# US 11,451,227 B2 · Control circuitry for power semiconductor switches using control signal feedback > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,451,227 B2 - Document ID: US11451227B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/862,926 - Filed: 2020-04-30 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-30 - Assignees: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited - Applicants: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited - Inventors: Geraldo Nojima; Eddie Wilkie - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11451227B2 ## CPC - H03K 17/145: {in field-effect transistor switches} - H03K 17/693: Switching arrangements with several input- or output-terminals, e.g. multiplexers, distributors (logic circuits H03K19/00; code converters H03M5/00, H03M7/00) - H03K 17/04123: {in field-effect transistor switches} - H03K 17/0822: {in field-effect transistor switches} - H03K 17/102: {in field-effect transistor switches} - H03K 17/223: {in field-effect transistor switches} - H10D 62/8325: {Silicon carbide} - H10D 62/8503: {Nitride Group III-V materials, e.g. AlN or GaN} - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES ## Abstract An apparatus includes a power semiconductor switch, a driver circuit configured to drive a control terminal of the power semiconductor switch, and a control circuit configured to apply a control signal to the driver circuit responsive to a comparison of a reference voltage to a voltage at the control terminal of the semiconductor switch. In some embodiments, the power semiconductor switch may include a field effect transistor (FET), such as a wide bandgap silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET. The control terminal may include a gate terminal of the FET, and the voltage at the control terminal may include a gate voltage. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a first power semiconductor switch; a second power semiconductor switch coupled in series or in parallel with the first semiconductor switch; a first driver circuit configured to drive a control terminal of the first power semiconductor switch responsive to a first control signal; a second driver circuit configured to drive a control terminal of the second power semiconductor switch responsive to a second control signal; a first control circuit configured to generate the first control signal responsive to a drive signal that commands transitions of the first and second semiconductor switches between off and on states in unison, the first control circuit generating the first control signal according to a comparison of a voltage at the control terminal of the first semiconductor switch to a first reference voltage that varies for transitions of the first semiconductor switch between the off and on states in a manner defined by a first predetermined profile to provide a desired dynamic behavior for the voltage at the control terminal of the first semiconductor switch for the transitions of the first semiconductor switch between the off and on states; and a second control circuit configured to generate the second control signal responsive to the drive signal, the second control circuit generating the second control signal according to a comparison of a voltage at the control terminal of the second semiconductor switch to a second reference voltage that varies for transitions of the second semiconductor switch between the off and on states in a manner defined by a second predetermined profile to provide a desired dynamic behavior for the voltage at the control terminal of the second semiconductor switch for the transitions of the second semiconductor switch between the off and on states. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second power semiconductor comprise respective field effect transistors (FETs), wherein the control terminals of the first and second semiconductor switches comprise gate terminals, and wherein the voltages at the control terminals of the first and second semiconductor switches comprise gate voltages. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the FETs comprise wide bandgap FETs. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the FETs comprise silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second driver circuits comprise respective totem-pole circuits and wherein the first and second control circuits apply the first and second control signals to control terminals of first and second transistors of the totem-pole circuits. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first and second power semiconductor switches comprise respective FETs, wherein the control terminals of the first and second semiconductor switches comprise gate terminals, and wherein the voltages at the control terminals of the first and second semiconductor switches comprise gate voltages. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the FETs comprise wide bandgap FETs and wherein the first and second transistors comprise wide bandgap transistors. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the FETs comprise SiC MOSFETs and wherein the first and second transistors of the totem-pole circuits comprise gallium nitride (GaN) transistors. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first control circuit comprises a first reference voltage generator configured to generate the first reference voltage responsive to the drive signal, wherein the first reference voltage conforms to a first reference voltage profile stored by the first reference voltage generator, wherein the second control circuit comprises a second reference voltage generator configured to generate the second reference voltage responsive to the drive signal, and wherein the second reference voltage conforms to a second reference voltage profile stored by the second reference voltage generator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first and second reference voltage profiles are adjustable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a reference voltage profile generator configured to adjust the first and second reference voltage profiles responsive to sensed parameters of the first and second power semiconductor switches.