An intelligent power module

Abstract

The present application discloses an intelligent power module, characterized in that it includes a substrate; a driving chip arranged on the substrate; an inverter unit arranged on the substrate, the inverter unit including at least two groups of inverter modules, each group of inverter modules including two triode transistors, wherein the drain of one triode transistor is connected to the high-voltage input terminal on the substrate, and the source thereof is connected to the drain of the other triode transistor, the source of the other triode transistor is connected to the low-voltage reference terminal on the substrate, and the gates of the two triode transistors are both connected to the driving chip; at least two output lines, one end of the output line is connected to the source of the upper bridge arm of each group of inverter modules, and the other end is connected to the output terminal on the substrate; at least two current detection coils, the current detection coils are passed through the output lines and connected to the driving chip.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of integrated circuits, and in particular to an intelligent power module. Background Art

[0002] An intelligent power module (IPM) is an advanced power switching device that integrates logic, control, detection, and protection circuits. It is widely used in motor drive inverters and various inverter power supplies. It is an ideal power electronic device for variable-frequency speed regulation, metallurgical machinery, electric traction, servo drives, and variable-frequency home appliances. As a core component in motor drives, the current value of the IPM is a crucial parameter. Excessive current can damage the IPM, necessitating overcurrent protection.

[0003] Overcurrent protection for intelligent power modules (IPMs) first requires detecting the current flowing through the module. Conventional technology typically involves designing a current sampling circuit around the module to detect the module's current. However, this circuit-based detection approach presents several issues: The current sampling circuit is independent of the IPM and is highly susceptible to external interference, potentially causing false triggering and causing the module to stop functioning. This results in poor reliability and usability. Furthermore, it fails to protect the device when excessive current is applied to the module's local area.

[0004] Therefore, the existing technology still needs to be improved and developed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned deficiencies in the prior art, the purpose of this application is to provide an intelligent power module, aiming to solve the problems of poor reliability and poor usability of the current detection method of the current sampling circuit designed in the peripheral of the existing intelligent power module.

[0006] The technical solution of this application is as follows:

[0007] An intelligent power module, characterized by comprising:

[0008] substrate;

[0009] A driver chip disposed on the substrate;

[0010] an inverter unit disposed on the substrate, the inverter unit comprising at least two groups of inverter modules, each group of inverter modules comprising two triode transistors, wherein a drain of one triode transistor is connected to a high-voltage input terminal on the substrate, a source thereof is connected to a drain of another triode transistor, a source of the other triode transistor is connected to a low-voltage reference terminal on the substrate, and gates of both triode transistors are connected to the driver chip;

[0011] At least two output lines, one end of each output line is connected to the source of the upper bridge arm of each inverter module, and the other end is connected to the output end on the substrate; at least two current detection coils, each current detection coil is provided on the output line and connected to the driver chip.

[0012] In the intelligent power module, an overcurrent protection circuit is provided in the driver chip, and the overcurrent protection circuit is connected to the current detection coil, and is used to stop working when the current collected by the current detection coil exceeds a set threshold.

[0013] The intelligent power module, wherein:

[0014] The driver chip includes a VSS port, a high-side output port and a low-side output port, wherein the high-side output port includes and only includes an HO1 port and an HO2 port, and the low-side output port includes and only includes an LO1 port and an LO2 port;

[0015] The inverter unit has and only has a first group of inverter modules and a second group of inverter modules, the first group of inverter modules includes a first triode transistor and a second triode transistor, and the second group of inverter modules includes a third triode transistor and a fourth triode transistor; the gate of the first triode transistor is connected to the HO1 port, the gate of the second triode transistor is connected to the LO1 port, the gate of the third triode transistor is connected to the HO2 port, and the gate of the fourth triode transistor is connected to the LO2 port.

[0016] The intelligent power module further comprises a first bootstrap capacitor;

[0017] The driver chip further includes a VB1 port and a VS1 port; the VB1 port is connected to the VS1 port via the first bootstrap capacitor.

