Avalanche triggered overvoltage protection
AssigneeSignify Holding B.V.
InventorBERND CLAUBERG
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device, system and method protects from overvoltages. A power control device includes a component (310) configured to be powered according to a duty cycle. The power control device includes a controller (330) configured to determine the duty cycle that places the component on or off. The power control device includes a comparator (335) configured to determine when the duty cycle is off and an overvoltage is being experienced by the component. When the duty cycle is off and the overvoltage is being experienced by the component, the comparator selects a circuit pathway (345, 350) including a clamping device (350).
Claims15
A power control device, comprising:
- a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) configured to be controlled according to a duty cycle;
- a controller configured to determine the duty cycle that places the MOSFET in a high/on or low/off state;
- a comparator configured to determine when the duty cycle is low/off and an overvoltage is being experienced by the MOSFET,
- wherein, when the duty cycle is low/off and the overvoltage is being experienced by the MOSFET, the comparator engages a clamping device connected to the MOSFET, wherein the clamping device includes a rectifier in series with a suppressor, wherein the rectifier is a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) and the suppressor is a metal oxide varistor (MOV);
- and
- wherein, when the duty cycle is off and the overvoltage is being experienced by the MOSFET, the comparator the engages the MOV of the clamping device.
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A method, comprising:
- determining a duty cycle that places a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) to be powered according to the duty cycle on or off;
- determining whether the duty cycle is off and an overvoltage is flowing through the MOSFET;
- and
- when the duty cycle is off and the overvoltage is flowing through the MOSFET, engaging a clamping device connected to the MOSFET, wherein the clamping device includes a rectifier in series with a suppressor, wherein the rectifier is a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) and the suppressor is a metal oxide varistor (MOV);
- wherein, when the duty cycle is off and the overvoltage is being experienced by the MOSFET, the comparator engages the MOV of the clamping device.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.