A primary transmitter drives a primary-side input of an isolation barrier in response to a transition of an input signal. A secondary receiver generates an output signal having a logical value that corresponds to a signal that occurs at a secondary-side output of the isolation barrier. A secondary transmitter drives a secondary-side input of the isolation barrier based on the output signal. A primary receiver generates a return signal having a logical value that corresponds to a signal that occurs at a primary-side output of the isolation barrier. The primary transmitter repeatedly drives the primary-side input of the isolation barrier until the logical value of the input signal matches that of the return signal.

A switch circuit is configured of a first semiconductor element and a second semiconductor element connected in series, and receives a DC voltage of 100 V or more. The drive circuit causes the first semiconductor element or the second semiconductor element to perform a switching operation. The isolated power supply circuit converts a predetermined power supply voltage into an isolated first power supply voltage, and outputs the first power supply voltage to the drive circuit. The isolation signal converter converts a first signal of 6 MHz or more into an isolated first drive signal, and outputs the first drive signal to the drive circuit. The single substrate mounts the isolated power supply circuit and the isolation signal converter. Both the first semiconductor element and the second semiconductor element are wide bandgap semiconductor elements.

A power stage includes a control device and a power transistor, the control device comprising a primary circuit comprising: a control module able to generate a control current, a primary circuit malfunction detector able to detect a malfunction, a pulse transformer comprising a primary winding connected to the primary circuit, comprising a secondary winding connected to the secondary circuit, magnetically coupled to the primary winding and able to generate, from the control current, an induced pulse current making it possible to drive the power transistor, a secondary circuit comprising: a power and fault detection controller able to detect a malfunction of the secondary circuit or of the power transistor, the power and fault detection controller being able to communicate the malfunction of the secondary circuit or of the power transistor to the primary circuit malfunction detector.

A drive circuit driving a first switching element, including: a first diode with a cathode terminal connected to a first switching element gate terminal; a second switching element with a first terminal connected to a first diode anode terminal, a second terminal connected to a first switching element gate terminal, a third terminal connected to a first switching element source terminal; a third switching element with a drain terminal connected to the first diode anode terminal, and a source terminal connected to the first switching element source terminal; a parallel circuit; and a drive transformer having a coil, one end connected to the drain terminal, the other end connected to the third switching element gate terminal, and connected to the third switching element source terminal, one end of the parallel circuit connected to one coil end, the second diode cathode terminal connected to the other end of the coil.

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 gatedriver circuit for controlling a power electronic switch. The circuit provides a galvanic separation and is magnetically immune. The gatedriver circuit comprises a transformer arranged with two separate cores of magnetically conductive material each forming a closed loop. A first electrical conductor has windings around a part of both cores, and a second electrical conductor also has windings around part of both cores. The two cores are positioned close to each other to allow mutual magnetic interaction. The windings of the first and second electrical conductors around the first core have the same winding direction, and the windings of the first and second electrical conductors around the second core have opposite winding direction of the windings of the first and second electrical conductors around the first core, so as to counteract electric influence induced by a common magnetic field through the closed loops of the first and second cores. Hereby, such gatedriver circuit is suitable for controlling power switches in environments with strong magnetic fields, e.g. inside a high power wind turbine.

A gatedriver circuit for controlling a power electronic switch. The circuit provides a galvanic separation and is magnetically immune. The gatedriver circuit comprises a transformer arranged with two separate cores of magnetically conductive material each forming a closed loop. A first electrical conductor has windings around a part of both cores, and a second electrical conductor also has windings around part of both cores. The two cores are positioned close to each other to allow mutual magnetic interaction. The windings of the first and second electrical conductors around the first core have the same winding direction, and the windings of the first and second electrical conductors around the second core have opposite winding direction of the windings of the first and second electrical conductors around the first core, so as to counteract electric influence induced by a common magnetic field through the closed loops of the first and second cores. Hereby, such gatedriver circuit is suitable for controlling power switches in environments with strong magnetic fields, e.g. inside a high power wind turbine.

An isolated gate driver has a first portion in a first voltage domain and a second portion in a second voltage domain. The first and second portions are coupled by an isolation communication channel. The isolated gate driver transmits across the isolation communication channel a serial word containing first drive strength information and simultaneously transmits gate information with the serial word across the isolation communication channel. The gate information indicates a state of a gate signal for a transistor coupled to the second portion of the isolated gate driver. A demodulator circuit demodulates a signal containing the gate information and the drive strength information transmitted across the isolation communication channel in the serial word. A gate signal output circuit coupled to the demodulator circuit supplies the gate signal based on the gate information with a drive strength of the gate signal being based on the drive strength information.

An isolated gate driver has a first portion in a first voltage domain and a second portion in a second voltage domain. The first and second portions are coupled by an isolation communication channel. The isolated gate driver transmits across the isolation communication channel a serial word containing first drive strength information and simultaneously transmits gate information with the serial word across the isolation communication channel. The gate information indicates a state of a gate signal for a transistor coupled to the second portion of the isolated gate driver. A demodulator circuit demodulates a signal containing the gate information and the drive strength information transmitted across the isolation communication channel in the serial word. A gate signal output circuit coupled to the demodulator circuit supplies the gate signal based on the gate information with a drive strength of the gate signal being based on the drive strength information.

An apparatus comprises an energy transfer device configured to supply power from a primary side of an isolation barrier through the isolation barrier to a secondary side of the of the isolation barrier for driving a gate of a switch for controlling output of the switch at the secondary side. The apparatus comprises a monitoring component. The monitoring component is configured to monitor an operating state of the switch. The monitoring component is configured to evaluate the operating state to determine whether a fault has occurred, perform a countermeasure, and/or provide a signal of the fault.