Driving module, driving chip, intelligent power module, controller and electric appliance

Abstract

The invention discloses a driving module, a driving chip, an intelligent power module, a controller and an electric appliance, and relates to the technical field of semiconductor devices. The circuit comprises a driving unit, and the driving unit comprises a low-voltage level shift circuit, a high-voltage level shift circuit, an interlocking unit and a driver. The input end of the low-voltage level shift circuit is coupled with an input power supply, the input end of the high-voltage level shift circuit is coupled with the output end of the low-voltage level shift circuit, and a body diode is integrated in the high-voltage level shift circuit. The interlock unit is coupled to the high voltage level shift circuit. The driver is coupled with the interlocking unit and is used for being coupled with a grid electrode of the insulated gate bipolar transistor. A mode of integrating a body diode in a high-voltage level shift circuit is adopted, and conversion of level from a low-voltage domain to a high-voltage domain can be realized through combination of the low-voltage level shift circuit, the high-voltage level shift circuit, a driver and other devices under the condition that a bootstrap diode is not additionally arranged.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of semiconductor devices, in particular to a driving module, a driving chip, an intelligent power module, a controller and an electrical appliance. BACKGROUND

[0002] Currently, the driving circuit for driving IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) usually adopts an external bootstrap diode and a bootstrap capacitor to form a bootstrap circuit. For example, when the upper arm IGBT of the IGBT half-bridge circuit needs to be turned on, the negative electrode potential of the bootstrap capacitor will rise with the output voltage, and since the voltage across the capacitor cannot change abruptly, the positive electrode voltage will also rise accordingly, thereby providing a high enough driving voltage for the gate of the upper arm IGBT to ensure that the upper arm IGBT can be turned on. However, the on-voltage drop of the bootstrap diode in the bootstrap circuit is usually proportional to its withstand voltage, and thus it cannot be applied to high-voltage driving scenarios. SUMMARY

[0003] In view of the problem that the driving circuit with an external bootstrap diode cannot be applied to high-voltage driving scenarios, the present application is proposed to provide a driving module, a driving chip, an intelligent power module, a controller and an electrical appliance that overcome the above problems or at least partially solve the above problems.

[0004] Based on the first aspect of the present application, a driving module of an insulated gate bipolar transistor is provided, which comprises:

[0005] a low-voltage level shifting circuit, an input end of which is coupled with an input power supply;

[0006] a high-voltage level shifting circuit, an input end of which is coupled with an output end of the low-voltage level shifting circuit, wherein a body diode is integrated in the high-voltage level shifting circuit, and a cathode of the body diode is coupled with a high-side floating power supply;

[0007] a interlocking unit, an input end of which is coupled with an output end of the high-voltage level shifting circuit;

[0008] a driver, an input end of which is coupled with an output end of the interlocking unit, and an output end of which is used to be coupled with a gate of an insulated gate bipolar transistor to drive the insulated gate bipolar transistor.

[0009] An optional summary of the application, the driving unit further comprises a narrow pulse generator, which is coupled between the low-voltage level shifting circuit and the high-voltage level shifting circuit;

[0010] The narrow pulse generator is used to convert the square wave outputted by the low voltage level shift circuit into two narrow pulse signals and input them into the high voltage level shift circuit.

[0011] An optional summary of the application, the drive unit further comprises a first power protection circuit, the first power protection circuit is arranged between the input power supply and the control end of the low voltage level shift circuit, wherein the input end of the first power protection circuit is coupled with the input power supply, so as to protect the drive unit.

[0012] An optional summary of the application, the first power protection circuit comprises:

[0013] The first input voltage division sub-circuit outputs at least a first voltage division and a second voltage division;

[0014] The path selection sub-circuit is coupled with the first voltage division and the second voltage division respectively, so as to control one of the first voltage division and the second voltage division to output;

[0015] The voltage comparison sub-circuit is coupled with the path selection sub-circuit, so as to compare one of the first voltage division and the second voltage division with a reference voltage and output a comparison level;

[0016] The logic conversion sub-circuit is coupled with the voltage comparison sub-circuit and the path selection sub-circuit respectively, so as to output a control level of the path selection sub-circuit according to the comparison level.

[0017] An optional summary of the application, the first input voltage division sub-circuit further outputs a third voltage division, and the first power protection circuit comprises:

[0018] The reset voltage detection sub-circuit is coupled with the third voltage division, wherein the reset voltage detection sub-circuit outputs a high level when detecting that the third voltage division is greater than a set voltage threshold, and outputs a low level when detecting that the third voltage division is less than or equal to the set voltage threshold;

[0019] The NOR gate sub-circuit is coupled with the logic conversion sub-circuit and the reset voltage detection sub-circuit respectively;

[0020] The inverter is coupled with the NOR gate sub-circuit to output a power control level to control the on-off of the low voltage level shift circuit.

