Back to results
US 2017/0274776 A1Published application
Dynamic igbt gate drive to reduce switching loss
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsZhuxian Xu, Chingchi Chen, Xi Lu, Ke Zou
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle powertrain includes an IGBT that conducts current between a supply and load. The vehicle powertrain also includes a controller that applies voltage to a gate of the IGBT at a first level for a first duration that depends on a capacitance of the gate, and increases the voltage over a second duration based on a rate of change of the current falling below a threshold defined by a supply voltage for the load.
Claims14
A vehicle powertrain comprising:
- an IGBT configured to conduct current between a supply and load;
- and
- a controller configured to apply voltage to a gate of the IGBT at a first level for a first duration that depends on a capacitance of the gate, and to increase the voltage over a second duration based on a rate of change of the current falling below a threshold defined by a supply voltage for the load.
A method of controlling an IGBT of a powertrain inverter comprising:
- by a gate driver, applying a voltage at a first level onto a gate of an IGBT for a predetermined time that is based on a capacitance of the gate;
- flowing, by the IGBT in response to the voltage, a current through a collector of the IGBT;
- and
- in response to a rate of change of the current through the IGBT exceeding a predetermined threshold defined by a supply voltage of the inverter, increasing the voltage from the first level to a second level greater than the first level.
1 more element
A vehicle comprising:
- an IGBT configured to selectively conduct current between a supply and load;
- and
- a controller configured to apply a voltage to a gate of the IGBT at a first level for a duration derived from a resistance of the gate, and after the duration expires, control a rate of increase of the voltage based on a rate of change of the current being less than a threshold corresponding to a supply voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.