Method and a device for detecting and handling short-circuit phenomena for power semiconductor devices of turn-off type connected in series
US5990724A · kind A · utility
4Cited by
4References
10Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 29, 1997 |
| Grant date | Nov 23, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 29, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02M1/32
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In a method and apparatus used for detecting and handling a short circuit in a circuit having a plurality of power semiconductors connected in series the voltage is divided across the electrodes and each power semiconductor and the magnitude of a small proportion of the voltage is measured. The magnitude of the voltage is compared to a reference voltage at least from when the power semiconductor is turned on. The reference voltage is higher than the maximum voltage across the power semiconductor during normal operation. A short circuit is detected when the magnitude of the measured voltage exceeds the reference voltage.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.