Infineon Technologies Ag

Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur

Frank Auer

Benno Koeppl

Michael Lenz

Andreas Kiep

Christoph Seidl

Timo Dittfeld

Dusan Graovac

Robert Hartmann

Michael Scheffer

Rainald Sander

Dirk Ahlers

Juergen Schaefer

Patrick Leteinturier

Herbert Gietler

Josef-Matthias Gantioler

Christian Schweikert

Chihao Xu

Wolfgang Horchler

Harald Panhofer

Gerhard Pichler

Thomas Klug

Karl-Dieter Hein

Ludovic Doffe

Guenther Mohr

Cédric Agneray

Pierre Lefaix

A rectifying device includes a power transistor, a gate control circuit and a capacitor structure arranged on a single semiconductor die. The power transistor includes a source or emitter terminal connected to a first terminal of the rectifying device, a drain or collector terminal connected to a second terminal of the rectifying device, and a gate. The gate control circuit is operable to control a gate voltage at the gate of the power transistor based on at least one parameter relating to at least one of a voltage and a current between the first terminal and the second terminal.

Rectifying devices and rectifier arrangements

According to an embodiment, a controller system that is configured to drive a power switch includes a driver integrated circuit (IC), which includes an interface circuit, a synchronization circuit, and a drive circuit. The interface circuit is configured to receive a control scheme over a serial interface. The synchronization circuit is coupled to the interface circuit and is configured to receive an angular position signal and synchronize a drive signal with the angular position signal, where the drive signal is based on the control scheme. The drive circuit is coupled to the synchronization circuit and is configured to drive the power switch using the drive signal.

System and method for a synchronized driver circuit

According to various embodiments, a circuit arrangement is provided which includes a bridge circuit having at least two field effect transistors and a measurement circuit configured to measure a forward voltage of a body diode of any one of the at least two field effect transistors resulting from a current flowing through the field effect transistor.

Circuit arrangement

An excitation current-limited power generator includes a digital interface configured to be coupled to an engine control unit (ECU), a regulator coupled configured to be coupled to an excitation current input of an alternator, the excitation current controlling current generated by the alternator, a frequency sensor configured to measuring rotation speed of the alternator, and memory storing a communicated limit received by the digital interface and a first permanent limit, the regulator configured to limit the excitation current to the lesser of the first permanent limit and the communicated limit.

Excitation current-limited power generator

An alternator is described that is configured to provide a current for powering one or more loads. The alternator includes an output port configured to output the current for powering the one or more loads, and one or more current sensors configured to measure a current level of at least a portion of the current being output via the output port to the one or more loads. The alternator further includes one or more communication ports configured to transmit information based on the current level measured by the one or more current sensors.

Alternator with current measurement

According to various embodiments, a circuit arrangement is provided which includes a bridge circuit having at least two field effect transistors and a measurement circuit configured to measure a forward voltage of a body diode of any one of the at least two field effect transistors resulting from a predefined current flowing through the field effect transistor.

A circuit includes a first half bridge including a first controllable semiconductor switch and a first diode. The first controllable semiconductor switch is coupled between a first constant supply potential and a center tap of the first half bridge. The first diode is coupled between the center tap and a constant reference potential. A second half bridge includes a second diode and a second controllable semiconductor switch. The second diode is coupled between a second constant potential higher than the first potential and a center tap of the second half bridge. The second controllable semiconductor switch is coupled between the center tap and the constant reference potential. Driver circuitry controls the conducting state of the first and the second semiconductor switch thus controlling the current flow through a field connectable between the center taps.

Circuit and method for de-energizing a field coil

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to an electronic control unit for an airbag, said control unit having a data recorder unit that has a volatile memory, a nonvolatile memory and a copy circuit. The copy circuit is designed to copy data from the volatile memory to the nonvolatile memory during a second operating phase of the control unit. A protocol unit designed to record vehicle and/or accident data in the volatile memory is arranged in the data recorder unit during a first operating phase of the control unit. A first power supply unit is connected to the control unit and supplies the protocol unit and further components of the control unit with power and a second power supply unit is connected to the data recorder unit and supplies the latter with power.

Electronic airbag control unit having an autonomous event data recorder

A method for controlling an output voltage of generator arrangement includes generating a controlled field current for a field winding dependent on the output voltage and dependent on at least one control parameter that depends on a rotational speed of the generator. The method also includes decreasing a rate of change of the controlled field current with respect to an output voltage change if the rotational speed decrease.

Control parameter adaptation dependent on rotational speed

The invention relates to a control circuit and a corresponding method for controlling MOSFETs coupled to the control circuit. The MOSFETs are coupled to a load to couple the load to a power supply, or the MOSFETs are coupled to a generator. In case of inverted polarity, the control circuit switches the MOSFETs to their conducting state to prevent damaging the MOSFETs.

Reverse polarity protection for MOSFETs

An apparatus for driving a load that may include, for instance, a semiconductor chip, comprising a first switch, and a fracture sensor. The apparatus may further include, for instance, a circuit disposed outside the semiconductor chip and comprising a second switch coupled in series with the first switch, and configured such that an on/off state of the second switch is set in accordance with a state of the fracture sensor.

Apparatus for driving a load

A generator control circuit is disclosed. One embodiment provides a first active switching circuit configured to connect a first terminal of an excitation coil either to a first or to a second terminal of a voltage source, a second active switching circuit configured to connect a second terminal of the excitation coil either to the first or to the second terminal of the voltage source, and a generator controller to set the duty cycle of the active switching circuit to rapidly control the current through the excitation coil to an excitation coil current setpoint.

Generator control circuit

The circuit configuration has a semiconductor switch and a driver circuit that drives the switch. A switching signal is applied at an input terminal of the driver circuit and an output terminal that is connected to a control input of the semiconductor switch outputs a drive signal. The drive signal depends on the switching signal and its gradient during a change from a first drive level to a second drive level is temperature-dependent.

Circuit configuration for driving a semiconductor switch

In order to supply a load, e.g. an electric motor, with current bidirectionally, an H bridge configuration containing four switching transistors is used. In order to attain outstanding electrical conductivity and also thermal conductivity, a half-bridge configuration containing two transistors of opposite conductivity types is constructed. Each of the transistors is realized on a chip, the rear sides of which chips are seated on a common conductive support preferably produced from metal. Each housing is equipped with a support of this type. The rear side of each of the two chips is formed from a drain or source electrode of the transistors. A load can be connected to the support. Two half-bridge configurations can advantageously be combined to form an H bridge configuration.

Growing community of inventors

Roehrmoos, Germany

Frank Auer