Power converter with voltage drive switching device monitored by device parameters and electric parameters

A power converter having a voltage drive switching device comprising:

• detecting means for detecting at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the voltage drive switching device;
• monitoring means for monitoring at least one of states of turn-on and turn-off of the voltage drive switching device based on the at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the voltage drive switching device detected by the detecting means;
• and
• control means for controlling a gate of the voltage drive switching device based on a monitoring result of the monitoring means,
• wherein the monitoring means comprises a switching element which goes into an on-state and determines completion of turn-off of the voltage device switching device when a higher one of a gate voltage and a voltage applied to a gate resistor element connected to the gate of the voltage drive switching device is lower than predetermined value.

A power converter having a voltage drive switching device comprising:

• detecting means for detecting at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the voltage drive switching device;
• monitoring means for monitoring at least one of states of turn-on and turn-off of the voltage drive switching device based on the at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the voltage drive switching device detected by the detecting means;
• control means for controlling a gate of the voltage drive switching device based on a monitoring result of the monitoring means;
• and
• self protecting means provided in parallel to the voltage drive switching device, for performing a protecting operation associated with a current flowing in the voltage drive switching device.

A power converter having at least a pair of voltage drive switching devices comprising;

• detecting means for detecting at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the pair of voltage drive switching devices;
• monitoring means for monitoring at least one of states of turn-on and turn-off of the pair of voltage drive switching devices based on the at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the pair of voltage drive switching devices detected by the detecting means;
• and
• control means for controlling a gate of the pair of voltage drive switching devices based on a monitoring result of the monitoring means,
• wherein the detecting means comprises means for detecting a current flowing in the pair of voltage drive switching devices;
• and
• each of the monitoring means and the control means comprises means for controlling a dead time between turn-off of one of the pair of voltage drive switching devices and supply of an on-gate signal to the other one of the pair of voltage drive switching devices, to decrease when the current detected by the determining means exceeds a predetermined value, and to increase when the current detected by the determining means is smaller than the predetermined value.

A power converter having at least a pair of voltage drive switching devices comprising:

• detecting means for detecting at least one at a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the pair of voltage drive switching devices;
• monitoring means for monitoring at least one of states of turn-on and turn-off of the pair of voltage drive switching devices based on the at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the pair of voltage drive switching devices detected by the detecting means;
• and
• control means for controlling a gate of the pair of voltage drive switching devices based on a monitoring result of the monitoring means,
• wherein the detecting means comprises polarity determining means for determining a polarity of a current flowing in the pair of voltage drive switching devices based on an output signal of the detecting means;
• and
• the control means comprises means for delaying supply of an on-gate signal to the pair of voltage drive switching devices for a predetermined period of time, based on a result by the polarity determining means, thereby increasing a dead time.

A power converter having at least a pair of voltage drive switching devices comprising:

• detecting means for detecting at least one at a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the pair of voltage drive switching devices;
• monitoring means for monitoring at least one of states of turn-on and turn-off of the pair of voltage drive switching devices based on the at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the pair of voltage drive switching devices detected by the detecting means;
• and
• control means for controlling a gate of the pair of voltage drive switching devices based on a monitoring result of the monitoring means,
• wherein the detecting means comprises a power supply current detector for detecting a current of a direct current power supply connected to the pair of voltage drive switching devices;
• and
• each of the monitoring means and the control means comprises means for controlling a dead time between turn-off of one of the pair of voltage drive switching devices and supply of an on-gate signal to the other one of the pair of voltage drive switching devices, to decrease when the current detected by the determining means exceeds a predetermined value, and to increase when the current detected by the determining means is smaller than the predetermined value.

A power converter having at least a pair of voltage drive switching devices comprising:

• detecting means for detecting at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the pair of voltage drive switching devices;
• monitoring means for monitoring at least one of states of turn-on and turn-off of the pair of voltage drive switching devices based on the at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the pair of voltage drive switching devices detected by the detecting means;
• and
• control means for controlling a gate of the pair of voltage drive switching devices based on a monitoring result of the monitoring means,
• wherein the detecting means comprises an alternating current power detector for detecting an alternating current power of the pair of voltage drive switching devices;
• and
• each of the monitoring means and the control means comprises means for controlling a dead time between turn-off of one of the pair of voltage drive switching devices and supply of an on-gate signal to the other one of the pair of voltage drive switching devices, to decrease when the current detected by the determining means exceeds a predetermined value, and to increase when the current detected by the determining means is smaller than the predetermined value.

