Soft shutdown modular circuitry for power semiconductor switches

US10038434B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Power Integrations Switzerland GmbH · CH

Inventors

• Andreas Volke · Soest, DE
• Karsten Fink · Werl, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 26, 2017
• Grant date: Jul 31, 2018
• Expiry date: Jan 26, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H03K2217/0027
• WIPO field: Basic communication processes
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Circuitry for soft shutdown of a power switch and a power converters that includes circuitry for soft shutdown are described. In one aspect, circuitry for soft shutdown of a power switch includes a sense input to be coupled to a power switch receive a signal representative of current passing through the power switch, a comparator to compare the signal with an overcurrent threshold indicative of an overcurrent condition of the power switch and to output a triggering signal in response to the comparison indicating the overcurrent condition, and a gating transistor to be coupled to a control terminal of the power switch, the gating transistor configured to divert a portion of a drive signal away from the control terminal of the power switch in response to the triggering signal.