Driving circuit for a control terminal of a bipolar transistor in an emitter-switching configuration having a resonant load
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsRosario Scollo, Simone Buonomo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A driving circuit is provided for a control terminal of a bipolar transistor in an emitter-switching configuration. The emitter-switching configuration is between a resonant load and a voltage reference. The driving circuit includes at least one capacitor between the control terminal of the bipolar transistor and the voltage reference. The driving circuit further includes an additional resonance capacitor between a collector terminal of the bipolar transistor and a circuit node, a first diode between the circuit node and the control terminal, and a second diode between the circuit node and the voltage reference.
Claims25
A driving circuit for a control terminal of a bipolar transistor in an emitter-switching configuration between a resonant load and a voltage reference, the driving circuit comprising:
- a capacitor connected between a control terminal of the bipolar transistor and the voltage reference;
- an additional capacitor connected between a collector terminal of the bipolar transistor and a circuit node;
- a first diode connected between the circuit node and the control terminal of the bipolar transistor for charging the capacitor via a current flowing in the additional capacitor;
- and
- a second diode connected between the circuit node and the voltage reference for preventing a discharge current of the additional capacitor from flowing in the capacitor.
A circuit comprising:
- a MOS transistor and a bipolar transistor cascode-connected therewith, said MOS transistor and said bipolar transistor to be connected between a resonant load and a voltage reference, and
- a driving circuit for a control terminal of said bipolar transistor, and comprising
- a capacitor connected between the control terminal of said bipolar transistor and the voltage reference,
- an additional capacitor connected between a collector terminal of said bipolar transistor and a circuit node,
- a first diode connected between the circuit node and the control terminal of said bipolar transistor, and
- a second diode connected between the circuit node and the voltage reference.
An apparatus comprising:
- a resonant load;
- a MOS transistor and a bipolar transistor cascode-connected therewith, said bipolar transistor connected to said resonant load and said MOS transistor connected to a voltage reference;
- and
- a driving circuit for a control terminal of said bipolar transistor, said driving circuit comprising
- a capacitor connected between the control terminal of said bipolar transistor and the voltage reference,
- an additional capacitor connected between a collector terminal of said bipolar transistor and a circuit node,
- a first diode connected between the circuit node and the control terminal of said bipolar transistor, and
- a second diode connected between the circuit node and the voltage reference.
A method for driving a control terminal of a bipolar transistor in an emitter-switching configuration between a resonant load and a voltage reference based upon a driving circuit, the driving circuit comprising a capacitor connected between a control terminal of the bipolar transistor and the voltage reference, an additional capacitor connected between a collector terminal of the bipolar transistor and a circuit node, a first diode connected between the circuit node and the control terminal of the bipolar transistor, and a second diode connected between the circuit node and the voltage reference, the method comprising:
- applying a first voltage via the capacitor connected to the control terminal of the bipolar transistor;
- charging the capacitor via a current flowing in the additional capacitor based upon the first diode connected between the additional capacitor and the capacitor;
- and
- preventing a discharge current of the additional capacitor from flowing in the capacitor based upon the second diode connected between the circuit node and the voltage reference.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.