Control of an anode-gate thyristor
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics (Tours) SAS
InventorsGhafour BENABDELAZIZ, Romain PICHON
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A circuit for controlling an anode-gate thyristor includes a first transistor that couples a thyristor gate to a first terminal to receive a potential lower than a potential of a second terminal connected to the thyristor anode. A control terminal of the first transistor is driven by a control signal which is positive with respect to the potential of the first terminal.
Claims28
A circuit for controlling an anode-gate thyristor in the rectification of an AC voltage, comprising:
- a first transistor coupling a gate of the anode-gate thyristor to a first terminal which is at a first potential;
- wherein the first potential is lower than a second potential at a second terminal, wherein the second terminal is connected to an anode of the anode-gate thyristor;
- and
- wherein the first transistor has a control terminal receiving a control signal which is positive with respect to the first potential of the first terminal, the control signal being time-invariant during a halfwave of the AC voltage.
A circuit for controlling an AC load connected in series with an anode-gate thyristor between first and second nodes which receive an AC voltage, comprising:
- a transistor coupling a gate of the anode-gate thyristor to a first terminal at a first potential, wherein the first potential is lower than a second potential at the second node which is connected to an anode of the anode-gate thyristor;
- and
- wherein the transistor has a control terminal receiving a first control signal which is positive with respect to the first potential of the first terminal, the control signal being time-invariant during a halfwave of the AC voltage.
A circuit, comprising:
- first and second AC terminals receiving an AC voltage for rectification;
- a first branch comprising:
- a first thyristor having a cathode connected to the first AC terminal, an anode connected to a ground node, and a first gate;
- and
- a first transistor having a collector coupled to the first gate, an emitter coupled to a first terminal at a first potential, and a base coupled to receive a first control signal which actuates the first transistor for a duration of a positive halfwave of the AC voltage;
- and
- a second branch comprising:
- a second thyristor having a cathode coupled to the second AC terminal, an anode connected to the ground node, and a second gate;
- a second transistor having a collector coupled to the second gate, an emitter coupled to the first terminal at the first potential, and a base coupled to receive a second control signal which actuates the second transistor for a duration of a negative halfwave of the AC voltage.
A circuit for controlling an anode-gate thyristor in the rectification of an AC voltage, comprising:
- a first transistor coupling a gate of the anode-gate thyristor to a first terminal which is at a first potential;
- wherein the first potential is lower than a second potential at a second terminal, wherein the second terminal is connected to an anode of the anode-gate thyristor;
- and
- wherein the first transistor has a control terminal receiving a control signal which is positive with respect to the first potential of the first terminal, and wherein the control signal does not pulse with respect to the frequency of the AC voltage applied across the control thyristor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.