Circuit arrangement and method for actuating a semiconductor switch connected in series with an inductive load

Abstract

A circuit arrangement is provided for actuating a semiconductor switch connected in series with an inductive load. The circuit includes a first input terminal for supplying an input signal which governs whether the semiconductor switch is on or off, a second input terminal for supplying a voltage measurement signal, and an output terminal for providing an actuation signal for the semiconductor switch. Connected between the first input terminal and the output terminal is a driver circuit which, for a given level of the input signal, takes a control signal as a basis for generating an actuation signal having a first or a second signal profile. To generate the control signal, a control signal generation circuit is provided which takes a stipulation by the first input signal as a basis for sensing a value of the voltage measurement signal in order to provide a sample value and generates the control signal on the basis of a comparison between the instantaneous voltage measurement signal, or a signal which is dependent thereon, and a reference value which is dependent on the sample value, or the sample value itself.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.