Nxp Usa, Inc.

Freescale Semiconductor,inc.

Ibrahim S Kandah

Fred T Brauchler

Kim Roger Gauen

David D Putti

Jerry Rudiak

Randall C Gray

Steven R Everson

John M Pigott

Thierry Sicard

William Ernest Edwards

Thierry Michel Alain Sicard

Vasily Alekseyevich Syngaevskiy

Thomas Jeffrey Reiter

Shiraz Contractor

Alan Michael Rooke

Philipe J Perruchoud

Neil Krohn

Nicolas A Jarrige

Philippe Jean Pierre Perruchoud

A controller for a power converter device, wherein the controller is configured to provide for switching of a switching component of the power converter device based on a feature in a control signal, sample at least one parameter of the power converter device upon expiry of a predetermined time period after switching of the switching component; and output the sample of the at least one parameter.

Controller

A power module may include multiple transistors each respectively having a first current-carrying terminal coupled to a voltage supply, a second current-carrying terminal coupled to an output node, and a control terminal, multiple output driver stages each coupled to the control terminal of a respectively different transistor of the transistors, and a driver module. The driver module may include multiple pre-drivers each coupled to a respectively different output driver stage of the output driver stages and a control module having an input and having multiple outputs coupled to the pre-drivers. The control module may be configured to receive a control signal at the input and to selectively control the pre-drivers to drive at least a subset of the plurality of transistors via the output driver stages based on the control signal.

Power module with segmented output driver

A method for in situ threshold voltage determination of a semiconductor device includes sourcing a current to a first terminal of the semiconductor device. A gate terminal of the semiconductor device is driven with a plurality of gate levels. Each gate level includes one of a plurality of different gate voltages. A transistor voltage is measured between the first terminal and a second terminal of the semiconductor device during each gate level. The respective gate voltage is stored in response to the semiconductor device voltage transitioning past a voltage limit. A temperature dependent threshold voltage of the semiconductor device is estimated for a first measured temperature measured during the storing of the stored gate voltage from a previously stored gate voltage and a second measure temperature.

In situ threshold voltage determination of a semiconductor device

A control system () and method () are provided where a first voltage domain circuit () and a power switch () operate in a first voltage domain and where a second voltage domain circuit () operates in a second voltage domain, where the second voltage domain circuit includes a gate driver circuit () for providing a control terminal driving signal (PWM) to drive the power switch, and also includes a watchdog communication circuit () for scheduling watchdog communications between the first and second voltage domain circuits to be temporally separated from noise-inducing signal transitions in the control terminal driving signal.

Transmitting watchdog and precision measurements across a galvanic isolation barrier in the presence of large periodic noise pulses

A transistor circuit includes a transistor having a control electrode, a first current electrode, and a second current electrode. A turn off mode change circuit has a signal input that receives a series of pulses, an output coupled to the control electrode of the transistor, and a control input. The turn off mode change circuit has a fast turn off mode and a slow turn off mode. A turn off mode detection circuit is coupled between the first current electrode and the second current electrode. The turn off mode change circuit detects when a transition from the fast turn off mode to the slow turn off mode is desired and when a transition from the slow turn off mode to the fast transition mode may be performed.

High power driver having multiple turn off modes

In one embodiment, a control system includes a first voltage domain circuit. The first voltage domain circuit includes circuitry for operating in a first voltage domain. The control system includes a second voltage domain circuit. The second voltage domain circuit includes circuitry for operating in a second voltage domain. The second voltage domain circuit includes a driver circuit. The driver circuit for providing a control terminal driving signal to make conductive a power switch. The second voltage domain circuit includes a replication circuit, the replication circuit having an output to provide a replicated signal of the control terminal driving signal. The control system includes a galvanic isolation barrier signal path between the first voltage domain circuit and the second voltage domain circuit. The replicated signal is provided by the second voltage domain circuit to the first voltage domain circuit via the galvanic isolation barrier signal path.

Replication of a drive signal across a galvanic isolation barrier

Operation of an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is monitored by an apparatus that has a capacitor connected between a collector of the IGBT and an input node. A processing circuit, coupled to the input node, responds to current flowing through the capacitor by providing an indication whether a voltage level at the collector is changing and the rate of that change. The processing circuit also employs the capacitor current to provide an output voltage that indicates the voltage at the IGBT collector.

Apparatus and method for monitoring operation of an insulated gate bipolar transistor

Systems and methods relating to voltage monitoring across isolation barriers are disclosed herein. In one example embodiment, an isolation system includes a low voltage circuit portion including a first control logic portion, and a high voltage circuit portion including a second control logic portion and an analog-to-digital converter portion. The system further includes a first transistor device having a first terminal coupled at least indirectly to a first connection having a first voltage level and a second terminal coupled at least indirectly to a second connection having a second voltage level. The first control logic portion governs provision of an output signal generated based at least indirectly upon the second voltage level. Due to a galvanic barrier, the output signal can be provided for receipt by another device in a manner that avoids exposure of that device to an undesirably high current or power level.

