A drive circuit includes: a signal generation circuit; a comparator; a comparator; and a short circuit determination unit. The signal generation circuit is configured to generate, as an output signal, a differential amplification signal of a voltage detection signal indicating a gate voltage of a semiconductor element and a delay signal of the voltage detection signal. The comparator is configured to compare a value of the differential amplification signal with a first reference voltage value. The comparator is configured to compare a voltage value indicating a gate current with a second reference voltage value. The short circuit determination unit is configured to determine whether or not the semiconductor element is in a short-circuited state, based on a result of comparison by each of the comparators, and generate a determination signal indicating a determination result.

Support circuitry for a power transistor includes a feedback switching element and switching control circuitry. The feedback switching element is coupled between a Kelvin connection node and a second power switching node. The switching control circuitry is configured to cause the feedback switching element to couple the Kelvin connection node to the second power switching node after the power transistor is switched from a blocking mode of operation to a conduction mode of operation and cause the feedback switching element to isolate the Kelvin connection node from the second power switching node before the power transistor is switched from the conduction mode of operation to the blocking mode of operation.

A gate drive circuit includes a driver for driving a gate of a switching element, a peak voltage detector, and a drive capacity calculator. The peak voltage detector detects a peak voltage at a main terminal of the switching element when the switching element is OFF. The drive capacity calculator calculates a voltage difference value between the detected peak voltage and an allowable voltage value at the main terminal of the switching element, where the allowable voltage is based on the specifications of the switching element. The drive capacity calculator changes a drive capacity of the driver to gradually decrease the difference between the detected peak voltage and the allowable voltage.

In accordance with an embodiment, a method includes using a monitoring circuit disposed on a monolithic integrated circuit to monitor an output signal of a first switching transistor for a first output edge transition at a monitoring terminal of the monolithic integrated circuit; using a time measuring circuit disposed on the monolithic integrated circuit to measure a first time delay between a first input edge transition of a first drive signal and the first output edge transition, where the first drive signal is configured to cause a change of state of the first switching transistor; using an analysis circuit disposed on the monolithic integrated circuit to compare the measured first time delay with a first predetermined threshold to form a first comparison result; and indicating a first error condition based on the first comparison result.

Provided is a power conversion device on which an IGBT power module that includes a main IGBT and a current sense IGBT in the same semiconductor chip is mounted, wherein the power conversion device is a high-performance and highly reliable power conversion device capable of accurately estimating a main current flowing through the main IGBT using a sense current in an entire operation region of the power conversion device. A power conversion device includes: a first IGBT through which a main current flows; a second IGBT which is disposed on the same semiconductor substrate as the first IGBT and through which a sense current flows; and a measurement device which calculates the main current based on the sense current, wherein the measurement device selects a method of calculating the main current corresponding to a current value of the sense current.

There is provide a current detection circuit including: a current detection unit that detects a control current flowing between a control terminal of a semiconductor element of voltage-controlled type having a current detection terminal, and a drive circuit; an overcurrent detection unit that detects an overcurrent in response to a sense current exceeding an overcurrent threshold value, the sense current flowing through the current detection terminal; and an adjustment unit that sets, based on a detection result of the current detection unit, the overcurrent threshold value in a transient period during turn on and turn off of the semiconductor element to be higher than the overcurrent threshold value in a period other than the transient period.

An electric assembly includes an insulated gate bipolar transistor device, a wide-bandgap transistor device electrically connected in parallel with the bipolar transistor device and a control circuit. The control circuit is electrically coupled to a gate terminal of the bipolar transistor device and to a control terminal of the wide-bandgap transistor device. The control circuit is configured to turn on the bipolar transistor device and to turn on the wide-bandgap transistor device at a predefined turn-on delay with respect to a turn-on of the bipolar transistor device.

A semiconductor device, including a main switching element having a gate terminal and an emitter terminal, a sense switching element connected to the main switching element for detecting a current flowing through the main switching element, and a voltage division circuit connected between the gate terminal and the emitter terminal of the main switching element. The voltage division circuit includes a first resistor and a second resistor connected in series. A connection point of the first resistor and the second resistor is connected to the sense switching element, so that a voltage applied to the gate terminal of the main switching element is divided by the voltage division circuit, and a portion of the voltage is applied to the sense switching element.

In general, according to one embodiment, a switch circuit includes first to fourth transistors and first to second resistors. The third transistor includes one terminal coupled to one terminal of the first transistor and another terminal coupled to a control terminal of the first transistor. The fourth transistor includes one terminal coupled to a control terminal of the third transistor, another terminal coupled to another terminal of the first transistor, and a control terminal coupled to the control terminal of the first transistor. The second resistor is coupled between the one terminal of the third transistor and the control terminal of the third transistor.

A system and method for an overcurrent detector includes a device. The device includes a threshold generation circuit, and an overpower determination circuit. The threshold generation circuit is configured to produce a threshold value based on an output of a temperature sensor proximate to a power transistor, and a maximum power dissipation in the power transistor. The overpower determination circuit is configured to determine an overpower state of the power transistor based on the threshold value and a switch voltage. The switch voltage is detected between a source and a drain or a collector and an emitter of the power transistor.