Freescale Semiconductor,inc.

Nxp USA, Inc.

Steven R Everson

Fred T Brauchler

Ibrahim S Kandah

Kim Roger Gauen

David D Putti

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 apparatus and corresponding method are provided to control a switched current circuit by switching the switched current circuit into an ON-state, waiting an amount of waiting an amount of time tafter the current within the switched current circuit increases above a current threshold, and switching the switched current circuit into an OFF-state after waiting the time t. Further, a duration of time tbetween switching the switched current circuit in the OFF-state and the point at which the current within the switched current circuit decreases below the current threshold is determined, and the method includes waiting a time tafter the current within the switched current circuit decreased below the current threshold, the time tbased at least in part on the time t, after which the switched current circuit is switched into the ON-state.

Method and apparatus for control of a switched current circuit

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.

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Gilbert, AZ, United States of America

Steven R Everson