# US 12,218,124 B2 · Gate control circuit, semiconductor device, electronic apparatus, and vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,218,124 B2 - Document ID: US12218124B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/049,731 - Filed: 2022-10-26 - Published: 2023-05-04 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-10-28 - Assignees: Rohm Co., Ltd. - Applicants: ROHM Co., LTD. - Inventors: Toru Takuma; Adrian Joita; Shuntaro Takahashi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12218124B2 ## CPC - H03K 19/018521: {of complementary type, e.g. CMOS} - H02M 3/156: with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators - H03K 17/063: {in field-effect transistor switches} - H03K 17/0822: {in field-effect transistor switches} - H10D 84/148: {the built-in components being breakdown diodes, e.g. Zener diodes} - H10D 89/611: {using diodes as protective elements} - H02M 1/08: Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters - 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) - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES ## Abstract Disclosed is a gate control circuit that generates a gate control signal of an output transistor connected between an application end of a power supply voltage and an application end of an output voltage. The gate control circuit includes a first current source connected between the application end of the power supply voltage and the application end of the output voltage, a second current source connected between an application end of a booster voltage and an application end of a reference voltage, the booster voltage being raised to a voltage value higher than the power supply voltage in a steady state, an output stage that uses at least one of the first and second current sources to generate a gate charge current for charging a gate of the output transistor, and a controller that uses at least one of the first and second current sources according to the output voltage. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gate control circuit that generates a gate control signal of an output transistor connected between an application end of a power supply voltage and an application end of an output voltage, the gate control circuit comprising: a first current source connected between the application end of the power supply voltage and the application end of the output voltage; a second current source connected between an application end of a booster voltage and an application end of a reference voltage, the booster voltage being raised to a voltage value higher than the power supply voltage in a steady state; an output stage that uses at least one of the first current source and the second current source to generate a gate charge current for charging a gate of the output transistor; and a controller that uses at least one of the first current source and the second current source according to the output voltage. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gate control circuit according to claim 1, further comprising: a first switch connected between the first current source and the output stage; and a second switch connected between the second current source and the output stage, wherein the controller turns on/off the first switch and the second switch according to the output voltage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The gate control circuit according to claim 2, wherein the controller receives input of an input control signal pulsed between the power supply voltage and the reference voltage, to generate a first switch control signal to be pulsed between the power supply voltage and a first intermediate voltage and to generate a second switch control signal to be pulsed between a second intermediate voltage and the reference voltage, and outputs the first switch control signal and the second switch control signal to the first switch and the second switch, respectively. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The gate control circuit according to claim 3, wherein the reference voltage