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US 12,658,910 B2Granted
Transistor device and method of operating a transistor device
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsMassimo Grasso, Daniele Miatton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A transistor device is provided including a first device load terminal, a second device load terminal and a device control terminal. The device includes a transistor. A first transistor load terminal is coupled to the first device load terminal, a second transistor load terminal is coupled to a second device load terminal, and a transistor control terminal is coupled to the device control terminal via a variable impedance element. An overload detection circuit switches the variable impedance element from a first state with lower impedance to a second state with higher impedance in response to detecting an overload condition.
Claims20
A transistor device, comprising:
- a first device load terminal;
- a second device load terminal;
- a device control terminal;
- a transistor having a first transistor load terminal coupled to the first device load terminal, a second transistor load terminal coupled to the second device load terminal, and a transistor control terminal coupled to the device control terminal;
- a variable impedance element coupled between the device control terminal and the transistor control terminal;
- an overload detection circuit configured to switch the variable impedance element from a first state with lower impedance to a second state with higher impedance in response to detecting an overload condition;
- and
- a power management unit configured to generate a reference voltage and a reference current to supply the overload detection circuit based on a voltage at the device control terminal,
- wherein the overload detection circuit is further configured to modify a signal at the transistor control terminal to mitigate the overload condition in response to detecting the overload condition,
- wherein the overload detection circuit is configured to modify the signal at the transistor control terminal by modifying the signal at the transistor control terminal to different signal levels over time,
- wherein the power management unit includes a first resistor, a Zener diode, a first further transistor, and a second resistor,
- wherein the first resistor and the Zener diode are coupled, at a first node, in series with the device control terminal and ground,
- wherein the first further transistor and the second resistor are coupled, at a second node, in series with the device control terminal and ground,
- wherein the first node is coupled to a transistor control terminal of the first further transistor,
- wherein the second node is configured to provide the reference voltage,
- wherein the power management unit includes a second further transistor and a third further transistor having respective transistor control terminals coupled together,
- wherein the second further transistor, arranged between the device control terminal and the first further transistor, is coupled in series with the first further transistor, and
- wherein the third further transistor is coupled to the device control terminal and is configured to provide the reference current.
15 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a transistor device, comprising:
- a first device load terminal;
- a second device load terminal;
- a device control terminal;
- a transistor having a first transistor load terminal coupled to the first device load terminal, a second transistor load terminal coupled to the second device load terminal, and a transistor control terminal coupled to the device control terminal;
- a variable impedance element coupled between the device control terminal and the transistor control terminal;
- an overload detection circuit configured to switch the variable impedance element from a first state with lower impedance to a second state with higher impedance in response to detecting an overload condition,
- wherein the overload detection circuit is further configured to modify a signal at the transistor control terminal to mitigate the overload condition in response to detecting the overload condition, and wherein modifying the signal at the transistor control terminal comprises setting the transistor control terminal to a predefined voltage;
- a power management unit configured to generate a reference voltage and a reference current to supply the overload detection circuit based on a voltage at the device control terminal;
- a driver coupled to the device control terminal and configured to provide the voltage to the device control terminal;
- and
- an overload protection circuit outside the transistor device and configured to detect the overload condition and to switch the transistor device off in response to detecting the overload condition,
- wherein the power management unit includes a first resistor, a Zener diode, a first further transistor, and a second resistor,
- wherein the first resistor and the Zener diode are coupled, at a first node, in series with the device control terminal and ground,
- wherein the first further transistor and the second resistor are coupled, at a second node, in series with the device control terminal and ground,
- wherein the first node is coupled to a transistor control terminal of the first further transistor,
- wherein the second node is configured to provide the reference voltage,
- wherein the power management unit includes a second further transistor and a third further transistor having respective transistor control terminals coupled together,
- wherein the second further transistor, arranged between the device control terminal and the first further transistor, is coupled in series with the first further transistor, and
- wherein the third further transistor is coupled to the device control terminal and is configured to provide the reference current.
17 more elements
A method for operating a transistor device, comprising:
- detecting, by an overload detection circuit, an overload condition;
- switching, by the overload detection circuit, a variable impedance element coupled between a driver and a control terminal of a transistor from a first state with lower impedance to a second state with higher impedance in response to detecting the overload condition;
- modifying, by the overload detection circuit, a signal at the control terminal to mitigate the overload condition in response to detecting the overload condition,
- wherein modifying the signal at the control terminal includes modifying the signal at the control terminal to different signal levels over time;
- receiving a voltage at a device control terminal, the signal being derived from the voltage;
- converting, by a power management unit, the voltage at the device control terminal into a reference voltage and a reference current;
- and
- utilizing, by the overload detection circuit, the reference voltage and the reference current for detecting the overload condition,
- wherein the power management unit includes a first resistor, a Zener diode, a first further transistor, and a second resistor,
- wherein the first resistor and the Zener diode are coupled, at a first node, in series with the device control terminal and ground,
- wherein the first further transistor and the second resistor are coupled, at a second node, in series with the device control terminal and ground,
- wherein the first node is coupled to a transistor control terminal of the first further transistor,
- wherein the second node is configured to provide the reference voltage,
- wherein the power management unit includes a second further transistor and a third further transistor having respective transistor control terminals coupled together,
- wherein the second further transistor, arranged between the device control terminal and the first further transistor, is coupled in series with the first further transistor, and
- wherein the third further transistor is coupled to the device control terminal and is configured to provide the reference current.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.