US 12,574,021 B2 · Zero-current turn-off driver with safety turn-off functionality

Abstract

The present application relates to a gate driver including a zero-crossing detection circuit and a control signal generation circuit. The zero-crossing detection circuit receives a load current signal indicative of a load current of a power switch, detects a zero crossing of the load current, and generates a zero-crossing detection signal based on the detected zero-crossing. The control signal generation circuit receives an input control signal indicative of one of a turn-on and a turn-off of the power switch. If the input control signal is indicative of the turn-off of the power switch, the control signal generation circuit generates a turn-off signal based on the zero-crossing detection signal, determines if a time-out interval subsequent to the indication of the turn-off has expired, generates the turn-off signal regardless of the zero-crossing detection signal if the turn-off time interval has expired, and provides the turn-off signal to the power switch.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A gate driver configured to control a power switch, comprising:

a zero-crossing detection circuit configured to:
receive a load current signal indicative of a load current of the power switch,
detect a zero-crossing of the load current based on the received load current signal, and
generate a zero-crossing detection signal based on the detected zero-crossing of the load current signal;
and
a control signal generation circuit coupled to the zero-crossing detection circuit and configured to:
receive an input control signal indicative of one of a turn-on and a turn-off of the power switch, and
based on the input control signal indicating, with an indication of the turn-off, the turn-off of the power switch:
generate a turn-off signal based on the zero-crossing detection signal,
determine whether a time-out interval subsequent to the indication of the turn-off has expired,
generate the turn-off signal regardless of the zero-crossing detection signal based on the time-out interval expiring, and
provide the turn-off signal to a control terminal of the power switch.

9 more elements

A method for controlling a power switch using a gate driver, comprising:

receiving a load current signal indicative of a load current of the power switch;
detecting a zero-crossing of the load current based on the received load current signal;
generating a zero-crossing detection signal based on the detected zero-crossing of the load current signal;
receiving an input control signal indicative of one of a turn-on and a turn-off of the power switch;
and
based on the input control signal indicating, with an indication of the turn-off, the turn-off of the power switch:
generating a turn-off signal based on the zero-crossing detection signal;
determining whether a time-out interval subsequent to the indication of the turn-off has expired;
generating the turn-off signal regardless of the zero-crossing detection signal based on the time-out interval expiring;
and
providing the turn-off signal to a control terminal of the power switch.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Zero-current turn-off driver with safety turn-off functionality

Life of this patent

Zero-current turn-off driver with safety turn-off functionality

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13