Method and device for automatically testing a switching member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11879929-B2
Application number	US-202017426282-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2020
Priority date	Feb 15, 2019
Publication date	Jan 23, 2024
Grant date	Jan 23, 2024

Abstract

A method is for testing the functionality of a switching member including at least one switching element. A switching state is influenced via a control input of the switching element and via a control signal generated and output to the control input. An activation signal is output to the control unit and changes the control signal. The activation signal induces a test signal as the change to the control signal and induces a disconnection pulse as the test signal. The SiC or GaN power semiconductor is switched off via the disconnection pulse and conducts current in the reverse direction. In response to the disconnection pulse, the voltage drop is recorded. A comparison is carried out between an indicator and a reference encoding an expected response to the disconnection pulse. Depending on the result of the comparison, a status signal is generated which encodes the functionality of the switching member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for automatically testing functionality of a switching member including at least one electrically switchable switching element, a switching state of the at least one electrically switchable switching element being influenceable via a control input of the at least one electrically switchable switching element and via a control signal generatable by a controller and output to the control input and the at least one switching element including a Silicon Carbide (SiC) power semiconductor or a Gallium Nitride (GaN) power semiconductor, the method comprising:
outputting an activation signal to the controller to change the control signal, the activation signal inducing a test signal as the change to the control signal and inducing a disconnection pulse as the test signal;
recording, in response to the disconnection pulse, a voltage drop across the switching element;
carrying out a comparison between an indicator, encoding the voltage drop recorded across the switching element, and a reference, encoding an expected response to the disconnection pulse;
generating, depending on a result of the comparison, a status signal encoding the functionality of the switching member; and
switching off the SiC power semiconductor or GaN power semiconductor via the disconnection pulse, while the SiC power semiconductor or GaN power semiconductor conducts current in a reverse direction.

2. A test device for automatically testing functionality of a switching member including at least one electrically switchable switching element, a switching state of the at least one electrically switchable switching element being influenceable via a control input of the at least one electrically switchable switching element and via a control signal generatable by a controller and output to the control input, the at least one switching element including a Silicon Carbide (SiC) power semiconductor or a Gallium Nitride (GaN) power semiconductor, the test device being configured to output an activation signal to the controller, the controller being configured to change the control signal, the activation signal being configured to induce a test signal as the change to the control signal and induce a disconnection pulse as the test signal; record, in response to the disconnection pulse, the test device a voltage drop across the at least one switching element; carryout a comparison between an indicator, encoding the voltage drop recorded across the at least one switching element, and a reference, encoding an expected response to the control signal as changed; and generate, depending on a result of the comparison, a status signal which encodes the functionality of the at least one switching member; and switch off the SiC power semiconductor or the GaN power semiconductor via the disconnection pulse, while the SiC power semiconductor or GaN power semiconductor conducts current in a reverse direction.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Schierling Hubert

Classifications

• G01R31/2621 Primary

  for testing field effect transistors, i.e. FET's · CPC title

• G01R31/2608

  for testing bipolar transistors · CPC title

• G01R31/3275 Primary

  Fault detection or status indication · CPC title

• G01R31/318357

  Simulation (computer simulation of digital circuits G06F30/3308) · CPC title