[0018] The intelligent power module further comprises a second bootstrap capacitor;

[0019] The driver chip further includes a VB2 port and a VS2 port; the VB2 port is connected to the VS2 port via a second bootstrap capacitor.

[0020] In the intelligent power module, the triode transistor is one of an IGBT transistor, a reverse-conducting IGBT transistor or a MOSFET transistor.

[0021] The intelligent power module, wherein the triode transistors are all IGBT transistors;

[0022] Each IGBT transistor is connected to a fast recovery diode, wherein the anode of the fast recovery diode is connected to the source of the IGBT transistor, and the cathode of the fast recovery diode is connected to the drain of the IGBT transistor.

[0023] In the intelligent power module, the gate of each triode transistor is connected to a gate drive resistor, and the gate drive resistor is arranged inside the driver chip.

[0024] In the intelligent power module, an over-temperature protection switch is also provided in the driver chip.

[0025] In the intelligent power module, an overvoltage protection switch is also provided in the driver chip.

[0026] Beneficial effects: The present application provides an intelligent power module, which has a current detection coil integrated inside the module to detect the current of the circuit, thereby reducing false shutdowns caused by external interference and improving the reliability and usability of the module. Compared with the existing technology, the module structure is simplified, the reliability is high, and the user's design cost is reduced, with good effect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the principle of an intelligent power module according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a comparison diagram of the signal interference experienced by a current detection coil of an intelligent power module according to an embodiment of the present application and an existing circuit sampling circuit.

[0029] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of an intelligent power module according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0030] Figure 4 for Figure 3 The schematic diagram of a driver chip of an intelligent power module in the embodiment shown is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application.

[0032] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "inner" and "outer" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientations or positional relationships in which the product of this application is typically placed when in use. These terms are intended solely to facilitate the description of this application and simplify the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" and the like are used solely for distinction and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0033] It should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "disposed" and "connected" should be understood broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to direct connections, indirect connections through an intermediate medium, or internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0034] Please also see Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the principle of an intelligent power module in some embodiments of the present application. It should be noted that: Figure 1 The outer frame lines 88 in FIG. 8 are merely schematic packaging lines of the intelligent power module according to the embodiment of the present application, and do not refer to the connection lines of the components or pins in the intelligent power module according to the embodiment of the present application. The intelligent power module includes: a substrate 1; a driver chip 2 arranged on the substrate 1; an inverter unit 3 arranged on the substrate 1, the inverter unit 3 including at least two groups of inverter modules, each group of inverter modules including two triode transistors, the two triode transistors are divided into a triode transistor 31 of an upper bridge arm and a triode transistor 32 of a lower bridge arm, wherein the drain of the triode transistor 31 of the upper bridge arm is connected to the high-voltage input terminal on the substrate 1, the source of the triode transistor 31 of the upper bridge arm is connected to the drain of the triode transistor 32 of the lower bridge arm, the source of the triode transistor 32 of the lower bridge arm is connected to the low-voltage reference terminal on the substrate 1, and the gates of the two triode transistors are both connected to the driver chip 2; at least two output lines 4, one end of the output line 4 is connected to the source of the triode transistor 31 of the upper bridge arm, and the other end is connected to the output terminal on the substrate 1; at least two current detection coils 5, the current detection coils 5 are arranged on the output line 4 and connected to the driver chip 2.

[0035] exist Figure 1In the embodiment shown, the inverter unit 3 includes three groups of inverter modules, namely a first group of inverter units B1, a second group of inverter units B2, and a third group of inverter units B3, which are suitable for high-power motor loads with three interfaces. It should be noted that point P is the high-voltage input terminal of the intelligent power module of the embodiment of the present application, and points U, V, and W are the three-phase output terminals of the intelligent power module of the embodiment of the present application, which are used to connect to the motor load. Points UN, VN, and WN correspond to the emitter output terminals of the triode transistors 32 of the lower bridge arms of the three groups of inverter modules, respectively. The three emitter output terminals can be connected to the low voltage reference terminal of the substrate 1 or the ground terminal of the external circuit.

