In an example, a system includes a first power stage including a first power field effect transistor (FET) and a first sense transistor coupled to the first power FET. The system also includes a second power stage including a second power FET and a second sense transistor coupled to the second power FET, where the second power stage is smaller than the first power stage. The system includes a first switch coupled to a gate and a drain of the first power FET and a second switch coupled to the first power stage and the second power stage. The system also includes a sense amplifier coupled to the second switch, where the first power stage, the second power stage, and the sense amplifier are coupled to a load terminal.

The present disclosure relates to contactor, and device and method for controlling same. A control device for a contactor comprises a high side control unit, a first low side control unit, a second low side control unit, a freewheeling unit, and a controller. The high side control unit is configured to switch on or switch off the connection of the first magnetic unit and the second magnetic unit of the contactor with a power supply. The first low side control unit is configured to switch on or switch off the connection of the first magnetic unit with the reference voltage node. The second low side control unit is configured to switch on or switch off the connection of the second magnetic unit with the reference voltage node. The freewheeling unit is connected across a branch comprising a first magnetic unit and a first low side control unit and connected across a branch comprising a second magnetic unit and a second low side control unit. The controller is configured to control the operation of the high side control unit, the first low side control unit, and the second low side control unit. Embodiments of the present disclosure may enable intelligent control of contactors with simple control logic.

An apparatus includes a transistor coupled to a load through an output terminal of a load switch IC, a gate drive circuit connected to a gate of the transistor, wherein the gate drive circuit is configured such that in a short circuit event, a voltage on the gate of the transistor is gradually reduced, and wherein as a result of reducing the voltage on the gate of the transistor gradually, a negative voltage occurring at the output terminal of the load switch IC is minimized.

In general aspect, a module can include a substrate having a semiconductor circuit implemented thereon, and a negative power supply terminal electrically coupled with the semiconductor circuit via the substrate. The negative power supply terminal includes a connection tab arranged in a first plane. The module also includes a first positive power supply terminal electrically and a second positive power supply terminal that are coupled with the semiconductor circuit via the substrate. The first positive power supply terminal being laterally disposed from the negative power supply terminal, and including a connection tab arranged in the first plane. The second positive power supply terminal is laterally disposed from the negative power supply terminal and arranged in the first plane, such that the negative power supply terminal is disposed between the first positive power supply terminal and the second positive power supply terminal.

A switch-mode power supply circuit includes a low-side switching transistor, a high-side switching transistor, a low-side current sensing circuit, and a gate driver circuit. The low-side current sensing circuit is coupled to the low-side switching transistor and is configured to sense a current flowing through the low-side switching transistor. The gate driver circuit is coupled to the low-side current sensing circuit and the high-side switching transistor. The gate driver circuit is configured to generate a signal having a first drive strength to switch the high-side switching transistor based on current flowing through the low-side switching transistor being less than a threshold current, and to generate a signal having a second drive strength to switch the high-side switching transistor based on current flowing through the low-side switching transistor being greater than the threshold current. The first drive strength is greater than the second drive strength.

An integrated circuit (IC) includes: an input terminal; an output terminal; a first reference voltage terminal and a second reference voltage terminal; a high-side power switch coupled between the first reference voltage terminal and the output terminal; a low-side power switch coupled between the output terminal and the second reference voltage terminal; a first combinational logic and a second combination logic that are coupled to the input terminal; a first driver coupled between the first combinational logic and the high-side power switch; a second driver coupled between the second combinational logic and the low-side power switch; and first comparators coupled to the second combinational logic, where the first comparators are configured to compare a voltage difference between load path terminals of the high-side power switch with a first threshold and a second threshold.

An integrated circuit, including: a first current source; a second current source provided in parallel to the first current source; a first resistor with one end coupled to an output of the first current source; a first bipolar transistor that is diode-connected and is coupled to the other end of the first resistor; a second bipolar transistor that is diode-connected and is coupled to an output of the second current source; a second resistor coupled to the second bipolar transistor; and an output circuit configured to output a voltage based on a first voltage outputted from the first current source and a second voltage outputted from the second current source.

Laser driver designs that aim to reduce or eliminate the problem of fault laser firing are disclosed. Various laser driver designs presented herein are based on providing a current dissipation path that is configured to start providing a resistance for dissipating at least a portion, but preferably substantially all, of the negative current from the laser diode. Dissipating at least a portion of the negative current may decrease the unintentional increase of the voltage at the input to the laser diode and, therefore, reduce the likelihood that fault laser firing will occur. A control logic may be used to control the timing of when the current dissipation path is activated (i.e., provides the resistance to dissipate the negative current from the laser diode) and when it is deactivated.

A semiconductor device includes a first transistor that flows a current to a load, a current generation circuit that outputs a current corresponding to a power consumption of the first transistor, a temperature sensor, a resistor-capacitor network coupled between the current generation circuit and the temperature sensor and an overheat detection circuit coupled to a connection point of the current generation circuit and the resistor-capacitor network, wherein the resistor-capacitor network comprises a resistor and a capacitor corresponding to a thermal resistance and a thermal capacitance between the first transistor and the temperature sensor.

A gate driver circuit includes a pulse generator that receives an input signal and generates a pulse signal in response to a switch-on command included in the input signal. The pulse signal has a pulse with a pulse length that is dependent on a level of a pulse control signal. The circuit further includes a sampling circuit that samples an output voltage subsequent to the pulse and stores a respective sampled value, and a controller that receives the sampled value of the output voltage and a reference voltage and updates the level of the pulse control signal based on the sampled value and the reference voltage. A driver circuit generates the output voltage based on the pulse signal.