A power converter having at least a pair of voltage drive switching devices comprising:

• detecting means for detecting at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the pair of voltage drive switching devices;
• monitoring means for monitoring at least one of states of turn-on and turn-off of the pair of voltage drive switching devices based on the at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the pair of voltage drive switching devices detected by the detecting means;
• and
• control means for controlling a gate of the pair of voltage drive switching devices based on a monitoring result of the monitoring means,
• wherein the detecting means comprises negative bias voltage detecting means for detecting a state that an absolute value of a gate negative bias voltage of the pair of voltage drive switching devices exceeds a predetermined value;
• and
• each of the monitoring means and the control means comprises means for supplying an on-gate signal to one of the pair of voltage drive switching devices based on a conjugation of an output signal of the negative bias voltage detecting means and an on-gate signal of the other one of the pair of voltage drive switching devices which is an object for detection by one negative bias voltage detecting means.

A power converter having at least a pair of voltage drive switching devices comprising;

• detecting means for detecting at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the pair of voltage drive switching devices;
• monitoring means for monitoring at least one of states of turn-on and turn-off of the pair of voltage drive switching devices based on the at least one of set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the pair of voltage drive switching devices detected by the detecting means;
• and
• control means for controlling a gate of the pair of voltage drive switching devices based on a monitoring result of the monitoring means,
• wherein the detecting means comprises gate current detecting means for detecting when a negative gate current of the pair of voltage drive switching devices exceeds a predetermined value;
• and
• each of the monitoring means and the control means comprises means for supplying a gate signal to one of the pair of voltage drive switching devices based on conjugation of an output signal of the gate current detecting means and an on-gate signal of the other one of the pair of voltage drive switching devices which is an object for detection by the negative bias voltage detecting means.

A power converter having a voltage drive switching device comprising:

• detecting means for detecting at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the voltage drive switching device;
• monitoring means for monitoring at least one of states of turn-on and turn-off of the voltage drive switching device based on the at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the voltage drive switching device detected by the detecting means;
• control means for controlling a gate of the voltage drive switching device based on a monitoring result of the monitoring means;
• self protecting means for performing a protecting operation associated with a current flowing in the voltage drive switching device;
• self holding means for holding a protecting operation when the self protecting means is activated;
• and
• reset means for resetting holding of a protecting operation of the self protecting means based on an external signal.

A power converter having a voltage drive switching device comprising:

• detecting means for detecting at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the voltage drive switching device;
• monitoring means for monitoring at least one of states of turn-on and turn-off of the voltage drive switching device based on the at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the voltage drive switching device detected by the detecting means;
• control means for controlling a gate of the voltage drive switching device based on a monitoring result of the monitoring means;
• self protecting means for performing a protecting operation associated with a current flowing in the voltage drive switching device;
• self holding means for holding a protecting operation when the self protecting means is activated;
• and
• reset means for resetting holding of a protecting operation of the self protecting means based on an internal signal in one of cases that protecting operation of the self protecting means is performed not more than a predetermined number of times and that consecutive protecting operations of the self protecting means are performed before a predetermined interval elapses, and based on an external signal in one of cases that protecting operation of the self protecting means is performed more than a predetermined number of times and that consecutive protecting operations of the self protecting means are performed after a predetermined interval elapses.

A power converter having a voltage drive switching device comprising:

• detecting means for detecting at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the voltage drive switching device;
• monitoring means for monitoring at least one of states of turn-on and turn-off of the voltage drive switching device based on the at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the voltage drive switching device detected by the detecting means;
• and
• control means for controlling a gate of the voltage drive switching device based on a monitoring result of the monitoring means,
• wherein the voltage drive switching device includes:
• an electrode pressure-welded to the voltage drive switching device;
• and
• an inductance element formed in a shape having features of a cylinder and a spiral, and provided between an end of the voltage switching device and the electrode.

A power converter having a voltage drive switching device comprising:

• detecting means for detecting at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the voltage drive switching device;
• monitoring means for monitoring at least one of states of turn-on and turn-off of the voltage drive switching device based on the at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the voltage drive switching device detected by the detecting means;
• and
• control means for controlling a gate of the voltage drive switching device based on a monitoring result of the monitoring means,
• wherein the voltage drive switching device includes;
• an electrode pressure-welded to the voltage drive switching device;
• and
• an inductance element formed in a shape having features of a quadrangular prism and a spiral, and provided between an end of the voltage switching device and the electrode.

A power converter having a voltage drive witching device comprising:

• detecting means for detecting at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the voltage drive switching device;
• monitoring means for monitoring at least one of states of turn-on and turn-off of the voltage drive switching device based on the at least one of a set of device parameters and a set of electric parameters of the voltage drive switching device detected by the detecting means;
• and
• control means for controlling a gate of the voltage drive switching device based on a monitoring result of the monitoring means,
• wherein the voltage drive switching device includes:
• an electrode pressure-welded to the voltage drive switching device;
• and
• an inductance element formed in a spiral shape, and provided between an end of the voltage switching device and the electrode.