[0036] It should be noted that an overcurrent protection circuit is provided in the driver chip 2, and the overcurrent protection circuit is connected to the current detection coil 5. Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, there are three output lines 4 and three current detection coils 5. These three current detection coils 5 utilize the principle of electromagnetic induction to monitor the current at the three-phase output terminals in real time and provide feedback to the driver chip 2. When the detected current exceeds a set threshold, the driver chip 2 activates the overcurrent protection circuit, immediately shutting down the six triode transistors in the inverter unit, halting device operation and preventing device burnout.

[0037] Preferably, see Figure 3 , Figure 3 is a circuit diagram of an intelligent power module in some embodiments of the present application, Figure 3 The embodiments in are preferred embodiments of the present application. It should be noted that, Figure 3 The outer frame line 88 in the figure is only a schematic packaging line of the intelligent power module of the embodiment of the present application, and does not refer to the connection lines of the various components or pins in the intelligent power module of the embodiment of the present application. In this intelligent power module, the driver chip 2 includes a VSS port, a high-side output port, and a low-side output port. The high-side output port includes and only includes the HO1 port and the HO2 port, and the low-side output port includes and only includes the LO1 port and the LO2 port. The inverter unit includes and only includes a first group of inverter modules A1 and a second group of inverter modules A2. The first group of inverter modules A1 includes a first triode transistor 20 and a second triode transistor 30, and the second group of inverter modules A2 includes a third triode transistor 40 and a fourth triode transistor 50. The gate of the first triode transistor 20 is connected to the HO1 port, the gate of the second triode transistor 30 is connected to the LO1 port, the gate of the third triode transistor 40 is connected to the HO2 port, and the gate of the fourth triode transistor 50 is connected to the LO2 port. In practical applications, the HO1 port, the HO2 port, the LO1 port, and the LO2 port correspond to control signal input terminals of the first triode transistor 20 , the second triode transistor 30 , the third triode transistor 40 , and the fourth triode transistor 50 , respectively.

[0038] It should be noted that in Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, point A represents the first output terminal A of the intelligent power module of the present invention, point B represents the second output terminal B of the intelligent power module of the present invention, and point N represents the low voltage reference terminal of the intelligent power module of the present invention. The first output terminal A and the second output terminal B serve as interfaces for the motor load, and point N is connected to the sources of the second triode transistor 30 and the fourth triode transistor 50.

[0039] exist Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the driver chip 2 further includes a VCC port, a HIN1 port, a HIN2 port, a LIN1 port, and a LIN2 port. These ports are connected to the VCC, HIN1, HIN2, LIN1, and LIN2 pins of the entire intelligent power module, respectively. A VSS port is connected to the VSS pin of the entire intelligent power module. The VCC, VSS, HIN1, HIN2, LIN1, and LIN2 pins are all connected to the MCU to receive corresponding control signals from the MCU. The VCC pin is the power signal terminal of the driver chip 2, and the VSS pin is the common ground terminal of the intelligent power module. In practical applications, the voltage between the VCC and VSS pins is generally set to 15V. However, the voltage can be set as needed, and this is not a limitation.

