The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 06, 1999
Filed:
Jul. 07, 1997
Albert Andreas Esser, Niskayuna, NY (US);
Lee Burton Silverthorn, Roanoke, VA (US);
Lyle Thomas Keister, Daleville, VA (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
A power device control system includes a power device having an input gate and first and second output terminals, a controller, and a gate driver for supplying current to the input gate of the power device, comparing a voltage difference between the first and second output terminals, and providing a comparator signal to the controller if the voltage difference is greater than or equal to a predetermined maximum voltage difference. The controller is capable of providing a command signal to the gate driver and pulse width modulating the command signal upon receiving a comparator signal from the gate driver to gradually switch off the power device. The control system can further include a current sensor coupled between one of the first and second output terminals and the controller for supplying a current signal and an integrated current signal to the controller. The control system can be capable of variably pulse width modulating the command signal, and, in one embodiment, the modulation process includes varying on/off switching of the command signal to increase a percentage of off time during subsequent periods of modulation.