An ignition system includes a controller which controls two stagesto provide current to a spark plug. The stages include a first transformer including a first primary winding and a first secondary winding and a second transformer including a second primary winding and a second secondary winding. A switch is electrically connected between a supply high side and the high side of the first primary winding. A second switch is electrically connected between the first primary winding and the power supply low side supply. A third switch is connected between the junction of the switch and high side end of the first inductor and a point between the low side of the second primary winding and low side supply. A fourth switch is located between the low side of the second primary winding and the point. A fifth switch is located between the point and low side supply.

A semiconductor device includes a power semiconductor switching element including a characteristic test terminal, and a control circuit configured to control an operation of the power semiconductor switching element. The power semiconductor switching element and the control circuit are formed in a same chip. The control circuit includes a gate voltage generation circuit configured to generate a current limit gate voltage for restricting an overcurrent flowing in the power semiconductor switching element in a desired range when an abnormality occurs, based on a characteristic of the power semiconductor switching element which is measured in advance by applying a voltage to the characteristic test terminal.

A semiconductor device for internal combustion engine ignition includes: a power semiconductor switching device that switches ON and OFF in accordance with a control signal provided by an external control circuit for causing a spark plug to produce sparks via an ignition coil and an external power source; an auxiliary voltage circuit that generates and applies an auxiliary voltage responsive to a collector voltage of the power semiconductor switching device to the gate of the power semiconductor switching device; and a constant current circuit that regulates current from the auxiliary voltage circuit to the gate of the power semiconductor switching device when a high-voltage surge originating from the external power source is applied to the auxiliary voltage circuit via a primary winding of the ignition coil.

A powertrain control system may include an engine and a controller. The controller may be configured to, responsive to a maximum difference in battery voltage values remaining less than a threshold value during a period in which a number of engine stop-start cycles exceeds a limit, enable an automatic stop-start system of the engine.

A control circuit for a semiconductor switching element includes a control terminal, a main electrode terminal, and a current sensing terminal, and controls the semiconductor switching element including a diode connected to the main electrode terminal or the current sensing terminal. The control circuit includes an overheat detection circuit, a current detection circuit, and an interruption circuit. The overheat detection circuit outputs an overheat detection signal when a temperature detected based on an output of the diode is equal to or higher than a predetermined set temperature. The current detection circuit outputs a current detection signal when an output value of the current sensing terminal is equal to or greater than a predetermined set current value. The interruption circuit turns off the semiconductor switching element when both the overheat detection signal from the overheat detection circuit and the current detection signal from the current detection circuit are input.

Provided is a switch apparatus including a conductor; a switching device that contacts the conductor on a first surface and switches between a first terminal on the first surface side and a second terminal on a second surface side that is opposite to the first surface; and a control device that contacts the conductor on a third surface and includes a control circuit of the switching device provided on a fourth surface side opposite to the third surface and a first withstand voltage structure that protects the control circuit from excessive voltage added to the conductor. By providing the withstand voltage structure in the control device, it is possible to protect the control circuit.

A semiconductor apparatus is provided, comprising a power semiconductor element which is connected between a first terminal on a high-potential side and a second terminal on a low-potential side and is controlled to be turned on or off according to a gate potential, a cut-off condition detection section which detects whether or not a control signal that is input from a control terminal and controls the power semiconductor element satisfies a predetermined cut-off condition, and a cut-off circuit which controls the gate potential of the power semiconductor element to be an OFF potential in response to the cut-off condition detection section detecting that the cut-off condition is satisfied, and the cut-off condition detection section has an input terminal connected to the first terminal and the control terminal, and uses an electrical signal input from the input terminal as a power source.

A method is provided for controlling an ignition system which includes a spark plug control unit adapted to control at least one coil stage, the at least one coil stage adapted to successively energize and de-energize to provide a current to a spark plug, each coil stage includes a primary winding inductively coupled to a secondary winding. The method includes measuring low side voltages at one or more of each coil stage and controlling a duty cycle or a pulse width of a PWM-signal of a step-down converter stage dependent on a battery voltage, a maximum primary current threshold, and the measured voltages.

An ECU outputs an ignition signal Si to an ignition apparatus through an ignition communication line, and outputs a discharge waveform control signal Sc with a logic H through a waveform control communication line. The ignition apparatus performs the closing operation of an ignition switching element, in a period during which the ignition signal Si is input. In an input period of the discharge waveform control signal Sc after stopping the input of the ignition signal Si, the ignition apparatus controls the electric current to flow through a primary coil, by the opening-closing operation of a control switching element. When the voltage of the waveform control communication line Lc is the logic H in an output stop period of the discharge waveform control signal Sc, the ECU determines that the waveform control communication line is abnormal, and executes a fail-safe process.

An internal combustion engine igniter of the present invention includes a current limiting circuit that limits current flowing to the IGBT by controlling a gate voltage of the IGBT in accordance with the current flowing to the IGBT, a waveform-shaping circuit that suppresses an oscillation of the current flowing to the IGBT by applying to the gate voltage of the IGBT an auxiliary voltage generated from a collector voltage of the IGBT when current is being limited by the current limiting circuit, and, in addition, a heat-generation suppressing circuit that obtains an intermediate voltage by resistively dividing the auxiliary voltage generated by the waveform-shaping circuit when current is being limited by the current limiting circuit, and that suppresses IGBT heat generation by increasing the current flowing to the IGBT in accordance with the intermediate voltage.