Half-bridge circuits employing normally on switches and methods of preventing unintended current flow therein
US7907001B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 10, 2009 |
| Grant date | Mar 15, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 10, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02B70/10
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for rendering a half-bridge circuit containing normally on switches such as junction field effect transistors (JFETs) inherently safe from uncontrolled current flow is described. The switches can be made from silicon carbide or from silicon. The methods described herein allow for the use of better performing normally on switches in place of normally off switches in integrated power modules thereby improving the efficiency, size, weight, and cost of the integrated power modules. As described herein, a power supply can be added to the gate driver circuitry. The power supply can be self starting and self oscillating while being capable of deriving all of its source energy from the terminals supplying electrical potential to the normally on switch through the gate driver. The terminal characteristics of the normally on switch can then be coordinated to the input-to-output characteristics of the power supply.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.