# US 2021/0344335 A1 · Driving device and method of power device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0344335 A1 - Document ID: US20210344335A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/865,137 - Filed: 2020-05-01 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-01 - Assignees: LEN Technology Limited - Applicants: LEN Technology Limited - Inventors: Jingquan Chen; Chuan Ni; Wei Lu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210344335A1 ## CPC - H03K 17/0828: {in composite switches} - H02H 1/0007: {concerning the detecting means (in general G01R or other subclasses of G01; reed switches H01H71/2445)} - H02H 9/001: {limiting speed of change of electric quantities, e.g. soft switching on or off (progressive control of electronic switches for eliminating interferences H03K17/16)} - 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) - 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) ## Abstract This application discloses a driving device for a power device. It includes a detection module, coupled to the power device, configured to detect the overcurrent status of the power device; a drive module, respectively coupled to the detection module and the power device, configured to regulate the power device according to the detection result of the detection module; wherein, When the detection result is that the power device is in the first overcurrent state, the drive module is configured to cause the power device to enter the first protection mode that is softly turned off and does not respond to the system switching signal; when the detection result is that the power device is in the second overcurrent state, the drive module is configured to cause the power device to enter a second protection mode that is softly turned off but responds to a system switching signal; wherein the overcurrent degree in the first overcurrent state is higher than that of the second overcurrent state. This application also provides a corresponding power device driving method and electrical equipment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A driving device, including: a detection module, configured to be coupled to a power device to detect an overcurrent status of the power device; and a driving module, configured to be respectively coupled to the detection module and the power device to regulate the power device according to a detection result of the detection module, wherein, in response to the detection result indicating that the power device is in a first overcurrent state, the drive module is configured to cause the power device to softly turn off and not to respond to a system switching signal; wherein in response to the detection result indicating that the power device is in a second overcurrent state, the drive module is configured to cause the power device to softly turn off and be responsive to the system switching signal; and wherein the first overcurrent state corresponds to a higher overcurrent value than the second overcurrent state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The driving device according to claim 1, further comprising a switching signal shielding module, coupled between the detection module and the driving module, and configured to shield the system switching signal in response to the detection result of the detection module indicating that that the power device is in the first overcurrent state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The driving device according to claim 1, wherein the detection module includes a first comparator and a second comparator, the first comparator coupled to compare a first threshold value with a first signal of the power device that is related to the overcurrent status of the power device, and the second comparator coupled to compare a second threshold value with the first signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The driving device of claim 3, wherein the first threshold value is greater than the second threshold value. ### Claim 5 A device, including: a detection module, coupled with a power device, and configured to detect an overcurrent status of the power device; a driving module, respectively coupled to the detection module and the power device, and configured to regulate the power device according to a detection result of the detection module, wherein: in response to the detection result indicating that the power device is in a first overcurrent state, the driving module is configured to cause the power device to enter a first protection mode; in response to the detection result indicating that the power device is in a second overcurrent state, the detection module continues to detect the overcurrent status of the power device within a first determined time period; during the first determined time period, in response to that the power device reaches the first overcurrent state, the driving module is configured to cause the power device to enter the first protection mode; and in response to the power device remaining in the second overcurrent state at an end of the first determined time period, the driving module is configured to cause the power device to enter a second protection mode, and wherein the detection module comprises: a first comparator having a first input terminal configured to receive a first threshold value, a second input terminal configured to receive a current sense signal of the power device, and an output terminal coupled to the driving module to provide a first overcurrent state flag; a second comparator having a first input terminal configured to receive a second threshold, a second input configured to receive the current sense signal of the power device, the first threshold being greater than the second threshold; and a delay unit having a first input terminal and a second input terminal respectively coupled to output terminals of the first comparator and the second comparator, and configured to generate the first determined time period and a second state flag signal based on the output signals of the first comparator and the second comparator within or at the end of the first determined time period. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device according to claim 5, further comprising a switching signal shielding module, coupled between the detection module and the driving module, and configured to shield a system switching signal in response to the detection result indicating that the power device is in the first overcurrent state. ### Claim 7 (canceled) ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein the delay unit comprises: a timer device having an input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the second comparator, and configured to start a timer operation when the output signal of the second comparator is asserted, and generate an asserted signal at an output terminal of the timer device after the timer operation expires; a NOT gate having an input terminal coupled to the output of the first comparator; and an AND gate having a first input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the NOT gate, a second input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the timer device, a third input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the second comparator, and an output terminal coupled to the driving module to provide the second state flag signal to the driving module. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The device of claim 6, wherein the switching signal shielding module comprises: a fault detector configured to, in response to the detection result indicating that the power device is in the first overcurrent state, block the system switching signal from reaching to the driving module. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein the fault detector reports an error to a system host in response to the detection result indicating that the power device is in the first overcurrent state. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, further comprising: an adjustment module coupled between the power device and the detection module to generate a current sense signal of the power device; and wherein the detection module detects the overcurrent status of the power device based on the current sense signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, further comprising the power device. ### Claim 13 A driving method, including: detecting a current sensing signal related to an overcurrent status of a power device; in response to the current sense signal being greater than or equal to a first threshold, driving the power device under a first protection mode to cause the power device to softly turn off and not to respond to a system switching signal, the first threshold corresponding to a first overcurrent state; and in response to the current sense signal being greater than or equal to a second threshold and less than the first threshold, driving the power device under a second protection mode to cause the power device to softly turn off and be responsive to the system switching signal, the second threshold corresponding to a second overcurrent state. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein in the first protection mode, the power device is shielded from a system switching signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein in the second protection mode, the power device is not shielded from a system switching signal. ### Claim 16 A driving method for power devices, including: detecting a current sensing signal related to an overcurrent status of a power device; in response to the current sense signal being greater than or equal to a first threshold, driving the power device under a first protection mode to cause the power device to softly turn off and not to respond to a system switching signal, the first threshold corresponding to a first overcurrent state; in response to the current sense signal being greater than or equal to a second threshold and less than the first threshold, monitoring the current sense signal of the power device within a first determined time period, the second threshold corresponding to a second overcurrent state; during the first determined time period, in response to the current sense signal being greater than or equal to the first threshold, driving the power device under the first protection mode to cause the power device to softly turn off and not to respond to the system switching signal; and at the end of the first determined time period, in response to the current sense signal remaining greater than or equal to the second threshold and less than the first threshold, driving the power device under a second protection mode to cause the power device to softly turn off and be responsive to the system switching signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein in the first protection mode, the power device is shielded from a system switching signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the driving the power device under the first protection mode lasts a second time period. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising reporting an error to a system host in response to the current sense signal being greater than or equal to a first threshold. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein in the second protection mode, the power device is not shielded from a system switching signal.