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US 9,755,425 B2Granted
Power switch device
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsHans-Peter Kreuter, Christian Djelassi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Power switch devices having an overload limit are provided. The overload limit may be adjusted based on an inductance coupled with the power switch device.
Claims19
A power switch device, comprising:
- a power switch,
- an overload control adapted to open the power switch when a quantity related to the power switch exceeds a predetermined threshold, and
- an overload limit determination circuit adapted to adjust the predetermined threshold based on an inductivity coupled to the power switch to keep a clamp energy discharged after opening the switch at or below a predetermined value.
A method of operating a power switch, comprising:
- estimating an inductance coupled to the power switch device, and
- setting an overload limit based on the inductance,
- wherein estimating the inductance comprises measuring a time duration of a discharge following an opening of the power switch due to overload.
A power switch device, comprising:
- a switch transistor,
- a further transistor coupled parallel to the switch transistor and scaled with respect to the switch transistor, a load terminal of the further transistor being coupled with a sense resistor and an input of a comparator,
- a further input of the comparator being coupled to a reference resistor, and
- a reference current adjustment circuit adapted to adjust a reference current to the reference resistor based on an inductivity coupled to the switch transistor, the reference current adjustment circuit being configured to estimate the inductivity based on a time duration of a clamping following an opening of the switch due to overload.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.