Simplified switching circuit
US7777553B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 8, 2008 |
| Grant date | Aug 17, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 8, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K17/6871
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An embodiment of the invention relates to a switching system that includes a depletion-mode semiconductor device, such as a silicon carbide device, coupled in series with an enhancement-mode semiconductor device, such as a silicon field effect transistor, so that a controller can be configured to disable conductivity of the series arrangement of the two switches during a transient operating condition. During normal high-frequency switching operation, the controller persistently enables the enhancement-mode device to conduct while intermittently enabling the depletion-mode device to conduct. The controller disables the enhancement-mode device to conduct during a transient operating condition such as start up or during a fault, thereby providing circuit protection during such transients. The switching system preserves low loss switching characteristics of the depletion-mode device in a high-frequency switching circuit.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.