Devices and systems comprising drivers for power conversion circuits

A method for driving a power transistor comprising a cascode arrangement of a normally-on high voltage power transistor and a normally-off low voltage driver FET, comprising:

• generating in a driver circuit a gate control signal for the driver FET by steps comprising:
• receiving differential input control signals A and B generating pulses comprising differential and non-differential edge transitions;
• coupling input control signals A and B to power harvesting means for generating, from pulses comprising non-differential edge transitions, a supply voltage Vcc, Vcc′ for the driver circuit;
• and
• coupling input control signals A and B to latch means for generating, from differential edge transitions, an output gate control signal for controlling switching of the driver MOSFET.

A method for generating an output control signal for driving the gate of a power transistor, comprising the steps of:

• generating differential control signals A and B comprising a series of pulses comprising differential edge transitions and non-differential edge transitions;
• providing to differential input circuitry, through input isolation means, the differential control signals A and B;
• coupling inputs A and B to power harvesting means and generating from pulses comprising non-differential or differential edge transitions a supply voltage Vcc and Vcc′;
• coupling inputs A and B to latch means for extracting, from differential edge transitions, a switching control signal;
• and
• coupling the switching control signal through a pre-driver for driving the gate of the power transistor.

A system for generating an output control signal for driving the gate of a power transistor, comprising:

• means for generating differential input control signals A and B comprising a series of pulses comprising differential edge transitions and non-differential edge transitions;
• input isolation means for receiving differential input control signals A and B;
• power harvesting means for receiving inputs A and B and generating from pulses comprising non-differential edge transitions a supply voltage Vcc and Vcc′;
• latch means for receiving inputs A and B and extracting from differential edge transitions a switching control signal;
• and
• a pre-driver means for coupling the switching control signal to the gate of the power transistor.