Driver circuit for P-channel MOS switches
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsSalvatore Vincenzo Capici, Filippo Marino
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a driver circuit for P-channel MOS switches including a power transistor having a control terminal and first and second conduction terminals, a controlled current generator connected to the control terminal for turning on the power transistor, a control circuit for controlling the turning on of the current generator, and a protection circuit coupled to the control terminal. The driver circuit may also include a second current generator connected to the control terminal of the power transistor which is in turn driven by the control circuit to control the transistor turn-off. Advantageously, the control circuit may also receive a control signal from the protection circuit at the end of the latter's action.
Claims22
A driver circuit for a P-channel MOS power transistor having a control terminal and first and second conduction terminals, the driver circuit comprising:
- a controlled current generator connected to the control terminal for turning on said power transistor;
- a control circuit for controlling the turning on of said controlled current generator;
- a protection circuit for detecting a driving voltage across the control terminal and the first conduction terminal higher than a threshold voltage and providing a control signal to said control circuit responsive thereto;
- and
- a second current generator connected to the control terminal and driven by said control circuit to control the turning off of said power transistor.
A switching-type voltage regulator comprising:
- a P-channel MOS power transistor having a control terminal and first and second conduction terminals;
- and
- at least one driving circuit for driving said power transistor and comprising
- a controlled current generator connected to the control terminal for turning on said power transistor,
- a control circuit for controlling the turning on of said controlled current generator,
- a protection circuit for detecting a driving voltage across the control terminal and the first conduction terminal higher than a threshold voltage and providing a control signal to said control circuit responsive thereto, and
- a second current generator connected to the control terminal of said power transistor and driven by said control circuit to control the turning off of said power transistor.
A method for driving a P-channel MOS power transistor having a control terminal and first and second conduction terminals, the method comprising:
- generating a first current for turning on the power transistor;
- generating a second current for turning off the power transistor;
- detecting a driving voltage across the control terminal and the first conduction terminal higher than a threshold voltage;
- generating a control signal responsive to detecting the driving signal being higher than the threshold voltage;
- and
- controlling generation of the first and second currents responsive to the control signal using a controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.