Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

Koji Tamaki

Takahiro Inoue

Shoichi Orita

Shiori Uota

A power device control circuit enters a gate driving signal into a gate terminal of a power device. The power device control circuit includes: a control signal input circuit that receives a power device control signal for control of the power device; a driving system control circuit connected to the control signal input circuit; a driving circuit with a plurality of driving systems, the driving circuit driving the power device in response to a driving circuit control signal received from the driving system control circuit; and a timer circuit that makes switching between the driving systems in response to the driving circuit control signal after elapse of a given period of time from receipt of a predetermined signal, specifically the power device control signal, thereby changing the driving power of the driving system control circuit to drive the power device.

Power device control circuit and power device circuit

A power module includes a current sensing circuit in which a transistor includes an emitter connected to a sense emitter of a current sense element of an IGBT and a base connected to ground, a current sensing resistor including one end thereof connected to a collector of the transistor and the other end thereof connected to a common connection portion. The power module detects, as a current sensing voltage, a potential difference generated by the current sensing resistor based on the common connection portion as a reference, compares the current sensing voltage with a predetermined threshold voltage, and determines whether or not an overcurrent flows through the IGBT according to a magnitude relation therebetween.

Power module

A driving circuit is placed on an IC chip, and which drives a semiconductor switching element. The driving circuit includes: a power supply circuit for receiving a first voltage supplied from a single power supply provided outside the IC chip, generating a second voltage based on the first voltage, and applying the second voltage to a reference terminal of the semiconductor switching element; and a driving part for driving the semiconductor switching element by applying the first voltage or stopping application of the first voltage to a control terminal of the semiconductor switching element in response to an input signal given from outside the IC chip.

Growing community of inventors

Fukuoka, Japan

Koji Tamaki