Programmable gate voltage for on resistance control of power module
AssigneeRenesas Electronics Corporation
InventorTakashi Fujita
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Semiconductor devices, systems and methods are described. A semiconductor device can include a driver configured to output a gate current to drive a power module. The semiconductor device can further include a buffer configured to buffer a reference voltage that is less than a supply voltage being provided to the driver. The semiconductor device can further include a controller configured to determine a gate voltage of the power module is equivalent to the reference voltage. The controller can, in response to determination that the gate voltage is equivalent to the reference voltage, disable the driver to cause the driver to stop providing the gate current to the power module and enable the buffer to supply the reference voltage to the power module.
Claims20
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a driver configured to output a gate voltage to drive a power module;
- a buffer configured to buffer a reference voltage that is less than a supply voltage being provided to the driver;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- determine the gate voltage is equivalent to the reference voltage;
- and
- in response to determination that the gate voltage is equivalent to the reference voltage:
- disable the driver to cause the driver to stop providing the gate voltage to the power module;
- and
- enable the buffer to supply the reference voltage to the power module to maintain the gate voltage of the power module at the reference voltage while the driver is disabled.
A system comprising:
- a first controller configured to generate a control signal;
- a power module;
- a gate driver configured to drive the power module according to the control signal, the gate driver comprising:
- a driver configured to output a gate voltage to drive the power module;
- a buffer configured to buffer a reference voltage that is less than a supply voltage being provided to the driver;
- and
- a second controller configured to:
- determine the gate voltage is equivalent to the reference voltage;
- and
- in response to determination that the gate voltage is equivalent to the reference voltage:
- disable the driver to cause the driver to stop providing the gate voltage to the power module;
- and
- enable the buffer to supply the reference voltage to the power module to maintain the gate voltage of the power module at the reference voltage while the driver is disabled.
A method comprising:
- outputting, by a gate driver, a gate voltage to drive a power module;
- determining, by the gate driver, the gate voltage is equivalent to a reference voltage that is less than a supply voltage being provided to the gate driver;
- and
- in response to determining that the gate voltage is equivalent to the reference voltage:
- disabling, by the gate driver, the output of the gate voltage to the power module;
- and
- supplying, by the gate driver, the reference voltage to the power module to maintain the gate voltage of the power module at the reference voltage while the output of the gate voltage is disabled.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.