[0040] It should be noted that, referring to Figure 4 , Figure 4 yes Figure 3The schematic diagram of the driver chip 2 of an intelligent power module in the embodiment shown is as follows: The VCC pin of the intelligent power module is connected to the power circuit inside the driver chip 2 through the VCC port of the driver chip 2 to provide the driver chip 2 with working power. The HIN1 pin of the intelligent power module is connected to the first high-side drive circuit inside the driver chip 2 through the HIN1 port of the driver chip 2, and outputs a control signal through the HO1 port of the driver chip 2 to determine the on / off of the first triode transistor 20. The HIN2 pin of the intelligent power module is connected to the second high-side drive circuit inside the driver chip 2 through the HIN2 port of the driver chip 2, and outputs a control signal through the HO2 port of the driver chip 2 to determine the on / off of the third triode transistor 40. The LIN1 pin of the intelligent power module is connected to the first low-side drive circuit inside the driver chip 2 through the LIN1 port of the driver chip 2, and outputs a control signal through the LO1 port of the driver chip 2 to determine the on / off of the second triode transistor 30. The LIN2 pin of the intelligent power module is connected to the second low-side drive circuit inside the driver chip 2 through the LIN2 port of the driver chip 2, and outputs a control signal through the LO2 port of the driver chip 2 to determine the on / off of the fourth triode transistor 50. The HIN1 pin, HIN2 pin, LIN1 pin, and LIN2 pin of the intelligent power module receive input signals of 0V or 5V. Of course, input signals with other voltage amplitudes can be received according to actual needs, and the specific selection is based on the actual devices connected to the circuit.

[0041] It should be further explained that the driver chip 2 also has a power undervoltage protection circuit inside, which is connected to the power circuit to protect the intelligent power module and devices. In addition, the two high-side drive circuits are also connected to the high-side undervoltage protection circuit to protect the intelligent power module and devices.

[0042] Among them, only one of the first and second triode transistors 20, 30 in the first inverter module A1 can be turned on; and only one of the third and fourth triode transistors 40, 50 in the second inverter module A2 can be turned on. Therefore, the first and fourth triode transistors 20, 50 form a group of paths, driven by the same set of signals and turned on / off simultaneously; the third and second triode transistors 40, 30 form another group of paths, driven by the same set of signals and turned on / off simultaneously.

[0043] In addition, correspondingly, interlocking and dead zone circuits are respectively provided between the first high-side driving circuit and the first low-side driving circuit, and between the second high-side driving circuit and the second low-side driving circuit inside the driving chip 2, so as to ensure that only one of the two triode transistors in the inverter module can be turned on to prevent short circuit.

[0044] Further, in Figure 3In the illustrated embodiment, the intelligent power module further includes a first bootstrap capacitor 101 and a second bootstrap capacitor 102. The driver chip 2 further includes a VB1 port and a VS1 port, and a VB2 port and a VS2 port. The VB1 port is connected to the VS1 port via the first bootstrap capacitor 101. The VB2 port is connected to the VS2 port via the second bootstrap capacitor 102. The VB1 port is the positive power supply terminal of the first bootstrap capacitor 101, and the VS1 port is the negative power supply terminal of the first bootstrap capacitor 101; the VB2 port is the positive power supply terminal of the second bootstrap capacitor 102, and the VS2 port is the negative power supply terminal of the second bootstrap capacitor 102. The first bootstrap capacitor 101 and the second bootstrap capacitor 102 are used for energy storage and power supply (or voltage boosting), providing a voltage boost for the power supply of the driver chip 2. The intelligent power module also includes two bootstrap diodes. The VCC port of the driver chip 2 is connected to the anodes of the two bootstrap diodes through the power supply circuit. The cathodes of the two bootstrap diodes are respectively connected to the first bootstrap capacitor 101 and the second bootstrap capacitor 102 through the VB1 port and the VB2 port. The bootstrap diodes are used for rectification to prevent current backflow and protect the power supply circuit.

[0045] exist Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the intelligent power module also includes two current detection coils 5, which are respectively arranged on output lines connected to the first output terminal A and the second output terminal B, respectively monitoring the current at the output terminals of the two inverter modules. Furthermore, the driver chip 2 is provided with an ITRIP port, which leads to the ITRIP pin of the intelligent power module, which serves as an overcurrent protection terminal. When the current detection coil 5 detects the current at the output terminal of the intelligent power module, the signal is fed back to the MCU via the ITRIP terminal of the intelligent power module. The MCU compares the current with a set current threshold. If the current exceeds the set threshold, a corresponding control signal is input through the ITRIP terminal, which controls the overcurrent protection circuit to stop the operation of the driver chip 2, and then stops the operation of the intelligent power module, thereby protecting the device.

