein the resistive structure comprises at least one substantially annular region of the first type of conductivity which surrounds a portion of the semiconductor layer.

Monolithically integrated resistive structure with power IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor) devices

A control circuit is connected to a plurality of driving stages. Each driving stage includes a high-voltage terminal for driving an inductive load. The control circuit is provided with a corresponding plurality of control stages. These control stages are integrated in a single semiconductor body and connected each to the high-voltage terminal of a respective driving stage.

Multichannel electronic ignition device with high-voltage controller

An integrated circuit including a vertical power component having a terminal formed by a chip substrate of a first conductivity type, a control circuit thereof, the control circuit isolated from the substrate by an isolation region of a second conductivity type, and a protection structure against polarity inversion of a substrate potential. The protection structure includes a first bipolar transistor with an emitter connected to said isolation region and a collector connected to a reference potential input of the integrated circuit, a bias circuit for biasing the first bipolar transistor in a reverse saturated mode when the substrate potential is higher than the reference potential, and a second bipolar transistor with an emitter connected to the substrate and a base coupled to the isolation region for coupling the isolation region to the substrate through a high-impedance when the substrate potential is lower than the reference potential.

Integrated circuit including protection against polarity inversion of the substrate potential

A thermal control circuit for an integrated power transistor includes a current generator controlled by a turn on signal, a sensing resistance in series with the power transistor, and a current limiter acting when the voltage drop on the sensing resistance overcomes a certain value. The circuit also includes a current amplifier coupled to the output node of the controlled current generator for outputting a drive current that is injected onto a control node of the power transistor. A soft thermal shut down circuit is provided having a conduction state which is enhanced as the temperature increases for reducing the drive current. The circuit controls the voltage on the power transistor in a more effective manner because the current amplifier has a variable gain controlled by the state of conduction of the soft thermal shut down circuit.

Integrated circuit and method of soft thermal shut down for power devices

An integrated power device having a power transistor made up of a first diode and a second diode that are connected together in series between a collector region and emitter-contact region of the power transistor to define a common intermediate node, a control circuit including a high-voltage region bonded on the emitter-contact region ( ) by means of an adhesive layer, and biasing circuit connected between the common intermediate node and the high-voltage region. The biasing circuit including a contact pad electrically connected to the common intermediate node, an electrical connection region that is in electrical contact with the high-voltage region ( ), and a wire having a first end soldered on the contact pad and a second end soldered on said electrical connection region.

Integrated power device with improved efficiency and reduced overall dimensions

A driver circuit drives a power element connected to an inductive load. The driver circuit includes an output terminal, and a first current generator is connected between a voltage reference and the output terminal for providing a first charge current to a control terminal of the power element, which is connected to the output terminal. The driver circuit also includes a second current generator connected in parallel with the first current generator. The second current generator is connected between the voltage reference and the output terminal, and provides the control terminal with a second charge current dependent on a voltage present at the input terminal. The input terminal is connected to a conduction terminal of the power element.

Driver circuit for soft turning on a power element connected to an inductive load

An electronic component, such as an IGBT, that presents a control terminal for receiving a stepwise control signal and at least one other terminal adapted for reaching a given voltage level by effect of the application of the step signal, with the possibility of overshoot occurring; and a damping resistive element interposed between the control terminal and the at least one other terminal. The damping resistive element shows a current saturated behavior correlated to voltage increase applied at the terminals towards the given voltage level, thus eliminating the risk of occurrence of overshoot in the voltage of the IGBT collector, and preventing the undesired re-ignition of the IGBT when it is in a cut-off condition, by inducing an overvoltage on the collector terminal.

System and process for controlling the step response of electric components

A driver circuit drives a power element connected to an inductive load. The driver circuit includes an input terminal coupled to a control terminal of the power element through a trigger block, and a voltage regulator block having a circuit node coupled to a first supply voltage reference, as well as to a second supply voltage reference through a capacitor. A voltage comparator stage includes an operational amplifier having an inverting input connected to the circuit node and a non-inverting input is connected directly to a terminal of the power element, such as to the emitter terminal thereof. The operational amplifier also includes an output connected to the control terminal of the power element.

Driver circuit for a power element connected to an inductive load

The electronic ignition device includes an ignition coil with a primary winding terminal and a secondary winding terminal generating a spark, a power element arranged between the primary winding terminal and ground, a protection circuit issuing a disable signal to the control terminal of the power element in preset conditions, and a voltage limiting circuit having inputs connected to the primary winding terminal and to the battery voltage, and an output connected to the control terminal of the power element. The voltage limiting circuit detects a potential difference between its own inputs and supplies to the control terminal an activation signal for the power element, in presence of the deactivation signal and when the potential difference exceeds the supply voltage by a preset value. Thereby, the voltage limiting circuit limits the voltage on the primary winding terminal to a preset value which depends upon the value of the battery voltage.

Electronic ignition device for an engine

A flyback DC--DC converter employs a flyback transformer for storing and transferring energy to a load having an auxiliary winding whose voltage is compared by a comparator with a threshold to detect its crossing. As a consequence, a power transistor driving the primary winding of the transformer is switched on through a control flip-flop, for a new phase of conduction and accumulation of energy, whose duration is established by a secondary control loop of the output voltage producing the switching off of the power transistor for a successive energy transfer phase toward the load of the energy stored in the transformer during the preceding conduction phase. The converter has a wholly integrated control circuit that includes a second comparator of the voltage existing on the current terminal of the power transistor connected to the primary winding of the transformer with respect to the ground potential of the circuit. Furthermore, a delay network is coupled in cascade to the output of a first comparator and has an output coupled to a second input of a logic gate, so that under steady state functioning conditions of the converter, the setting of the flip-flop is done by the second comparator rather than by the first comparator.

Growing community of inventors

Palermo, Italy

Antonino Torres