Reliability in semiconductor device control
AssigneeABB Technology AG
InventorsJürgen Häfner, Mikael Davidsson, Roland Siljeström
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gate control device for a semiconductor device includes at least one power supply module, at least one optical communication interface for receiving optical signals from two valve control units and converting them to electric signals for supply to a corresponding power supply module, where in normal operations mode one valve control unit is an active valve control unit and the other is a standby valve control unit, where the optical signal of an active unit energizes the gate control device and provides semiconductor device controlling data, a semiconductor device control module and a reliability control module that performs selection of active valve control unit.
Claims24
A method for operating a gate control device for a semiconductor device, the gate control device being connected to a first and a second valve control unit, where in normal operations mode one valve control unit is an active valve control unit and the other valve control unit is a standby valve control unit and the active valve control unit provides an optical signal for energizing the gate control device and supplying data for controlling the semiconductor device, the method being performed in the gate control device and comprising the steps of:
- receiving a first optical signal from the first valve control unit when being active,
- receiving a second optical signal from the second valve control unit
- performing selection of active valve control unit, and
- using energy in the first and the second optical signals for powering the gate control device.
A gate control device for a semiconductor device comprising:
- at least one power supply module,
- at least one optical communication interface for receiving optical signals from two valve control units, where in normal operations mode of the valve control units one valve control unit is an active valve control unit and the other valve control unit is a standby valve control unit and an active valve control unit provides an optical signal for energizing the gate control device and supplying data for controlling the semiconductor device, said at least one optical interface being further configured to convert an optical signal to an electric signal for supply to a corresponding power supply module powering the gate control device,
- a semiconductor device control module for controlling the semiconductor device, and
- a reliability control module configured to perform selection of active valve control unit.
A control system for at least one semiconductor device comprising:
- a first valve control unit configured to provide a first optical signal,
- a second valve control unit configured to provide a second optical signal,
- a first gate control device comprising
- at least one power supply module,
- at least one optical communication interface for receiving said optical signals from said two valve control units, where in normal operations mode of the valve control units one valve control unit is an active valve control unit and the other valve control unit is a standby valve control unit and the active valve control unit provides an optical signal for energizing the gate control device and supplying data for controlling the semiconductor device, said at least one optical interface being further configured to convert an optical signal to an electric signal for supply to a corresponding power supply module powering the gate control device,
- a semiconductor device control module for controlling a first semiconductor device, and
- a reliability control module configured to perform selection of active valve control unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.