Drive control method of power semiconductor module and control circuit of power semiconductor module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016118974-A1
Application number	US-201514985091-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 30, 2015
Priority date	Nov 22, 2013
Publication date	Apr 28, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An IGBT provided on the high voltage side uses the sensing function of the IGBT to detect a current and prevents the IGBT from breaking due to an overcurrent through a gate drive unit when the current detected by the short-circuit protection unit is determined to be an overcurrent. When detecting an overcurrent, the short-circuit protection unit outputs an alarm signal to a composition unit. Also, it detects the temperature of the power semiconductor module by using a temperature detection element, converts the detected temperature into a digital signal in the temperature information generating unit, and outputs the digitized temperature information to the composition unit. The composition unit composites the temperature information and the alarm signal and one resultant composite output is transmitted to a control unit on the low voltage side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A drive control method of a power semiconductor module in which a drive control circuit that includes a gate drive unit, a protection unit, a temperature information generating unit and a composition unit, the power semiconductor module are arranged on a high voltage side, and a control unit that controls the drive control circuit is arranged on a low voltage side, the method comprising the steps of:
the gate drive unit applying a prescribed voltage to a gate of a power semiconductor device and controlling ON and OFF of the power semiconductor device; the protection unit responding to an abnormal state of the power semiconductor device and outputting an alarm signal when an abnormal state has been detected; the temperature information generating unit converting into a digital signal, a temperature detected by a temperature detection element arranged on a board of the power semiconductor module and generating temperature information; and inputting from the power semiconductor module to the composition unit the alarm signal and temperature information generated by the temperature information generating unit; compositing by the composition unit the inputted alarm signal and temperature information; and outputting the composited temperature information and alarm signal to one insulation element provided between the high voltage side and the low voltage side.

2 . The drive control method of a power semiconductor module according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of
interrupting control of ON and OFF of the power semiconductor device conducted by the gate drive unit by a short-circuit protection unit of the protection unit; and outputting by the short-circuit protection unit an overcurrent alarm signal when an overcurrent of the power semiconductor device has been detected, wherein the alarm signal is based on the overcurrent alarm signal.

3 . The drive control method of a power semiconductor module according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of
conducting overheat protection of the power semiconductor device semiconductor module by an overheat protection unit of the protection unit; and outputting by the overheat protection unit an overheat alarm signal, wherein the alarm signal is based on the overheat alarm signal.

4 . The drive control method of a power semiconductor module according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of conducting an AND operation between the temperature information and the alarm signal by an AND circuit of the composition unit.

5 . The drive control method of a power semiconductor module according to claim 1 , wherein said step of compositing includes the steps of
(a) compositing the temperature information input to the composition unit by inserting the temperature information into an input/output route of the temperature information and the alarm signal, (b) outputting by the composition unit a result of said step (a), and (c) blocking/allowing by a switch of the composition unit in accordance with the alarm signal, passage of the temperature information into the composition unit for compositing.

6 . The drive control method of a power semiconductor module according to claim 1 , wherein said step of compositing includes the steps of
blocking/allowing passage the temperature information into the composition unit in accordance with the alarm signal by a switch of the composition unit that is connected between a temperature information input/output terminal and a reference potential, the composition unit receiving the alarm signal and the temperature information via an input/output route, compositing the received temperature information and alarm signal, and outputting a result of the compositing, and controlling ON and OFF of the switch by the alarm signal.

7 . The drive control method of a power semiconductor module according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of
a switch of the composition unit blocking/allowing passage of the temperature information into the composition unit in accordance with the alarm signal, the switch being connected between a temperature information input/output terminal and a reference potential, the switch including an NPN transistor, a collector of the NPN transistor being connected to the temperature information input/output terminal, an emitter of the NPN transistor being connected to the reference potential, a base of the NPN transistor being connected to an output side of an inverting circuit, and an input side of the inverting circuit being connected to the alarm signal input terminal; the composition unit receiving the temperature information via an input/output route of the temperature information, compositing the alarm signal and the received temperature information, and outputting a result of the compositing; and controlling ON and OFF of the switch by the alarm signal.

8 . The drive control method of a power semiconductor module according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of
a switch of the composition unit blocking/allowing passage of input of the temperature information in accordance with the alarm signal, the switch being connected between a temperature information input/output terminal and a reference potential, the switch including a PNP transistor, an emitter of the PNP transistor being connected to the temperature information input/output terminal, a collector of the PNP transistor being connected to the reference potential, and a base of the PNP transistor being connected to the alarm signal input terminal; controlling ON and OFF of the switch by the alarm signal; and the composition unit receiving the temperature information input via an input/output route of the temperature information and the alarm signal, compositing the alarm signal and the received temperature information, and outputting a result of the compositing.

9 . The drive control method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of outputting the composited temperature information and alarm signal to one insulation element is outputting the composited temperature information and alarm signal to a photocoupler.

10 . The drive control method according to claim 2 , wherein said step of outputting the composited temperature information and the alarm signal to one insulation element is outputting the composited temperature information and alarm signal to a photocoupler.

11 . The drive control method according to claim 3 , wherein said step of outputting the composited temperature information and alarm signal to one insulation element is outputting the composited temperature information and alarm signal to a photocoupler.

12 . The drive control method according to claim 4 , wherein said step of outputting the composited temperature information and alarm signal to one insulation element is outputting the composited temperature information and alarm signal to a photocoupler.

13 . The drive control method according to claim 5 , wherein said step of outputting the composited temperature information and alarm signal to one insulation element is outputting the composited temperature information and alarm signal to a photocoupler.

14 . The drive control method according to claim 6 , wherein said step of outputting the composited temperature information and alarm signal to one insulation element is outputting the composited temperature information and alarm signal to a photocoupler.

15 . The drive control method according to claim 7 , wherein said step of outputting the composited temperature information and alarm signal to one insulation element is outputting the composited temperature information

Assignees

• Fuji Electric Co Ltd

Inventors

• Terasawa Noriho
• Momose Yasuyuki

Classifications

• H02H9/02

  responsive to excess current {(current limitation for voltage regulators G05F1/573; disconnection after limiting H02H3/025)} · CPC title

• H03K17/18

  Modifications for indicating state of switch · CPC title

• H03K17/0828

  in composite switches · CPC title

• H02H3/08

  responsive to excess current (responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04) · CPC title

• H03K19/1732

  by limitation or reduction of the pin/gate ratio (for data-processing equipment G06F1/22) · CPC title