Infineon Technologies Canada Inc.

Robert Wayne Mounger

Edward MacRobbie

Nan Xing

Lucas Andrew Milner

Sridhar Ramaswamy

Yinglai Xia

Krishnaswamy Nagaraj

Zhemin Zhang

Yalong Li

Thomas William Macelwee

Ahmad Mizannojehdehi

A circuit that includes a power transistor and at least one sense transistor and that uses the control drive terminal to not only control the power transistor and the sense transistor, but also to provide power to a current sense circuit. The control nodes of the power transistor and sense transistor are connected, and the input nodes of the power transistor and the sense transistor are also connected. The current sense circuit is connected to the sense transistor control node and is configured to detect current passing through the sense transistor. The current sense circuit is also connected to the control drive terminal and is configured to draw power from the control drive terminal when a high control signal is present on the control drive terminal. Accordingly, the current sense circuit does not require an independent fixed high voltage supply in order to operate.

Circuit with power transistor and current sense that uses control drive as power source

A voltage supply circuit that generates a voltage on a voltage supply node. The voltage supply circuit includes an adjustable capacitor, an alternating voltage source, a charge source, and an adjusting circuit. When the alternating voltage on the second capacitor terminal transitions low, the voltage on the first capacitor terminal also becomes low, and the charge source provides charge to the first capacitor terminal of the adjustable capacitor. When the alternating voltage on the second capacitor terminal transitions high, the voltage on the first capacitor terminal also becomes high, and charge is thereby pumped from the first capacitor terminal to the voltage supply node. The adjusting circuit periodically samples the voltage on the voltage supply node, and adjusts the capacitance of the adjustable capacitor to increase or decrease that voltage.

Charge pumping using adjustable capacitor

A current sense circuit that allows for accurate sensing of a power current that flows through a power transistor as the power transistor ages. The circuit includes the power transistor, a sense transistor and a pull-up component. The control nodes of the power transistor and the sense transistor are connected, causing the power transistor and sense transistor to be on or off simultaneously. The pull-up component is connected between the input node of the power transistor and the input node of the sense transistor. When power is provided to the pull-up component, and when each of the power transistor and sense transistor are off, the pull-up component forces a voltage present at the sense transistor input node to be approximately equal to a voltage present at the power transistor input node, causing the sense and power transistors to age together.

Current sensing by using aging sense transistor

A power transistor circuit suppling an internal voltage to an internal voltage supply node. The power transistor circuit includes external terminals, to each of which signals and/or voltages are applied, for each of the input node, output node and control node of the power transistor. The power transistor circuit includes the power transistor, a current draw transistor, a first diode connected between an external control terminal and the internal voltage supply node, and a second diode connected between the current draw transistor output node and the internal voltage supply node. The power transistor circuit includes a charge pump that receives power from the internal voltage supply node and outputs a voltage to the control node of the current draw transistor. In operation, the internal voltage supply node receives power from the external control terminal via the first diode, or an external input terminal via the current draw transistor and the second diode.

Power transistor circuit that generates internal voltage supply

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Dallas, TX, United States of America

Robert Wayne Mounger