A circuit arrangement is disclosed for controlling the switching of a field effect transistor (FET). A current controlled amplifier may be configured to amplify a current in a current sense device to generate an amplified current, wherein the current in the current sense device indicates a current through the FET. A comparator may be coupled to the current sense amplifier to compare a voltage corresponding to the amplified current with a voltage reference and to generate a comparator output based on the comparison, wherein the comparator output controls whether the FET is on or off.

A circuit arrangement is disclosed for controlling the switching of a field effect transistor (FET). A current controlled amplifier may be configured to amplify a current in a current sense device to generate an amplified current, wherein the current in the current sense device indicates a current through the FET. A comparator may be coupled to the current sense amplifier to compare a voltage corresponding to the amplified current with a voltage reference and to generate a comparator output based on the comparison, wherein the comparator output controls whether the FET is on or off.

A drive circuit of a power semiconductor element comprises a gate drive voltage generator to generate, based on an ON/OFF drive timing signal input to an input terminal, a gate drive voltage to be applied to a gate electrode of a switching element having the gate electrode for controlling a main current that flows between a first main electrode and a second main electrode, wherein the gate drive voltage generator includes a gate current limiting circuit in which a current limiter to limit a current and a voltage limiter to limit the magnitude of a voltage applied to both ends of the current limiter are connected in parallel.

A power device can be structured with a power switch having multiple arrangements such that the power switch can operate as a power switch with the capability to measure properties of the power switch. An example power device can comprise a main arrangement of transistor cells and a sensor arrangement of sensor transistor cells. The main arrangement can be structured to operate as a power switch, with the transistor cells of the main arrangement having control nodes connected in parallel to receive a common control signal. The sensor arrangement of sensor transistor cells can be structured to measure one or more parameters of the main arrangement, with the sensor transistor cells having sensor control nodes connected in parallel to receive a common sensor control signal. The sensor transistor cells can have a common transistor terminal shared with a common transistor terminal of the transistor cells of the main arrangement.

In examples, a circuit comprises a first current source coupled to a voltage source node. The circuit comprises a resistor having a first resistor terminal and a second resistor terminal, where the first resistor terminal is coupled to the first current source. The circuit comprises a bipolar transistor having a base, a collector, and an emitter, with the base coupled to the first resistor terminal, the emitter coupled to the second resistor terminal, and the collector coupled to the voltage source node. The circuit comprises a second current source coupled to the emitter and the second resistor terminal, with the second current source coupled to a ground node. The circuit comprises a Schmitt trigger having an input coupled to the emitter, the second resistor terminal, and the second current source.

In examples, a circuit comprises a first current source coupled to a voltage source node. The circuit comprises a resistor having a first resistor terminal and a second resistor terminal, where the first resistor terminal is coupled to the first current source. The circuit comprises a bipolar transistor having a base, a collector, and an emitter, with the base coupled to the first resistor terminal, the emitter coupled to the second resistor terminal, and the collector coupled to the voltage source node. The circuit comprises a second current source coupled to the emitter and the second resistor terminal, with the second current source coupled to a ground node. The circuit comprises a Schmitt trigger having an input coupled to the emitter, the second resistor terminal, and the second current source.

The present invention relates to a circuit for protecting a switch of an electrical system, said protecting circuit comprising a variable electronic component having a physical characteristic the value of which varies by at least 10% as a function of temperature, the protecting circuit being configured to prohibit a current from passing through said switch when the intensity of said current exceeds a maximum allowed intensity threshold, said variable electronic component being connected in the protecting circuit such that the value of the maximum allowed intensity threshold is directly a function of said physical characteristic.

An integrated circuit includes a signal output circuit configured to output a timing signal indicating first and second timings of respectively switching first and second switching devices, first and second hold circuits respectively configured to receive first and second voltages corresponding to temperatures of the first and second switching devices, hold the first and second voltages for first and second time periods, and output the received first and second voltages in response to the first and second time periods having elapsed, and first and second control circuits respectively configured to control switching of the first and second switching devices with first and second driving capabilities corresponding to the temperatures of the first and second switching devices, based on the first and second voltages outputted from the first and second hold circuits and first and second driving signals for driving the first and second switching device.

A semiconductor device includes a first transistor that flows a current to a load, a current generation circuit that outputs a current corresponding to a power consumption of the first transistor, a temperature sensor, a resistor-capacitor network coupled between the current generation circuit and the temperature sensor and an overheat detection circuit coupled to a connection point of the current generation circuit and the resistor-capacitor network, wherein the resistor-capacitor network comprises a resistor and a capacitor corresponding to a thermal resistance and a thermal capacitance between the first transistor and the temperature sensor.

A switch device includes an output transistor, an overcurrent protection circuit configured to be capable of performing an overcurrent protection operation in which magnitude of target current flowing in the output transistor is limited to a predetermined upper limit current value or less, and a control circuit configured to be capable of controlling a state of the output transistor and capable of changing the upper limit current value among a plurality of current values including a predetermined first current value and a predetermined second current value less than the first current value. The control circuit can limit the magnitude of the target current to the first current value or less in response to the magnitude of the target current reaching the first current value, and then change the upper limit current value to the second current value.