Power switch protection system and method
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsMarko Jaksic, Subramanian Vadula, Zilai Zhao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electric vehicle includes a direct current (DC) power source with a DC electric power output. An inverter is coupled to receive the DC electric power output of the DC power source, and the inverter has an alternating current (AC) electric power output. An electric motor is coupled to receive the AC electric power output. The electric motor has a driving torque output that is coupled to drive at least one wheel of the vehicle. The inverter further includes a power semiconductor switch, such as an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT). A protection circuit is coupled to the power semiconductor switch, and the protection circuit has an adjustable protection detection level circuit.
Claims8
An electric vehicle comprising:
- a direct current (DC) power source with a DC electric power output;
- an inverter coupled to receive the DC electric power output of the DC power source, the inverter having an alternating current (AC) electric power output;
- an electric motor coupled to receive the AC electric power output, the electric motor having a driving torque output that is coupled to drive at least one wheel of the vehicle, wherein
- the inverter includes a power semiconductor switch, the power semiconductor switch having an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), a gate of the IGBT being operably driven by a gate driver circuit having a driving output coupled to the gate, and a protection circuit including a desaturation detection circuit coupled between a collector of the IGBT and a desaturation input of the gate driver circuit, and wherein the desaturation detection circuit has a reference shift circuit, the reference shift circuit being disposed between the IGBT collector and the desaturation detection input of the gate driver circuit and being operable to shift a detected voltage at the collector of the IGBT to a shifted voltage, the shifted voltage having a voltage different than the detected voltage, the shifted voltage being coupled to the desaturation detection input;
- and wherein
- the reference shift circuit comprises a first level shift resistor and a second level shift resistor, the first level shift resistor and the second level shift resistor being coupled in series, the first level shift resistor and the second level shift resistor being coupled between a collector of the IGBT and the desaturation input and a diode coupled in parallel with one of the first level shift resistor and the second level shift resistor.
A desaturation protection circuit for a power semiconductor switch based inverter comprising:
- an insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor,
- a gate of the IGBT is operably driven by a gate driver circuit having a driving output coupled to the gate, and a desaturation detection circuit is coupled between a collector of the IGBT and a desaturation input of the gate driver circuit, and wherein the desaturation detection circuit has a reference shift circuit, the reference shift circuit being disposed between the IGBT collector and the desaturation detection input of the gate driver circuit and being operable to shift a detected voltage at the collector of the IGBT to a shifted voltage, the shifted voltage having a voltage different than the detected voltage, the shifted voltage being coupled to the desaturation detection input;
- and wherein
- the reference shift circuit comprises a first level shift resistor and a second level shift resistor, the first level shift resistor and the second level shift resistor being coupled in series, the first level shift resistor and the second level shift resistor being coupled between a collector of the IGBT and the desaturation input and a diode coupled in parallel with one of the first level shift resistor and the second level shift resistor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.