Miscellaneous active electrical nonlinear devices – circuits – and – Signal converting – shaping – or generating – Amplitude control
Patent
1995-01-13
1996-03-19
Callahan, Timothy P.
Miscellaneous active electrical nonlinear devices, circuits, and
Signal converting, shaping, or generating
Amplitude control
327422, 327427, 327502, 327380, 361 18, 361 91, H03K 1708, H02H 326
Patent
active
055006167
ABSTRACT:
An apparatus for suppressing voltage transients and detecting desaturation conditions in power transistor systems. A first transistor, usually a power transistor, has a first terminal, a second terminal, a drive terminal, and an avalanche breakdown voltage rating between the first mad second terminals. The cathode of a first diode is coupled to the first terminal of the first transistor. The first diode has a reverse breakdown voltage which is less than the avalanche breakdown voltage rating of the first transistor. The anode of a second diode is coupled to the anode of the first diode, and the cathode of the second diode is coupled to the drive terminal of the first transistor. Driver circuitry is also coupled to the drive terminal, and provides a drive signal to the first transistor. An RC network comprising a first resistor and a first capacitor is coupled to the driver circuitry. The base terminal of a second transistor is coupled to the driver circuitry by means of the RC network. The cathode of a third diode is coupled to the emitter of the second transistor and the anodes of the first and second diodes. The third diode has a reverse breakdown voltage rating. The anode of the third diode is coupled to ground. A comparator circuit coupled to the anode of the third diode senses desaturation conditions of the first transistor.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4423457 (1983-12-01), Brajder
patent: 4658203 (1987-04-01), Freymuth
patent: 4890185 (1989-12-01), Karl et al.
patent: 5001373 (1991-03-01), Bator et al.
patent: 5304935 (1994-04-01), Rathke et al.
Yamazaki, T., et al., "The IGBT with Monolithic Overvoltage Protection Circuit," Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs (1993), pp. 41-45.
Callahan Timothy P.
Englund Terry L.
Ixys Corporation
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