The present invention provides a driving device and a control method. The driving device is configured to drive a power switch and includes a power supply, a first bridge arm coupled to the power supply, a second bridge arm coupled in parallel to the first bridge arm, and a resonant inductor. The first bridge arm includes a first switch and a second switch connected to a first midpoint, the second bridge arm comprises a first semiconductor element and a second semiconductor element connected to a second midpoint, and the resonant inductor is coupled between the first midpoint and the second midpoint. The control method includes turning on the first switch for a first period such that the power supply charges a gate electrode of the power switch; and in response to a decrease of a current of the resonant inductor to a first threshold value, turning on the first switch again for a second period such that a potential of the first midpoint is equal to a potential of the second midpoint.

A single supply RF switch driver. The single supply RF switch driver includes an inverter, where a first resistor has been integrated within the inverter, and the resistor is connected to an RF switch. In one aspect, the integration of the first resistor within the inverter allows for the elimination of a negative power supply for the inverter, while maximizing the isolation achieved in the RF switch. In another aspect, the driver is a configured to have a second resistor integrated within the inverter. A third resistor is connected between the gate of the RF switch and the inverter. In an alternate aspect, the driver operates from a positive power supply and a negative power supply, thus increasing the isolation in the RF switch even further.

A semiconductor device according to embodiments includes a normally-off transistor having a first electrode, a second electrode, and a first control electrode, a normally-on transistor having a third electrode electrically connected to the second electrode, a fourth electrode, and a second control electrode, a first element having a first end portion electrically connected to the first control electrode and a second end portion electrically connected to the first electrode, and the first element including a first capacitance component; and, a second element having a third end portion electrically connected to the first control electrode and the first end portion and a fourth end portion, and the second element including a second capacitance component, wherein, when a threshold voltage of the normally-off transistor is denoted by V.sub.th, a maximum rated gate voltage of the normally-off transistor is denoted by V.sub.g_max, a voltage of the fourth end portion is denoted by V.sub.g_on, the first capacitance component is denoted by C.sub.a, and the second capacitance component is denoted by C.sub.b, V.sub.th<(C.sub.b/(C.sub.a+C.sub.b))V.sub.g_on<V.sub.g_max.

An inverter for an electric vehicle comprises a phase leg having series-connected upper and lower transistors between a positive bus and a ground bus. Upper and lower gate drive circuits supply gate drive signals to the upper and lower transistors. Each gate drive circuit includes an active clamp for deactivating the upper and lower transistors. The transistors are comprised of semiconductor devices, each having respective gate, collector, and emitter terminals. Each pair of gate and emitter terminals is adapted to provide an enhanced common source inductance therebetween. Each gate terminal is adapted to be tied to a ground voltage of the drive circuits. Each respective active clamp is comprised of a p-channel MOSFET having a source terminal connected to the gate terminal of a respective transistor and having a drain terminal connected to the emitter terminal of the respective transistor bypassing the respective enhanced common source inductance.

In order to obtain a drive circuit of a power semiconductor device capable of making a fast response to a voltage fluctuation dV/dt and preventing a malfunction of the power semiconductor device while suppressing power consumption with a simple circuit configuration, a control circuit controlling ON and OFF switching of the power semiconductor device, a DC power supply supplying a voltage between control terminals of the power semiconductor device, and a switching element connected between the control terminals of the power semiconductor device are provided. The switching element turns ON in a case where a power supply voltage of the DC power supply drops or in a case where the voltage between the control terminals of the power supply device increases in a state where the power supply voltage of the DC power supply has dropped, and thereby causes a short-circuit between the control terminals of the power semiconductor device.

In an embodiment there is: negative voltage generator configured to generate an output having a negative voltage from an input having a positive voltage comprising an input node configured to receive an alternating signal, an output node for outputting an output voltage of the generator and a ground node, a switching element configured to provide a conductive and non-conductive flow path between a first terminal and a second terminal in response to a control signal; a control element adapted to control the flow of current therethrough between a first terminal and a second terminal.

A device (2) for the on-demand commutation of an electrical current from a first line branch (14, 3; 36) to another, second line branch (4; 41; 71) is created, which has a number of power semiconductor switching elements (7; 47; 53), which are arranged in series and/or parallel to one another in the second line branch (4; 41; 71), and a control unit (18; 51) for controlling the number of power semiconductor switching elements (7; 47; 53). The control unit (18; 51) is adapted to apply to each of the number of power semiconductor switching elements (7; 47; 53) an increased control voltage (VGE) whose level is above the maximum permissible control voltage specified for continuous operation, in order to switch on or maintain the conduction of the number of power semiconductor switching elements and to cause an increased current flow through it, whose current rating is at least double the nominal operating current. The control unit (18; 51) is further adapted to switch off the number of power semiconductor switching elements after a respectively provided short switch-on duration by switching off the control voltage (VGE) again while they conduct an increased current flow. The device (2) can thus be designed for a higher power in operation, or, at a given operating power, the semiconductor area and size of the device (2) can be reduced.

A switching system can include a main switching device configured to switch a voltage, a gate driver having an output coupled to a drive terminal of the main switching device and configured to deliver a drive signal to the main switching device, and a clamp circuit. The clamp circuit can be coupled to the drive terminal of the main switching device. The clamp circuit can include a logic gate configured to drive a clamp switching device coupled to and configured to clamp a voltage at the drive terminal of the main switching device. A drive signal of the clamp switching device can be substantially complementary to the main switching device drive signal. The logic gate can provide at least a portion of a delay between switching transitions of the main switching device and switching transitions of the clamp switching device.

An apparatus for performing hybrid power control in an electronic device includes a charger positioned in the electronic device, and the charger is arranged for selectively charging a battery of the electronic device. In addition, at least one portion of the charger is implemented within a charger chip. For example, the charger may include: a first terminal, positioned on the charger chip; a second terminal, positioned on the charger chip and selectively coupled to the first terminal; a third terminal, positioned on the charger chip and selectively coupled to the second terminal; a fourth terminal, positioned on the charger chip and coupled to the third terminal; a first power output path, coupled to the fourth terminal, arranged for providing a first voltage level; and a second power output path, coupled to the third terminal, arranged for selectively providing a second voltage level that is greater than the first voltage level.

A combined isolator and power switch is disclosed. Such devices are useful in isolating low voltage components such as control compilers from motors or generators working at high voltages. The combined isolator and power switch includes circuits to transfer internal power from its low voltage side to the switch driver circuits on the high voltage side. The combined isolator and switch is compact and easy to use.