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:
Sep. 03, 2002
Filed:
Jun. 30, 2000
Ulrich Weinert, Herzogenaurach, DE;
Gerd Griepentrog, Erlangen, DE;
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Munich, DE;
Abstract
A method for performing a short-circuit and overload disconnection with a semiconductor component includes the steps of providing a semiconductor component having a drain, a source and a gate. The semiconductor component has a gate-source voltage applied thereto, a current flowing therethrough, and a voltage dropping between the source and the drain. The gate-source voltage at the semiconductor component is adjusted, in dependence of the current flowing through the semiconductor component, such that, after charge carriers in the semiconductor component are depleted, the voltage dropping between the source and the drain assumes a highest possible value still uncritical for the semiconductor component and for a circuit to be disconnected. An algorithm is used for the step of adjusting the voltage dropping between the source and the drain. The apparatus for carrying out the method uses of a processor for ascertaining and processing measured values and for performing the short-circuit recognition and the disconnection.