[0046] Of course, it is understandable that in some embodiments, the driver chip 2 is also provided with an over-temperature protection switch, an over-voltage protection switch, an enable protection switch, an error reporting circuit, etc. For the over-temperature protection switch, the over-voltage protection switch, the enable protection switch, and the error reporting circuit, the driver chip 2 is correspondingly provided with a VTS port, an OV port, an EN port, and a FO port. The above-mentioned VTS port, EN port, and FO port are also connected to the MCU chip through a universal I / O interface, and receive or feedback corresponding signals to the MCU chip, while the OV port is connected to the high-voltage input terminal P point to detect whether the voltage of the high-voltage input terminal P point exceeds the set threshold and includes the device. Among them, the over-temperature protection switch is a positive temperature coefficient temperature protection switch. In addition, the FO port of the driver chip 2 is internally pulled up to the VCC port through a resistor.

[0047] In practical applications, existing intelligent power modules are designed for high-power motor loads with three interfaces. Figure 1 The structure shown in: a three-way three-phase full-bridge driver chip + 6 triode transistors. When the intelligent power module is applied to a low-power motor, two drive circuits of its three-phase full-bridge driver chip will be wasted. Alternatively, two discrete half-bridge driver chips + 4 triode transistors can be used to realize a single-phase full-bridge circuit. However, each half-bridge driver chip needs to be designed with undervoltage, overcurrent, enable, error and other protection circuits, which will cause duplication of protection circuits and waste of module area. In addition, each chip requires non-functional areas such as dicing lanes and SEALRING (ie sealing ring). The more chips there are, the larger the proportion of non-functional areas will be, and the most effective use of chip area cannot be achieved. However, this application Figure 3 and Figure 4 In the embodiment, the intelligent power module uses a single driver chip 2 to control a single-phase full-bridge circuit formed by two groups of absolute triode transistors, which can be directly applied to low-power motor loads of two interfaces without waste. The single driver chip integrates four drive circuits, enabling circuits, undervoltage protection circuits, overcurrent protection circuits, overvoltage protection circuits, overtemperature protection circuits, error reporting circuits and other functional circuits, as well as bootstrap circuits. The module also integrates triode transistors, bootstrap capacitors, and current detection coils 5 to complete the IPM circuit and realize the complete function of single-phase full-bridge IPM. No external bootstrap capacitors, current sampling circuits, etc. are required. The chip area can be used most effectively without causing repeated design of protection functions, minimizing the area occupied by dicing lanes, SEALRINGs, etc., improving space utilization, and improving the usability and reliability of the module.

[0048] In some embodiments, the triode transistor of the intelligent power module of the integrated control chip of the embodiment of the present application is one of an IGBT transistor, a reverse-conducting IGBT transistor or a MOSFET transistor.

[0049] like Figure 1and Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, all three transistors are IGBTs. Each IGBT is connected to a fast recovery diode, with the anode connected to the source of the IGBT and the cathode connected to the drain. If all three transistors are reverse-conducting IGBTs or MOSFETs, the fast recovery diode may not be connected in parallel.