[0021] An optional summary of the application, the path selection sub-circuit comprises:

[0022] a first NMOS transistor and a first PMOS transistor, a drain of the first NMOS transistor is coupled with a source of the first PMOS transistor, and the first voltage divider is inputted;

[0023] a second NMOS transistor and a second PMOS transistor, a drain of the second NMOS transistor is coupled with a source of the second PMOS transistor, and the second voltage divider is inputted, wherein a gate of the second NMOS transistor and a gate of the first PMOS transistor are controlled by a first control level outputted by the logic conversion sub-circuit respectively;

[0024] a gate of the first NMOS transistor and a gate of the second PMOS transistor are controlled by a second control level outputted by the logic conversion sub-circuit respectively, and a source of the first NMOS transistor, a source of the second NMOS transistor, a drain of the first PMOS transistor and a drain of the second PMOS transistor are coupled simultaneously and serve as an output terminal of the path selection sub-circuit.

[0025] An optional summary, in the case that the number of the driving units is three, three of the driving units are coupled with the input power source respectively, so that a driver of each of the driving units drives one of the insulated gate bipolar transistors respectively.

[0026] An optional summary, the driving unit further comprises a filter circuit, the filter circuit is coupled with an input terminal of the low voltage level shift circuit, and is used for filtering the input power source.

[0027] Based on the second aspect of the present application, an insulated gate bipolar transistor driving chip is further provided, the insulated gate bipolar transistor driving chip comprises the insulated gate bipolar transistor driving module according to any one of the above summaries.

[0028] Based on the third aspect of the present application, an intelligent power module is further provided, the intelligent power module comprises the insulated gate bipolar transistor driving chip according to the above summary, and at least one insulated gate bipolar transistor, a gate of the insulated gate bipolar transistor is coupled with an output terminal of the driver.

[0029] Based on the fourth aspect of the present application, a controller is further provided, the controller comprises the intelligent power module according to the above summary.

[0030] Based on the fifth aspect of the present application, an electrical appliance is further provided, the electrical appliance comprises the controller according to the above summary.

[0031] Compared with the prior art, the application comprises at least one driving unit, which comprises a low-voltage level shift circuit, a high-voltage level shift circuit, an interlocking unit and a driver. The input end of the low-voltage level shift circuit is coupled with an input power supply, and the input end of the high-voltage level shift circuit is coupled with the output end of the low-voltage level shift circuit, wherein a body diode is integrated in the high-voltage level shift circuit, and the cathode of the body diode is coupled with a high-side floating power supply. The input end of the interlocking unit is coupled with the output end of the high-voltage level shift circuit. The input end of the driver is coupled with the output end of the interlocking unit, and the output end of the driver is used to be coupled with the gate of an insulated gate bipolar transistor to drive the insulated gate bipolar transistor. In this way, by adopting the integrated body diode mode in the high-voltage level shift circuit, the conversion of the level from the low-voltage domain to the high-voltage domain can be realized by the combination of the low-voltage level shift circuit, the high-voltage level shift circuit and the driver and the like without adding a bootstrap diode, so that the withstand voltage capability and the driving voltage level of the driving module can be greatly improved.

[0032] The above description is only a summary of the technical scheme of the application. In order to enable the technical means of the application to be more clearly understood and implemented according to the content of the description, and in order to enable the above and other purposes, characteristics and advantages of the application to be more apparent and easy to understand, the following specific embodiments of the application are described. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0033] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a description of the preferred embodiments and are not meant to limit the present application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used throughout the several views to denote the same or similar parts.

[0034] In the drawings:

[0035] Figure 1 is a circuit structure topology of a driving module provided by an embodiment of the application;

[0036] Figure 2 is a structure schematic diagram of a high-voltage level shift circuit provided by an embodiment of the application;

[0037] Figure 3 is another circuit structure topology of a driving module provided by an embodiment of the application;

[0038] Figure 4 is a circuit structure schematic diagram of a first power supply protection circuit provided by an embodiment of the application;

[0039] Figure 5 is still another circuit structure topology of a driving module provided by an embodiment of the application;

[0040] Reference numerals: 1, driving unit; 11, low-voltage level shift circuit; 12, high-voltage level shift circuit; 121, body diode; 13, interlocking unit; 14, driver; 15, narrow pulse generator; 16, filter circuit; 17, second power protection circuit; 2, first power protection circuit; 21, first input voltage division sub-circuit; 22, path selection sub-circuit; 23, voltage comparison sub-circuit; 24, logic conversion sub-circuit; 25, reset voltage detection sub-circuit; 26, NOR sub-circuit; 27, inverter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Exemplary embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present application are shown in the drawings, it is to be understood that the present application can be embodied in various forms without being limited by the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the application to those skilled in the art.

