Semiconductor drive apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9570905-B2
Application number	US-201314417976-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2013
Priority date	Sep 24, 2012
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

A semiconductor drive apparatus includes a first control unit configured, when an overcurrent is detected flowing between a first main electrode and a second main electrode of a switching element, to make a gate of the switching element conductive with a predetermined reference potential, to make a control voltage applied between the gate and the first main electrode lower, and to turn off the switching element; a detection unit configured to detect a current generated accompanying charge or discharge of a feedback capacitance between the gate and the second main electrode; and a second control unit configured, when the overcurrent and the current generated accompanying the charge or discharge of the feedback capacitance are detected, to make a resistance between the gate and the reference potential lower.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A semiconductor drive apparatus comprising:
an overcurrent detection unit configured to detect an overcurrent flowing between a first main electrode and a second main electrode of a switching element;
a first control unit configured, when the overcurrent is detected by the overcurrent detection unit, to make a gate of the switching element conductive with a predetermined reference potential, to make a control voltage applied between the gate and the first main electrode lower, and to turn off the switching element;
a detection unit configured to detect a current generated accompanying charge or discharge of a feedback capacitance between the gate and the second main electrode, wherein a resistance of the detection unit and the first control unit are in series between the gate and the reference potential; and
a second control unit configured, when the overcurrent is detected by the overcurrent detection unit, and the current generated accompanying the charge or discharge of the feedback capacitance is detected by the detection unit, to make a resistance between the gate and the reference potential lower, wherein the second control unit makes the resistance lower to a value less than a value obtained when the first control unit lowers the resistance.

2. The semiconductor drive apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second control unit includes:
a first semiconductor element configured to make the resistance lower by detecting the current generated accompanying the charge or discharge of the feedback capacitance, and
a second semiconductor element configured to allow the first semiconductor element to make the resistance lower by detecting the overcurrent.

3. The semiconductor drive apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first semiconductor element is an element to make the resistance lower when applied with a potential difference generated by the current generated accompanying the charge or discharge of the feedback capacitance charge,
wherein the second semiconductor element is an element to control applying the potential difference to the first semiconductor element.

4. The semiconductor drive apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the potential difference is a voltage generated by an element connected with the gate.

5. The semiconductor drive apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein:
the first semiconductor element is connected with both terminals of the element, and
wherein the second semiconductor element is inserted between one terminal of the element and the first semiconductor element.

6. The semiconductor drive apparatus, as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second control unit makes the resistance lower, when the overcurrent is detected by the overcurrent detection unit, and the current generated accompanying the charge or discharge of the feedback capacitance is detected by the detection unit, by a potential difference generated by the current generated accompanying the charge or discharge of the feedback capacitance charge.

7. The semiconductor drive apparatus, as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the second control unit includes a transistor to which the potential difference is applied between a base and an emitter of the transistor, and makes the resistance lower when the transistor turns on.

8. A semiconductor drive apparatus, comprising:
an overcurrent detection unit configured to detect an overcurrent flowing between a first main electrode and a second main electrode of a switching element;
a first control unit configured, when the overcurrent is detected by the overcurrent detection unit, to make a control voltage applied between the gate of the switching element and the first main electrode lower, to turn off the switching element;
a detection unit configured to detect a current generated accompanying charge or discharge of a feedback capacitance between the gate and the second main electrode, wherein a resistance of the detection unit and the first control unit are in series between the gate and the reference potential; and
a second control unit configured, when the overcurrent is detected by the overcurrent detection unit, and the current generated accompanying the charge or discharge of the feedback capacitance is detected by the detection unit, to make a decreasing speed of the control voltage faster, wherein the second control unit makes a decreasing speed of the control voltage when the first control unit lowers the control voltage between the gate of the switching element and the first main electrode.

9. The semiconductor drive apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the second control unit makes the decreasing speed of the control voltage faster, when the overcurrent is detected by the overcurrent detection unit, and the current generated accompanying the charge or discharge of the feedback capacitance is detected by the detection unit, by a potential difference generated by the current generated accompanying the charge or discharge of the feedback capacitance charge.

10. The semiconductor drive apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the second control unit includes a transistor to which the potential difference is applied between a base and an emitter of the transistor, and makes the resistance lower when the transistor turns on.

Assignees

• Koishi Ayuki
• Osanai Yosuke
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Koishi Ayuki
• Osanai Yosuke

Classifications

• H03K2217/0027

  Measuring means of, e.g. currents through or voltages across the switch · CPC title

• H02H9/02 Primary

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

• H03K17/0828 Primary

  in composite switches · CPC title

• H03K17/163

  Soft switching · CPC title

• H02M2001/0009

  Electricity · mapped topic