# US 2026/0100573 A1 · Driver circuit with real-time thermal management > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0100573 A1 - Document ID: US20260100573A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 19/351,809 - Filed: 2025-10-07 - Published: 2026-04-09 - Earliest claimed: 2024-10-08 - Assignees: Infineon Technologies AG - Applicants: Infineon Technologies AG - Inventors: Mirko BERNARDONI; Christian DJELASSI-TSCHECK; Robert ILLING; Ioan-Alexandru TRANCA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260100573A1 ## CPC - H02H 5/047: {using a temperature responsive switch} - H02M 1/327: {against abnormal temperatures} - G01K 7/01: using semiconducting elements having PN junctions (G01K7/02, G01K7/16, G01K7/30 take precedence) - H02M 1/08: Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters - H03K 17/0822: {in field-effect transistor switches} - H03K 2217/0081: Power supply means, e.g. to the switch driver - 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) - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00) - 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 An electronic circuit for driving an electronic switch is described herein. In one embodiment, the electronic circuit includes a driver circuit configured to provide a drive signal for the electronic switch in accordance with a control signal, and a multiplier configured to receive, as input signals, a current sense signal representing a current flowing through a load current path of the electronic switch and a voltage sense signal representing a voltage drop across the load current path of the electronic switch. The electronic circuit further includes an estimator circuit configured to receive a multiplier output signal from the multiplier and to generate, based on the multiplier output signal, a temperature signal representing an estimated temperature of the electronic switch. Furthermore, the electronic circuit includes a control circuit configured to receive the temperature signal and to generate, based on the temperature signal, the control signal for the driver circuit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic circuit (10) comprising: a driver circuit (14) configured to provide a drive signal (SON′) for an electronic switch (40) in accordance with a control signal (SON); a multiplier (15) configured to receive, as input signals, a current sense signal (SCS) representing a load current (iL) passing through a load current path of the electronic switch (40) and a voltage sense signal (SVS) representing a voltage drop (VDS) across the load current path; an estimator circuit (13) configured to receive a multiplier output signal (PSW) from the multiplier (15) and to generate, based on the multiplier output signal (PSW), a temperature signal (TSW) representing an estimated temperature of the electronic switch (40); a control circuit (12) configured to receive the temperature signal (TSW) and to generate, based on the temperature signal (TSW), the control signal (SON) for the driver circuit (14). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to output the control signal (SON) with a first level that causes the driver circuit to switch off the electronic switch (40) when the temperature signal (TSW) exceeds a first threshold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electronic circuit of claim 2, wherein the control circuit is configured to output the control signal (SON) with a second level that causes the driver circuit to switch on the electronic switch (40) when the temperature signal (TSW) falls below a second threshold. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The electronic circuit of any of claim 2, wherein the control circuit is configured to output the control signal (SON) with the first level that causes the driver circuit to switch off the electronic switch (40) when the temperature signal (TSW) exceeds a third threshold and to keep the electronic switch in an off state (40) until a reset. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The electronic circuit of claim 2, wherein the first threshold and the second threshold represent temperature differences between a junction temperature of an active area of the electronic switch (40) and a chip temperature remote from the active area. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the estimator circuit includes a low-pass filter, wherein the temperature signal (TSW) represents the low-pass filtered multiplier output signal (PSW). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the estimator circuit emulates a thermal response of the electronic switch using the multiplier output signal (PSW) as input. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the estimator circuit is configured to receive one or more parameters (SCF) representing at least one filter parameter, such as filter gain and filter time constant. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit further comprises: an analog-to-digital converter circuit configured to convert the current sense signal (SCS) and the voltage sense signal (SVS) into a digital current sense signal (SCS′) and a digital voltage sense signal (SVS′), respectively, wherein the multiplier is configured to multiply the digital current sense signal (SCS′) and digital voltage sense signal (SVS′). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the control circuit comprises a first comparator configured to receive the temperature signal (TSW). ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The electronic circuit of claim 10, wherein the first comparator has a hysteresis. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the control circuit comprises a first comparator configured to receive the temperature signal (TSW) and a reference signal (TREF) representing a temperature threshold. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electronic circuit of claim 12, wherein the control circuit further comprises a-logic circuit configured to receive an output signal of the first comparator and an input signal (SIN) of the electronic circuit, and wherein the logic circuit outputs the control signal (SON) for the driver circuit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit further comprises a communication interface coupled to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to receive, via the communication interface, information from an external controller via the communication interface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The electronic circuit of claim 14, wherein the communication interface is coupled to the estimator circuit, wherein the estimator circuit is configured to receive, via the communication interface, information from the external controller via the communication interface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electronic circuit of claim 15, wherein the information received by the estimator circuit from the communication interface is stored in a non-volatile memory. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The electronic circuit of claim 14, wherein the communication interface is configured to receive data representing at least one filter parameter (SCF) from the external controller. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The electronic circuit of claim 1, further comprising: at least one first chip contact configured to receive the current sense signal (SCS) and at least one second chip contact configured to receive the voltage sense signal (SVS). ### Claim 19 A system comprising; an electronic switch integrated in a first semiconductor die; an electronic circuit integrated in a second semiconductor die, the electronic circuit comprising: a driver circuit configured to provide a drive signal (SON′) to the electronic switch in accordance with a control signal (SON); a multiplier configured to receive, as input signals, a current sense signal (SCS) representing a load current (iL) passing through a load current path of the electronic switch and a voltage sense signal (SVS) representing a voltage drop (VDS) across the load current path; an estimator circuit configured to receive a multiplier output signal (PSW) from the multiplier and to generate, based on the multiplier output signal (PSW), a temperature signal (TSW) representing an estimated temperature of the electronic switch; a control circuit configured to receive the temperature signal (TSW) and to generate, based on the temperature signal (TSW), the control signal (SON) for the driver circuit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the first semiconductor die and the second semiconductor die are integrated in one chip package.