Electronic circuit, power conversion device, driving device, vehicle, and elevator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10958156-B2
Application number	US-201816111457-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2018
Priority date	Mar 21, 2018
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

Provided is a semiconductor device including: a semiconductor element including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a gate electrode; a surge voltage measuring unit electrically connected to the first electrode or the second electrode and configured to measure a surge voltage; a variable resistor electrically connected to the gate electrode; a comparator configured to compare a surge voltage measurement value, which is acquired by measuring the surge voltage generated by a first pulse applied to the gate electrode by the surge voltage measuring unit, with a surge voltage target value; a determination unit configured to determine a setting value of a resistance value of the variable resistor based on the comparison result by the comparator; and an instruction unit configured to instruct the setting value to the variable resistor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic circuit, comprising:
a surge voltage measuring unit configured to electrically connect to a first electrode or a second electrode of a semiconductor element and measure a surge voltage occurring at the first electrode or the second electrode of the semiconductor element;
a variable resistor configured to electrically connect to a gate electrode of the semiconductor element;
a comparator comparing a surge voltage measurement value with a surge voltage target value, the surge voltage measurement value being acquired by the surge voltage measuring unit by measuring the surge voltage generated by a first pulse applied to the gate electrode;
a determination unit determining a setting value of a resistance value of the variable resistor based on a comparison result by the comparator; and
an instruction unit instructing the setting value to the variable resistor,
wherein the instruction unit instructs the setting value to the variable resistor before a second pulse subsequent to the first pulse is applied to the gate electrode.

2. The electronic circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a current measuring unit measuring a current of a wiring electrically connected to the first electrode or the second electrode;
a calculator calculating an inductance using a surge voltage reference value acquired by the surge voltage measuring unit and a current reference value acquired by the current measuring unit; and
a surge voltage prediction unit calculating a surge voltage prediction value from the inductance and a current prediction value of the semiconductor element,
wherein the determination unit determines the setting value based on the surge voltage prediction value.

3. The electronic circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a voltage measuring unit measuring a voltage of a wiring electrically connected to the first electrode or the second electrode; and
an electromagnetic noise prediction unit calculating an electromagnetic noise prediction value based on a voltage measurement value acquired by the voltage measuring unit,
wherein the determination unit determines the setting value based on the electromagnetic noise prediction value.

4. The electronic circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor element includes a semiconductor layer made of SiC, GaN, or Si.

5. The electronic circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor element is an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).

6. A power conversion device comprising the electronic circuit according to claim 1 .

7. A driving device comprising the power conversion device according to claim 6 .

8. A vehicle comprising the power conversion device according to claim 6 .

9. An elevator comprising the power conversion device according to claim 6 .

10. An electronic circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
the semiconductor element including the first electrode, the second electrode, and the gate electrode.

11. An electronic circuit, comprising:
a surge voltage measuring unit configured to electrically connect to a first electrode or a second electrode of a semiconductor element and measuring a surge voltage occurring at the first electrode or the second electrode of the semiconductor element;
a variable resistor configured to electrically connect to a gate electrode of the semiconductor element;
a comparator comparing a surge voltage measurement value with a surge voltage target value, the surge voltage measurement value being acquired by the surge voltage measuring unit by measuring the surge voltage generated by a first pulse applied to the gate electrode;
a determination unit determining a setting value of a resistance value of the variable resistor based on a comparison result by the comparator;
an instruction unit instructing the setting value to the variable resistor,
a current measuring unit measuring a current of a wiring electrically connected to the first electrode or the second electrode;
a calculator calculating an inductance using a surge voltage reference value acquired by the surge voltage measuring unit and a current reference value acquired by the current measuring unit; and
a surge voltage prediction unit calculating a surge voltage prediction value from the inductance and a current prediction value of the semiconductor element,
wherein the determination unit determines the setting value based on the surge voltage prediction value.

12. An electronic circuit according to claim 11 , further comprising:
the semiconductor element including the first electrode, the second electrode, and the gate electrode.

13. An electronic circuit, comprising:
a surge voltage measuring unit configured to electrically connect to a first electrode or a second electrode of a semiconductor element and measuring a surge voltage occurring at the first electrode or the second electrode of the semiconductor element;
a variable resistor configured to electrically connect to a gate electrode of the semiconductor element;
a comparator comparing a surge voltage measurement value with a surge voltage target value, the surge voltage measurement value being acquired by the surge voltage measuring unit by measuring the surge voltage generated by a first pulse applied to the gate electrode;
a determination unit determining a setting value of a resistance value of the variable resistor based on a comparison result by the comparator; and
an instruction unit instructing the setting value to the variable resistor,
a voltage measuring unit measuring a voltage of a wiring electrically connected to the first electrode or the second electrode; and
an electromagnetic noise prediction unit calculating an electromagnetic noise prediction value based on a voltage measurement value acquired by the voltage measuring unit,
wherein the determination unit determines the setting value based on the electromagnetic noise prediction value.

14. An electronic circuit according to claim 13 , further comprising:
the semiconductor element including the first electrode, the second electrode, and the gate electrode.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Ikeda Kentaro

Classifications

• H02M1/0054

  Transistor switching losses (periodically suspending operation of switching converter in low power mode H02M1/0035) · CPC title

• H02H1/0007

  concerning the detecting means (in general G01R or other subclasses of G01; reed switches H01H71/2445) · CPC title

• H02P27/06

  using DC to AC converters or inverters (H02P27/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02M7/53875 Primary

  with analogue control of three-phase output · CPC title

• H02M1/32 Primary

  Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection · CPC title