[0050] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the gate of each triode transistor is connected to a gate drive resistor, which is provided inside the driver chip 2 to prevent the driving current from being too large and causing oscillation. The advantage of this application is that the current detection circuit is integrated into the module, which simplifies its use. When using it, the user does not need to connect the current detection circuit externally, thus reducing the user's design cost; and Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 This is a comparison diagram of the signal interference received by the current detection coil of the intelligent power module of some embodiments of the present application and the existing circuit sampling circuit. It can be seen that the intelligent power module of the embodiment of the present application can reduce the false shutdown caused by external interference. Figure 2 As shown, when there is external interference, the traditional external current detection circuit may generate a large spike. After receiving this signal, the driver chip shuts down the inverter unit, causing an incorrect shutdown. However, the current detection coil closer to the device is only subject to less interference, indicating that the actual current is still within the safe operating range of the device. The driver chip continues to operate normally, preventing false triggering. In addition, since no external current detection circuit is required, the overcurrent protection action time of the intelligent power module in the embodiment of the present application is faster. The existing overcurrent protection action time requires more than 10μs, while the overcurrent protection action time of the embodiment of the present application can be shortened to less than 5μs, which is less than the short-circuit tolerance of a general IGBT tube and can better protect the intelligent power module. In addition, the existing current detection circuit generally uses at least one sampling resistor to collect current. The sampling resistor needs to be connected to the circuit, which has a voltage divider effect, generates power consumption and heat, and increases the heat dissipation burden of the device. Therefore, compared with the existing technology, the intelligent power module in the embodiment of the present application has a simple structure, stable function, low cost and good effect.

[0051] It should be understood that the application of this application is not limited to the above examples. For ordinary technicians in this field, they can make improvements or changes based on the above description. All these improvements and changes should fall within the scope of protection of the claims attached to this application.

Claims

1. An intelligent power module, characterized in that: include: substrate; A driver chip disposed on the substrate; an inverter unit disposed on the substrate, the inverter unit comprising at least two groups of inverter modules, each group of inverter modules comprising two triode transistors, wherein a drain of one triode transistor is connected to a high-voltage input terminal on the substrate, a source thereof is connected to a drain of another triode transistor, a source of the other triode transistor is connected to a low-voltage reference terminal on the substrate, and gates of both triode transistors are connected to the driver chip; At least two output lines, one end of each output line is connected to the source of the upper bridge arm of each group of inverter modules, and the other end is connected to the output terminal on the substrate; at least two current detection coils, each of which is provided on the output line and connected to the driver chip; The current detection coil uses the principle of electromagnetic induction to collect the current at the output end in real time and feeds it back to the driver chip; An overcurrent protection circuit is provided in the driver chip, and the overcurrent protection circuit is connected to the current detection coil, and is used to stop working when the current collected by the current detection coil exceeds a set threshold; An over-temperature protection switch is also provided in the driver chip.

2. The intelligent power module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driver chip includes a VSS port, a high-side output port and a low-side output port, wherein the high-side output port includes and only includes an HO1 port and an HO2 port, and the low-side output port includes and only includes an LO1 port and an LO2 port; The inverter unit has and only has a first group of inverter modules and a second group of inverter modules, the first group of inverter modules includes a first triode transistor and a second triode transistor, and the second group of inverter modules includes a third triode transistor and a fourth triode transistor; the gate of the first triode transistor is connected to the HO1 port, the gate of the second triode transistor is connected to the LO1 port, the gate of the third triode transistor is connected to the HO2 port, and the gate of the fourth triode transistor is connected to the LO2 port.

3. The intelligent power module according to claim 2, characterized in that: Also including a first bootstrap capacitor; The driver chip further includes a VB1 port and a VS1 port; the VB1 port is connected to the VS1 port via the first bootstrap capacitor.

4. The intelligent power module according to claim 3, characterized in that: Also including a second bootstrap capacitor; The driver chip further includes a VB2 port and a VS2 port; the VB2 port is connected to the VS2 port via a second bootstrap capacitor.

5. The intelligent power module according to claim 1, wherein: The triode transistor is one of an IGBT transistor, a reverse-conducting IGBT transistor or a MOSFET transistor.

6. The intelligent power module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The three-pole transistors are all IGBT transistors; Each IGBT transistor is connected to a fast recovery diode, wherein the anode of the fast recovery diode is connected to the source of the IGBT transistor, and the cathode of the fast recovery diode is connected to the drain of the IGBT transistor.

7. The intelligent power module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gate of each triode transistor is connected to a gate driving resistor, and the gate driving resistor is arranged inside the driving chip.

8. The intelligent power module according to claim 1, wherein: An overvoltage protection switch is also provided in the driver chip.

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