# US 2019/0356128 A1 · Semiconductor device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0356128 A1 - Document ID: US20190356128A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/405,516 - Filed: 2019-05-07 - Published: 2019-11-21 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-18 - Assignees: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Naoki SHIMIZU - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190356128A1 ## CPC - H02H 7/205: {for controlled semi-conductors which are not included in a specific circuit arrangement} - G08B 21/182: {Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold} - H02H 1/0007: {concerning the detecting means (in general G01R or other subclasses of G01; reed switches H01H71/2445)} - H03K 17/08116: {in composite switches (H03K17/0812, H03K17/0814 take precedence)} - H03K 2017/0806: {against excessive temperature} - H02H: EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS (indicating or signalling undesired working conditions G01R, e.g. G01R31/00, G08B; locating faults along lines G01R31/08; emergency protective devices H01H) - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract Power cycle life of an intelligent power module that includes an IGBT is estimated by an abnormality detection circuit(s) while a chip temperature detection circuit or a case temperature detection circuit is outputting a chip overheating warning signal or a case overheating warning signal. Once the estimated power cycle life has reached a prescribed value, the abnormality detection circuit outputs an abnormality detection signal to forcedly and permanently stop operation of a driver circuit that drives an IGBT. The abnormality detection circuit may include a prescribed period calculation circuit that calculates the duration of the warning signal, a prescribed count calculation circuit that calculates the number of times the warning signal has been generated, and/or a cumulative time calculation circuit that calculates that the cumulative duration of periods in which the warning signal has been generated so as to estimate the power cycle life of the intelligent power module. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A semiconductor device, comprising: a power semiconductor device; a control IC including a driver circuit to drive the power semiconductor device and a protection circuit to protect the power semiconductor device; a case that houses the power semiconductor device and the control IC; a chip temperature detector connected to the control IC to measure a chip temperature of the power semiconductor device; and a case temperature detector connected to the control IC to measure a case temperature that is defined as a temperature at a portion of the semiconductor device other than the power semiconductor device, wherein the protection circuit in the control IC includes: a chip temperature detection circuit that, when the chip temperature rises and exceeds a first threshold, outputs a chip overheating warning signal so that a warning is communicated to a user, and, when the chip temperature further rises and exceeds a second threshold higher than the first threshold, outputs a chip overheating protection signal to the driver circuit so as to cause the driver circuit to stop switching operation of the power semiconductor device until the chip temperature returns to normal; a case temperature detection circuit that, when the case temperature rises and exceeds a third threshold, outputs a case overheating warning signal so that a warning is communicated to the user, and, when the case temperature further rises and exceeds a fourth threshold higher than the third threshold, outputs a case overheating protection signal to the driver circuit so as to cause the driver circuit to stop switching operation of the power semiconductor device until the case temperature returns to normal; and an abnormality detection circuit connected to one of the chip temperature detection circuit and the case temperature detection circuit to receive the chip overheating warning signal or the case overheating warning signal, the abnormality detection circuit estimating power cycle life of semiconductor device by processing the received chip or case overheating warning signal, and, when the estimated power cycle life has reached a prescribed threshold, generates and outputs an abnormality detection signal to the driver circuit so as to cause the driver circuit to forcedly and permanently stop the switching operation of the power semiconductor device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the abnormality detection circuit includes at least one of a prescribed period calculation circuit that determines whether that the chip overheating warning signal or the case overheating warning signal has continued for more than a prescribed duration of time, a prescribed count calculation circuit that determines whether a number of times the abnormality detection circuit received the chip overheating warning signal or the case overheating warning signal has exceeded a prescribed count, and a cumulative time calculation circuit that determines whether a cumulative duration of periods in which the abnormality detection circuit received the chip overheating warning signal or the case overheating warning signal has reached a prescribed threshold cumulative duration. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the abnormality detection circuit includes the prescribed period calculation circuit, and the prescribed period calculation circuit includes an oscillator circuit, a counter circuit that counts a number of pulses outputted from the oscillator circuit and that outputs the abnormality detection signal when the counted number reached a prescribed count, and a reset circuit that resets the count up timer every time the abnormality detection circuit receives the chip overheating warning signal or the case overheating warning signal is input. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the abnormality detection circuit includes the prescribed count calculation circuit, and the prescribed count calculation circuit includes a counter circuit that counts a number of times the abnormality detection circuit received the chip overheating warning signal or the case overheating warning signal and outputs the abnormality detection signal when the counted number has reached the prescribed count, and a reset circuit that resets the counter circuit when the semiconductor device is initially powered on. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the cumulative time calculation circuit includes an oscillator circuit, a counter circuit that counts a number of pulses received from the oscillator circuit and that outputs the abnormality detection signal when the counted number has reached a prescribed threshold, a reset circuit that resets the counter circuit when the semiconductor device is initially powered on, and an AND circuit that is arranged between the oscillator circuit and the counter circuit and that allows the pulses by the oscillator circuit to be input to the counter circuit only while the abnormality detection circuit is receiving the chip overheating warning signal or the case overheating warning signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the abnormality detection circuit is connected to the chip temperature detection circuit to receive the chip overheating warning, wherein the semiconductor device further comprises another abnormality detection circuit connected to the case temperature detection circuit to receive the case overheating warning signal, the another abnormality detection circuit estimating the power cycle life of semiconductor device by processing the received case overheating warning signal, and, when the estimated power cycle life has reached a prescribed threshold, generates and outputs another abnormality detection signal to the driver circuit so as to cause the driver circuit to forcedly and permanently stop the switching operation of the power semiconductor device, and wherein the driver circuit forcedly and permanently stops the switching operation of the power semiconductor device when at least one of the abnormality detection signal and said another abnormality detection signal is generated. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein the abnormality detection circuit includes at least one of a prescribed period calculation circuit that determines whether that the chip overheating warning signal has continued for more than a prescribed duration of time, a prescribed count calculation circuit that determines whether a number of times the abnormality detection circuit received the chip overheating warning signal has exceeded a prescribed count, and a cumulative time calculation circuit that determines whether a cumulative duration of periods in which the abnormality detection circuit received the chip overheating warning signal has reached a prescribed threshold cumulative duration, and wherein the another abnormality detection circuit includes at least one of a prescribed period calculation circuit that determines whether that the case overheating warning signal has continued for more than a prescribed duration of time, a prescribed count calculation circuit that determines whether a number of times the abnormality detection circuit received the case overheating warning signal has exceeded a prescribed count, and a cumulative time calculation circuit that determines whether a cumulative duration of periods in which the abnormality detection circuit received the case overheating warning signal has reached a prescribed threshold cumulative duration.