System and method for monitoring voltage across isolation barrier

A segmented driver including at least one drive pin and a sense pin, a driver circuit, a comparator, and a controller. The driver circuit activates a selected drive level between the drive pins and a reference node. The comparator compares a voltage of the sense pin with a threshold voltage and provides a threshold indication when the voltage of the sense pin reaches the threshold voltage. The controller commands the driver circuit to activate a first drive level in response to an off indication, and commands the driver circuit to switch to a second, lower drive level in response to the threshold indication. The driver circuit may be implemented using low resistive current devices. Multiple drive pins may be included, each for selectively activating a corresponding drive path to adjust drive level. The threshold voltage may be set using a current source and resistor, and may be adjusted for temperature.

Segmented driver for a transistor device

An IC driver includes a resistor detector to detect whether at least a threshold resistance is present between a pin of the IC driver and the gate of an IGBT. The resistor detector can include a comparator that compares a voltage at the collector of the IGBT to a threshold reference voltage (e.g., ground). In response to drive signals of the IC driver being switched off, a parasitic inductance causes a voltage drop at the emitter of the IGBT, and a commensurate voltage drop at the IGBT collector. If the resistance between the IC driver pin and the IGBT gate is lower than a specified level, the voltage drop at the IGBT collector will be such that the collector voltage falls below the threshold reference voltage. In response, the comparator asserts a signal indicating a fault.

Resistance detection for integrated circuit driver based on parasitic inductance

A circuit is configured for providing reverse battery protection. The circuit includes a load driver circuit having at least a first half-bridge circuit with topside and bottomside transistors coupled at a midpoint node by a first current terminal of both the topside and bottomside transistors. A second current terminal of the bottomside transistor is coupled to a voltage common node. The circuit also includes: a reverse battery protection transistor having a first current terminal coupled to a battery supply node and a second current terminal coupled to a second current terminal of the topside transistor; a bootstrap capacitor having a first terminal coupled to a the midpoint node between the topside and bottomside transistors of the first half-bridge circuit; and a diode having an anode coupled to a second terminal of the bootstrap capacitor and a cathode coupled to a control terminal of the reverse battery protection transistor.

Methods and circuits for reverse battery protection

A circuit performs a method for controlling turn-off of a semiconductor switching element. The method includes determining at least one operating parameter for the semiconductor switching element during an operating cycle and determining a gate discharge current based on the at least one operating parameter. The method further includes supplying the gate discharge current to a gate of the semiconductor switching element during a subsequent operating cycle to turn off the semiconductor switching element.

Method and circuit for controlling turnoff of a semiconductor switching element

Apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for protecting a switching device using a gate driver device. An exemplary gate driver system includes an interface for coupling to a switching device, a desaturation detection arrangement coupled to the interface to detect a desaturation condition based on an electrical characteristic at the interface, and a deactivation arrangement coupled to the interface to deactivate the switching device in a manner that is influenced by the electrical characteristic at the interface. In one embodiment, the switching device is deactivated by providing a deactivation current to a control terminal of the switching device and adjusting the deactivation current based on an electrical characteristic at the interface.

Gate driver with desaturation detection and active clamping

An embodiment of an electronic device includes a logic circuit, a switching element, and a quiescent current (IDDQ) evaluation circuit. The logic circuit is coupled to a first ground node. The switching element is coupled between the first ground node and a second ground node. The switching element is configurable in an electrically non-conductive state when the electronic device is in an IDDQ evaluation state, and in an electrically conductive state when the electronic device is not in the IDDQ evaluation state. When the electronic device is in the IDDQ evaluation state, the IDDQ evaluation circuit is configured to provide a first output signal when an IDDQ indicating voltage across the first and second ground nodes exceeds a reference voltage. Other embodiments include methods for producing an indication of IDDQ in an electronic device and methods for fabricating an electronic device with the capability of producing an IDDQ indication.

Quiescent current (IDDQ) indication and testing apparatus and methods

An electronic device can be used with a system, such as an ignition system, that operates a relatively high voltage. The device can include a signal clamping control module that can include a signal reference module and a feedback control module. The signal reference module is operable to provide a reference signal to the feedback control module. The feedback control can be configured to receive a scaled signal from a signal scaling module, wherein the scaled signal is representative of a signal at a current carrying electrode of a power transistor. Based on the comparison of the reference signal to the scaled signal, the measurement module provides one or more signals to a control signal drive module. The feedback control module provides a control electrode signal to a control electrode of the power transistor.

Growing community of inventors

Novi, MI, United States of America

Ibrahim S Kandah