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US 2006/0038547 A1Published application
Adaptive gate drive voltage circuit
AssigneeInternational Rectifier Corporation
InventorFaisal Ahmad
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A circuit and method for reducing losses in a DC/DC converter by optimizing gate drive voltage. The circuit and method detect a change in the output load, or more specifically the output current, and adjust the gate voltage accordingly; in other words, providing adaptive gate drive voltage. In response to a reduction of output current, the invention reduces the gate voltage so as to reduce both conduction and switching losses in the semiconductor switching devices in the output stage.
Claims21
A DC/DC converter comprising:
- at least one switching device responsive to a drive signal having a drive voltage level, for receiving DC input power and delivering DC output current to an output circuit of said converter;
- a driver for supplying said drive signal to said switching device;
- and
- an adaptive drive voltage circuit which senses said DC output current, and in response thereto, sets said drive voltage level to be supplied by said driver to said switching device.
1 more element
A method of controlling a DC/DC converter, said converter comprising:
- at least one switching device responsive to a drive signal having a drive voltage level, for receiving DC input power and delivering DC output current to an output circuit of said converter;
- and a driver for supplying said drive signal to said switching device;
- said method comprising the steps of:
- sensing said DC output current, and
- in response thereto, setting said drive voltage level to be supplied by said driver to said switching device.
2 more elements
A DC/DC converter comprising:
- a pair of semiconductor switching devices for receiving DC input power and delivering DC output current to an output circuit of said converter connected to said pair of semiconductor switching devices;
- a pair of drivers, each for supplying a respective gate drive signal to a corresponding gate of one of said switching devices, said gate drive signals having a gate drive voltage level;
- and
- an adaptive drive voltage circuit which senses said DC output current, and in response thereto, sets said gate drive voltage level of said gate drive signals to be supplied by said drivers to said switching devices.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.