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US 2026/0280550 A1Published application
Transistor device and method of operating a transistor device
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsMassimo GRASSO, Daniele MIATTON
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A transistor device is provided including a first device load terminal, a second device load terminal and a device control terminal. The device includes a transistor. A first transistor load terminal is coupled to the first device load terminal, a second transistor load terminal is coupled to a second device load terminal, and a transistor control terminal is coupled to the device control terminal via a variable impedance element. An overload detection circuit switches the variable impedance element from a first state with lower impedance to a second state with higher impedance in response to detecting an overload condition.
Claims21
A transistor device, comprising:
- a first device load terminal;
- a second device load terminal;
- a device control terminal;
- a transistor having a first transistor load terminal coupled to the first device load terminal, a second transistor load terminal coupled to the second device load terminal, and a transistor control terminal coupled to the device control terminal;
- a variable impedance element coupled between the device control terminal and the transistor control terminal;
- an overload detection circuit configured to switch the variable impedance element from a first state with a first impedance to a second state with a second impedance in response to detecting an overload condition;
- and
- a power management unit configured to generate at least one of a reference voltage or a reference current to supply the overload detection circuit based on an electrical condition at or associated with the device control terminal,
- wherein the power management unit includes a first impedance element, a voltage reference element, a first further transistor, and a second impedance element,
- wherein the first impedance element and the voltage reference element are coupled, at a first node, in series with the device control terminal and ground,
- wherein the first further transistor and the second impedance element are coupled, at a second node, in series with the device control terminal and ground,
- wherein the first node is coupled to a transistor control terminal of the first further transistor,
- wherein the second node is configured to provide at least a portion of the reference voltage, and
- wherein the power management unit includes at least one additional transistor that is coupled to the device control terminal and is configured to provide at least a portion of the reference current.
11 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a transistor device, comprising:
- a first device load terminal;
- a second device load terminal;
- a device control terminal;
- a transistor having a first transistor load terminal coupled to the first device load terminal, a second transistor load terminal coupled to the second device load terminal, and a transistor control terminal coupled to the device control terminal;
- a variable impedance element coupled between the device control terminal and the transistor control terminal;
- an overload detection circuit configured to switch the variable impedance element from a first state with first impedance to a second state with second impedance in response to detecting an overload condition;
- and
- a power management unit configured to generate at least one of a reference voltage or a reference current to supply the overload detection circuit based on a voltage at the device control terminal;
- and
- an overload protection circuit outside the transistor device and configured to detect the overload condition and to switch the transistor device off in response to detecting the overload condition,
- wherein the power management unit includes a first impedance element, a voltage reference element, a first further transistor, and a second impedance element,
- wherein the first impedance element and the voltage reference element are coupled, at a first node, in series with the device control terminal and ground,
- wherein the first further transistor and the second impedance element are coupled, at a second node, in series with the device control terminal and ground,
- wherein the first node is coupled to a transistor control terminal of the first further transistor,
- wherein the second node is configured to provide at least a portion of the reference voltage, and
- wherein the power management unit includes at least one additional transistor that is coupled to the device control terminal and is configured to provide at least a portion of the reference current.
14 more elements
A method for operating a transistor device, comprising:
- detecting, by an overload detection circuit, an overload condition;
- switching, by the overload detection circuit, a variable impedance element coupled between a driver and a control terminal of a transistor from a first state with first impedance to a second state with second impedance in response to detecting the overload condition;
- receiving a voltage at a device control terminal;
- converting, by a power management unit, the voltage at the device control terminal into a reference voltage and a reference current;
- and
- utilizing, by the overload detection circuit, the reference voltage and the reference current for detecting the overload condition,
- wherein the power management unit includes a first impedance element, a voltage reference element, a first further transistor, and a second impedance element,
- wherein the first impedance element and the voltage reference element are coupled, at a first node, in series with the device control terminal and ground,
- wherein the first further transistor and the second impedance element are coupled, at a second node, in series with the device control terminal and ground,
- wherein the first node is coupled to a transistor control terminal of the first further transistor,
- wherein the second node is configured to provide at least a portion of the reference voltage, and
- wherein the power management unit includes at least one additional transistor that is coupled to the device control terminal and is configured to provide at least a portion of the reference current.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.