High side switch
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsLuca Petruzzi, Alberto Zanardi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A semiconductor chip includes at least one power semiconductor switch configured to activate and deactivate current conduction from a first supply terminal, which is connected to a first supply line that provides an unstabilized first supply voltage, to the at least one output terminal in accordance with a respective control signal. In operation, the unstabilized first supply voltage is monitored and an under-voltage is signaled when the unstabilized first supply voltage falls below a first threshold value. The first supply terminal is short circuited with a third terminal when the an under-voltage is signaled.
Claims13
A semiconductor chip comprising:
- a first supply terminal operably connected to a first supply line that provides an unstabilized first supply voltage;
- a second supply terminal operably connected to a second supply line that provides a stabilized second supply voltage;
- a third terminal that provides a reference potential;
- at least one output terminal that provides an output current;
- at least one power semiconductor switch integrated in the semiconductor chip and configured to activate and deactivate current conduction from the first supply terminal to the at least one output terminal in accordance with a respective control signal;
- and
- control circuitry configured to provide the control signal supplied to the at least one power semiconductor switch, the control circuitry comprising;
- a monitoring circuit supplied by the stabilized second supply voltage and configured to monitor the unstabilized first supply voltage, the monitoring of the unstabilized first supply voltage comprising signaling an under-voltage when the unstabilized first supply voltage falls below a first threshold value, and
- a switch configured to short circuit the first supply terminal and the third terminal when the monitoring circuit signals the under-voltage.
An electronic module comprising:
- a printed circuit board (PCB) having a first connector operably connected to a first supply line that provides an unstabilized first supply voltage, and a second connector operably connected to a reference potential;
- a microcontroller attached to the PCB;
- and
- a semiconductor chip attached to the PCB;
- the semiconductor chip comprising:
- a first supply terminal coupled to the first connector to receive the unstabilized first supply voltage;
- a second supply terminal operably connected to a second supply line that provides a stabilized second supply voltage;
- a third terminal coupled to the second connector via a diode to receive the reference potential;
- at least one output terminal configured to provide an output current;
- at least one power semiconductor switch integrated in the semiconductor chip and configured to activate and deactivate current conduction from the first supply terminal to the at least one output terminal in accordance with a respective control signal;
- and
- control circuitry for providing the control signal supplied to the at least one power semiconductor switch, the control circuitry comprising;
- a monitoring circuit supplied by the stabilized second supply voltage and configured to monitor the unstabilized first supply voltage, the monitoring of the unstabilized first supply voltage comprising signaling an under-voltage when the unstabilized first supply voltage falls below a first threshold value, and
- a switch configured to short circuit the first supply terminal and the third terminal when the monitoring circuit signals the under-voltage.
A method for operating a semiconductor chip that comprises at least one power semiconductor switch configured to activate and deactivate current conduction from a first supply terminal, which is connected to a first supply line that provides an unstabilized first supply voltage, to at least one output terminal in accordance with a respective control signal, the method comprising:
- monitoring the unstabilized first supply voltage and signaling an under-voltage when the unstabilized first supply voltage falls below a first threshold value, and
- short-circuiting the first supply terminal and a third terminal, when the under-voltage is signaled, the third terminal providing a reference potential.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.