Patent classifications
H03K17/0822
POWER SWITCH REVERSE CURRENT PROTECTION SYSTEMS
One example described herein includes a power switch control system. The system includes a first monitoring terminal coupled to a first terminal of a power transistor and a second monitoring terminal coupled to a second terminal of the power transistor. The power transistor and the power switch control system can form an ideal diode between the first monitoring terminal arranged as an anode and the second monitoring terminal arranged as a cathode. The system further includes a reverse current controller coupled to the first monitoring terminal and the second monitoring terminal and is configured to control activation of the power transistor to conduct a reverse current from the second monitoring terminal to the first monitoring terminal in response to a reverse voltage arranged as a cathode voltage at the second monitoring terminal being greater than an anode voltage at the first monitoring terminal.
CONTROLLER FOR CONTROLLING A GaN-BASED DEVICE AND METHOD FOR IMPLEMENTING THE SAME
The present disclosure provides a controller for controlling a GaN-based semiconductor device. The controller is configured to receive a current sensing signal V.sub.CS which is indicative of a drain-to-source current of the GaN-based semiconductor device and generate a control driving signal V.sub.DRV to the GaN-based semiconductor device such that a gate-to-source voltage V.sub.GS applied to the GaN-based semiconductor device for switching on the GaN-based semiconductor device is stabilized to a voltage value equal to a reference voltage V.sub.ref over an on-time duration. Impact of the change in the voltage drop across the current sensing resistor to the operation of the GaN-based semiconductor device is eliminated.
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes m power transistors (m is an integer of 2 or more) coupled in parallel each of which has a sense source terminal, a Kelvin terminal and a source terminal, a first average circuit that connects the first resistor and the second resistor in order between the sense source terminal and the Kelvin terminal and generates first to fourth average voltages and an arithmetic circuit that measures a first current value flowing through the sense source terminal from the first and second average voltages, measures a second current value flowing through the sense source terminal from the third and fourth average voltages and measures a current value flowing through the source terminal from the first to fourth average voltages and the first and second current values.
POWER CONVERTER
To provide a power converter which can detect occurrence of excess current in early stage without providing a blanking time when the detection of excess current is not performed after the turn on of the switching device, and which can protect the power converter. A power converter includes a time change detection circuit that outputs a detection signal according to a time change rate of a main voltage; an excess current determination circuit that generates an excess current occurrence signal of normal current state when the detection signal is less than a first threshold value, and generates the excess current occurrence signal of excess current state when the detection signal is not less than the first threshold value; and a driving circuit that generates the driving voltage of OFF state when the drive command signal is ON state and the excess current occurrence signal is excess current state.
Methods and apparatus to provide an adaptive gate driver for switching devices
Methods and apparatus to provide an adaptive gate driver for switching devices are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an electrical switch to drive an electrical system; a condition characterizer to select a drive strength based on a first system parameter corresponding to the electrical system, the first system parameter including at least one of an input voltage corresponding to the electrical switch, an output current corresponding to the electrical switch, or a process variation of the electrical switch; and a driver to generate an output having a current corresponding to the selected drive strength.
SHORT CIRCUIT PROTECTION FOR BIDIRECTIONAL SWITCHES
A bidirectional switch fault protection circuit includes a bidirectional switch circuit, a desaturation detection circuit, and a gate driver. The bidirectional switch circuit generates first and second switch voltages based on a direction of electric current. The desaturation detection circuit outputs the first switch voltage in response to the electric current flowing in a first direction and outputs the second switch voltage in response to the electric current flowing in a second direction opposite the first direction. The gate driver receives the first switch voltage in response to the electric current flowing in the first direction and the second switch voltage in response to the electric current flowing in the second direction. The gate driver detects a first short circuit condition based on the first switch voltage and a second short circuit condition based on the second switch voltage.
Fault detection circuits and methods for drivers
A fault detection circuit includes a short circuit comparison circuit which has a first input connected to the source of the second NFET, a second input, and an output. The circuit includes an over-current comparison circuit which has a first input connected to the source of the second NFET, a second input, and an output. The circuit includes a voltage divider circuit which has a first terminal connected to first input of the short circuit comparison circuit, a second terminal connected to the first input of the over-current comparison circuit, and a third terminal connected to a ground terminal. The circuit includes a delay circuit which has an input connected to the output of the over-current comparison circuit and has an output.
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE
For example, a semiconductor device includes an output electrode to be connected to an inductive load, a ground electrode to be connected to a ground terminal, first and second transistors connected in parallel between the output and ground electrodes, an active clamp circuit connected to the gate of the first transistor, and a gate control circuit to control the gates of the first and second transistors to keep the first and second transistors on in a first operation state and off in a second operation state. After a transition from the first operation state to the second, before the active clamp circuit operates, the gate control circuit short-circuits between the gate and source of the second transistor.
TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION OF ANALOG CMOS PHYSICALLY UNCLONABLE FUNCTION FOR YIELD ENHANCEMENT
An apparatus includes a current-based temperature compensation circuit having a reference buffer, a biasing current mirror, and a controller. The reference buffer is configured to receive a biasing reference voltage at a voltage input terminal and replicate the biasing reference voltage to first and second buffer terminals. At least one of the first and second buffer terminals is configured to be electrically connected to at least one gate terminal of an analog complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) physically unclonable function (PUF) cell. The biasing current mirror is configured to receive a reference current at a current input terminal and replicate the reference current to the first buffer terminal. The controller is configured to compensate an output of the CMOS PUF cell for temperature variation based on a weighted sum of a bandgap current, a current proportional to absolute temperature, and a current complementary to absolute temperature.
Bootstrapped switch
A bootstrapped switch includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a first capacitor, three switches, and a switch circuit. The switch circuit includes a first switch, a second switch, a second capacitor, and an inverter circuit. The first transistor receives the input voltage and outputs the output voltage. The first terminal of the second transistor receives the input voltage, and the second terminal of the second transistor is coupled to the first terminal of the first capacitor. The control terminal of the first switch receives a clock. The second switch is coupled between the control terminal of the first transistor and the first switch. The input terminal of the inverter circuit is coupled to the control terminal of the first switch. The second capacitor is coupled between the control terminal of the first transistor and the output terminal of the inverter circuit.