Active rectifier
AssigneeVLT Corporation, a Texas corporation
InventorsJohn Saxelby, Jay Prager, Patrizio Vinciarelli, Estia Eichten
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A switching circuit has an active switch, a controller, and at least two terminals. The at least two terminals include two current control terminals for connection at two locations in another circuit. The controller is configured to turn the active switch off to block current between the two locations when the voltage between the two locations is of a first polarity and otherwise to turn the active switch on to conduct current between the two locations, whether or not the two current control terminals are the only ones of the at least two terminals that are connected to the other circuit.
Claims32
A switching circuit having
- at least two terminals, the at least two terminals including two current control terminals for connection at two locations in another circuit,
- an active switch, and
- a controller configured to turn the active switch off to block current between the two locations when the voltage between the two locations is of a first polarity and otherwise to turn the active switch on to conduct current between the two locations, whether or not the two current control terminals are the only ones of the at least two terminals that are connected to the other circuit.
A method comprising
- turning an active switch off to block current between two locations in a circuit when the voltage between the two locations is of a first polarity and otherwise to turn the active switch on to conduct current between the two locations, without regard to voltages or currents at any other locations in the circuit.
A method comprising
- attaching an end of each of two conductive sheets to a respective one of at least two current carrying terminations of a semiconductor die, and
- attaching another end of each of said two conductive sheets to a respective one of two generally flat connection surfaces of a circuit component so that said switching element is in close proximity to an outer surface of said circuit component.
Apparatus comprising
- two conductive sheets, an end of each of said conductive sheets being attached to a respective one of at least two current carrying terminations of a semiconductor die and another end of each of said conductive sheets being attached to a respective one of two generally flat connection surfaces of a circuit component, said connections being arranged so that said switching element is in close proximity to an outer surface of said circuit component.
Apparatus comprising,
- a substrate,
- a semiconductor die comprising a controlled switching element and current carrying terminations,
- a conductive sheet having an end connected to a surface of said substrate and to one of said current-carrying terminations,
- a conductive strap having an end connected to another of said current-carrying terminations,
- control circuitry for controlling a conductivity state of said switching element, and
- bias circuitry that is configured to use power from the other circuit to provide operating power to the switching circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.