Integrated control circuit with a level shifter for switching an electronic switch

An integrated control circuit for switching an electronic power switch, comprising:

• a control logic circuit for producing first and second voltage levels;
• and
• a level shifter having an input connected to the control logic circuit and an output connected to the electronic power switch, the level shifter including
• a bistable stage having first and second inputs, and an output defining the output of the level shifter;
• a first circuit branch having an output connected to the first input, and including a first transistor and a first resistor connected to the first transistor;
• and
• a second circuit branch having an output connected to the second input, and including a second transistor and a second resistor connected to the second transistor, the first and second transistors being switched alternately based on the first and second voltage levels produced by the control logic circuit, wherein the circuit components of the level shifter are selectively disposed such that during discharge of parasitic capacitors associated with the first and second transistors, the voltage level at the first input falls faster than the voltage level at the second input.

An integrated control circuit for switching an electronic power switch, comprising:

• a control logic circuit for producing first and second voltage levels;
• and
• a level shifter having an input connected to the control logic circuit and an output connected to the electronic power switch, the level shifter including
• a bistable stage having first and second inputs, and an output defining the output of the level shifter;
• a first circuit branch having an output connected to the first input, and including a first transistor and a first resistor connected to the first transistor;
• and
• a second circuit branch having an output connected to the second input, and including a second transistor and a second resistor connected to the second transistor, the first and second transistors being switched alternately based on the first and second voltage levels produced by the control logic circuit, wherein the voltage level at the first input falls faster than the second input during the discharge of parasitic capacitors associated with the first and second transistors.

An integrated control circuit for switching an electronic power switch connected in series with a load between first and second supply terminals, comprising

• a control logic circuit adapted to produce an output signal having two voltage levels relative to the voltage level of a reference terminal,
• a level shift circuit the input of which is connected to the output of the control logic circuit and an output of which is connected to the control terminal of the electronic switch, and adapted to produce at its output a signal having two voltage levels, corresponding to the signals from the control logic circuit, relative to the voltage level of the connection node between the electronic switch and the load,
• this level shift circuit comprising
• a bistable stage having a "set" input, a "reset" input and an output which is the output from the level shift circuit,
• first and second circuit branches connected between said connection node and a third supply terminal, respectively comprising a first transistor and a second transistor connected to the control logic circuit to be switched alternatively, a first resistor and a second resistor connected between the connection node and, respectively, the first transistor and the second transistor, the first resistor being connected to the "set" input and the second resistor being connected to the "reset" input of the bistable stage,
• and first and second parasitic current generators, respectively associated with the first and second transistors and adapted to inject current into the first and second resistors respectively,
• characterized in that the first resistor has a smaller resistance than that of the second resistor.

An integrated circuit for controlling the switching of an electronic power switch connected in series with a load between first and second supply terminals comprising:

• a control logic circuit adapted to produce an output signal at two voltage levels relative to the voltage level of a reference terminal,
• a level shift circuit the input of which is connected to the output of the control logic circuit and the output of which is connected to the control terminal of the electronic switch and which is adapted to produce at its output a signal at two voltage levels corresponding to the control logic circuit signal, relative to the voltage level of the connection node between the electronic switch and the load, this level shift circuit comprising
• a bistable stage having a "set" input, a "reset" input and an output which is the output from the level shift circuit,
• first and second circuit branches connected between the said connection node and a third supply terminal, respectively comprising first and second transistors connected to the control logic circuit to be switched alternatively, first and second resistors connected between the connection node and the first and second transistor respectively, the first resistor being connected to the "set" input and the second resistor being connected to the "reset" input of the bistable stage,
• and first and second parasitic current generators, associated, respectively, with the first transistor and the second transistor and adapted to inject current into the first resistor and the second resistor,
• characterized in that the arrangement of circuit components is chosen in such a way that the overall current injected, during switching, by the first and second current generators, into the second resistor is greater than that injected by the same generators into the first resistor.