Bridge circuits and their components
AssigneeTransphorm Inc.
InventorsJames Honea, Yifeng Wu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A half bridge is described with at least one transistor having a channel that is capable in a first mode of operation of blocking a substantial voltage in at least one direction, in a second mode of operation of conducting substantial current in one direction through the channel and in a third mode of operation of conducting substantial current in an opposite direction through the channel. The half bridge can have two circuits with such a transistor.
Claims42
A half bridge comprising at least one transistor having a gate, source, drain and channel, the device being capable in a first mode of operation of blocking a substantial voltage in at least one direction, in a second mode of operation of conducting substantial current in the at least one direction through the channel, and in a third mode of operation of conducting substantial current in an opposite direction through the channel, wherein in the third mode of operation the gate is biased relative to the source at a voltage lower than a threshold voltage of the transistor.
A method of operating a circuit comprising a half bridge circuit stage comprising a first transistor, a second transistor having a channel, and an inductive component, wherein the inductive component is coupled between the first transistor and second transistor, the first transistor is between a high-voltage supply and the second transistor, and the second transistor is between a ground and the first transistor, the method comprising:
- biasing the first transistor on and biasing the second transistor off, allowing current to flow through the first transistor and the inductive component, whereby a blocking voltage is present across the second transistor;
- and
- changing the first transistor to an off bias, allowing the current to flow through the channel of the second transistor and through the inductive component.
A method of operating a circuit comprising an inductive component and a half bridge comprising a first transistor and a second transistor, wherein the inductive component is coupled between the first transistor and second transistor and the first transistor is coupled to a voltage source and the second transistor is coupled to ground, the method comprising:
- biasing the first transistor off and the second transistor on, allowing current to run through the inductive component and through the second transistor, wherein the first transistor blocks a first voltage;
- and
- changing the second transistor to an off bias, causing the first transistor to carry current through the channel of the first transistor and the second transistor to block a second voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.