Driving device
AssigneeDenso Corporation
InventorAkitomo Yamanaka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A driving device includes a driving circuit and a control circuit. The driving circuit has an input terminal and an output terminal and applies a driving voltage to a switching element through the output terminal. The control circuit outputs two types of control signals to the input terminal of the driving circuit. The driving circuit has a circuit group including multiple unit circuits which are turned ON by the same control signal. Each unit circuit includes one voltage source, one switch controlled to be turned ON and OFF by the control signals, and one resistor connected in series to the switch between the voltage source and the output terminal. Each voltage source outputs a different voltage, and each resistor has a different resistance. One end of each switch of all the unit circuits is connected to the output terminal.
Claims14
A driving apparatus for applying a driving voltage to a switching element, the driving apparatus comprising:
- a driving circuit having an input terminal and an output terminal, the driving circuit applying the driving voltage to the switching element through the output terminal, and
- a control circuit that outputs two types of control signals including a Hi signal and a Lo signal to the input terminal of the driving circuit to control the driving circuit, wherein
- the driving circuit includes a plurality of unit circuits,
- each of the plurality of unit circuits includes one voltage source, one switch controlled to be turned ON and OFF by the control signals, and one resistor connected in series to the switch between the voltage source and the output terminal,
- some of the plurality of unit circuits are turned ON by a control signal that is common to the plurality of unit circuits and form at least one circuit group,
- in the circuit group, the voltage source of each unit circuit outputs a different voltage, and the resistor of each unit circuit has a different resistance,
- in the driving circuit, the switch of each of the plurality of unit circuits is electrically connected to the input terminal that is common to the plurality of unit circuits, and one end of the resistor of each unit circuit is electrically connected to the same output terminal,
- the input terminal receives the two types of control signals including the Hi signal and the Lo signal from the control circuit, and
- the control circuit outputs the two types of control signals directly to the switch of each unit circuit.
A driving device, comprising:
- a control circuit configured to output a single control signal;
- a driving circuit configured to receive the single control signal and including
- an input terminal connecting the driving circuit to the control circuit via a common line,
- a maximum voltage circuit including a first voltage source, a first switch, and a first resistor connected in series, the first switch being connected to the input terminal,
- a turn-on circuit connected in parallel to the first switch of the maximum voltage circuit and including a second voltage source, a second switch, a second resistor, and a first diode connected in series,
- a turn-off circuit connected in parallel to the second switch of the turn-on circuit and including a third voltage source, a third switch, a third resistor, and a second diode connected in series,
- a reference voltage circuit connected in parallel to the third switch of the turn-off circuit and including a fourth voltage source, a fourth switch, and a fourth resistor connected in series, and
- an output terminal connected to the first resistor, the first diode, the second diode, and the fourth resistor, wherein
- the control circuit is configured to directly output the control signal to the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the fourth switch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.