An electronic circuit is for switching a power transistor having a drain coupled to a drain node, a source coupled to a lower voltage supply, and a gate coupled to a gate node. The electronic circuit includes first current generation circuitry to generate a first current to flow into the gate node in response to assertion off an ON signal, the first current being substantially constant. Second current generation circuitry generates a second current to flow into the gate node in response to deassertion of an OFF signal, the second current being inversely proportional to a gate to source voltage of the power transistor. First comparison circuitry compares a drain voltage at the drain node to a reference voltage, and activates third current generation circuitry to generate a third current to flow into the gate node when the drain voltage is less than the reference voltage.

A method is described for controlling switching edges for switched output stages, in which a voltage at a switching node of the output stage is detected; a reference time is started when the voltage reaches a predefined reference value; the steepness of the switching edge is reduced if the voltage has reached a second predefined reference value at an end of the reference time; and the steepness of the switching edge is increased if the voltage has not reached the second predefined reference value at the end of the reference time. Furthermore, a control device for adjusting switching edges for switched output stages is provided.

A DC-AC converter is disclosed. The DC-AC converter generates an output AC signal, and has an input DC-AC converter which generates a first AC signal, a transformer device which receives the first AC signal and generates a second AC signal, and a first bidirectional switch which selectively connects a first transformer output terminal and a first output terminal. The DC-AC converter also has a first capacitor which powers the first bidirectional switch, a first charging circuit which charges the first capacitor, and a second bidirectional which selectively conduct connects a second transformer output terminal and a second output terminal. The DC-AC converter also has a second capacitor which powers the second bidirectional switch, and a second charging circuit which charges the second capacitor. Each of the bidirectional switches includes series connected transistors between first and second input/output terminals, and a transistor driver which drives the transistors.

This document discusses, among other things, apparatus and methods for an edge rate driver for a power converter switch. In an example, the driver can include an input node configured to receive a pulse width modulated signal, a first switch configured to couple a control node of the power converter switch to a supply voltage during a first state, a second switch configured to couple the control node of the power converter switch to a reference voltage during a second state, and a first current source configured to supply charge current to the first switch when the power converter switch transitions from the second state to the first state, the charge current configured to charge a parasitic capacitance of the power converter switch.

Some embodiments include apparatus and methods having a first node to receive a supply voltage, a second node to receive a first bias voltage, a third node to receive ground potential, a first circuit branch coupled between the first and second nodes, and a second circuit branch coupled between the first and third nodes. The first bias voltage is provided to a gate of a first transistor among a plurality of transistors coupled in series. The first and second circuit branches are arranged to provide a second bias voltage to gate of a second transistor among the plurality of transistors. The value of the second bias voltage is based on a value of the first bias voltage.

A one-direction conduction device includes a first transistor and a driving circuit. The first transistor has a control terminal coupled to a first node, and input and output terminals respectively coupled to input and output electrode terminals of the one-direction conduction device. In the driving circuit, a switch circuit is coupled to the input electrode terminal and a second node. A second transistor has a base and a collector both coupled to a third node, and an emitter coupled to the second node. A first resistor is coupled to the third node and ground. A third transistor has a base coupled to the third node, an emitter coupled to the output electrode terminal, and a collector coupled to the first node. The second resistor is coupled between the first node and the ground. The switch circuit breaks off a reverse leakage current path of the one-direction conduction device.

The power circuit includes: a main substrate; a first electrode pattern disposed on the main substrate and connected to a positive-side power terminal P; a second electrode pattern disposed on a main substrate and connected to a negative-side power terminal N; a third electrode pattern disposed on the main substrate and connected to an output terminal O; a first MISFET Q1 of which a first drain is disposed on the first electrode pattern; a second MISFET Q4 of which a second drain is disposed on the third electrode pattern; a first control circuit (DG1) connected between a first gate G1 and a first source S1 of the first MISFET, and configured to control a current path conducted from the first source towards the first gate.

A biasing circuit for a flyback converter can include a rectifier electrically coupled to an inductor of the flyback converter for generating a direct current signal from an alternating current signal outputted by the inductor in response to the inductor transferring an amount of energy to another inductor. The biasing circuit can also include a storage device electronically coupled to the rectifier to receive the direct current signal and store a charge. The biasing circuit can further include a limiting device electronically coupled to the storage device to provide an amount of the charge that is stored in the storage device to an input lead of a switch of the flyback converter for biasing the switch.

The present disclosure relates to a compensation circuit for independently controlling turn-on and turn-off of a power electronic switch through a gate driver. The compensation circuit includes a circuit path sampling a first portion of a voltage induced across an inductance of the power electronic switch at turn-on. Another circuit path samples a second portion of the voltage induced across the inductance of the power electronic switch at turn-off. The compensation circuit further includes a gate driver reference connection configured to respectively supply the sampled portions of the voltage during turn-on and turn-off of the power electronic switch. A compensation circuit controlling a first power electronic switch in parallel with a second power electronic switch, a commutation cell and a power converter having a pair of parallel legs, in which each power electronic switch is provided with the compensation circuit, are also disclosed.

A device includes a transistor cascode circuit including a first transistor configured to pull up voltage of a bulk and a node in response to a first control signal, and a second transistor configured to pull up voltage of an interface (I/O) pin in response to a second control signal. The device further includes a third transistor configured to pull down voltage of the I/O pin in response to a third control signal, and a feedback circuit configured to turn off the first transistor when the voltage of the I/O pin is above a predetermined level during a failsafe period.