[0042] Currently, the driving circuit for driving IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) usually adopts an external bootstrap diode and a bootstrap capacitor to form a bootstrap circuit. For example, when the upper arm IGBT of the IGBT half-bridge circuit needs to be turned on, the negative electrode potential of the bootstrap capacitor will rise with the output terminal voltage, and since the voltage across the capacitor cannot change abruptly, the positive electrode voltage will also rise accordingly, thereby providing a high enough driving voltage for the gate of the upper arm IGBT, ensuring that the upper arm IGBT can be turned on. However, the on-voltage drop of the bootstrap diode in the bootstrap circuit is usually proportional to its withstand voltage capacity, and thus cannot be applied to high-voltage driving scenarios.

[0043] In order to solve the above technical problems, the embodiment of the present application can include at least one driving unit 1, which comprises a low-voltage level shift circuit 11, a high-voltage level shift circuit 12, an interlocking unit 13 and a driver 14. The input end of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11 is coupled with an input power supply VCC, and the input end of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12 is coupled with the output end of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11, wherein a body diode 121 is integrated in the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, and the cathode of the body diode 21 is coupled with a high-side floating power supply VB. The input end of the interlocking unit 13 is coupled with the output end of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12. The input end of the driver 14 is coupled with the output end of the interlocking unit 13, and the output end of the driver 14 is used to be coupled with the gate of an insulated gate bipolar transistor to drive the insulated gate bipolar transistor. In this way, by using the integrated body diode 121 in the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, the conversion of the voltage level from the low-voltage domain to the high-voltage domain can be realized by the combination of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11, the high-voltage level shift circuit and the driver 14, etc. without adding a bootstrap diode, thereby greatly improving the voltage withstand capability and the driving voltage level of the driving module.

[0044] Reference Figures 1-5 The embodiment of the present application provides a driving module of an insulated gate bipolar transistor, which can include at least one driving unit 1. The driving unit 1 can include a low-voltage level shift circuit 11, a high-voltage level shift circuit 12, an interlocking unit 13 and a driver 14. The input end of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11 is coupled with an input power supply VCC, and the input end of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12 is coupled with the output end of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11, wherein a body diode 121 is integrated in the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, and the cathode of the body diode 21 is coupled with a high-side floating power supply VB. The input end of the interlocking unit 13 is coupled with the output end of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12. The input end of the driver 14 is coupled with the output end of the interlocking unit 13, and the output end of the driver 14 is used to be coupled with the gate of an insulated gate bipolar transistor to drive the insulated gate bipolar transistor.

[0045] In the embodiment of the present application, the driving unit 1 refers to a circuit set for driving a single insulated gate bipolar transistor. Correspondingly, the driving module is used to drive at least one insulated gate bipolar transistor, which is used to control the conduction and cutoff of the insulated gate bipolar transistor.

[0046] The low voltage level shift circuit 11 is used to convert the signal level inputted therein to a level range suitable for the subsequent high voltage level shift circuit 12. In other words, it can be understood that the low voltage level shift circuit 11 can perform a first boost on the amplitude of the input signal level. For example, the input voltage of the low voltage level shift circuit 11 can be HIN, which can be obtained by transforming the input power supply VCC, or can be directly electrically connected through the input power supply VCC, which is not limited here.

[0047] The high voltage level shift circuit 12 is used to convert the signal level outputted from the low voltage level shift circuit 11 to a level range suitable for the subsequent driver 14. In other words, it can be understood that the low voltage level shift circuit 11 can perform a second boost on the amplitude of the input signal level. The high voltage level shift circuit 12 is provided with a body diode 121 through an integrated process, which can avoid the case that an external bootstrap diode occupies additional assembly space, thereby facilitating the miniaturization design of the drive module.

[0048] Referring to Figure 2 As shown, the high voltage level shift circuit 12 can also include two LDMOS (Laterally Diffused Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor, lateral diffusion metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) and a ring high voltage area. Among them, the LDMOS can realize high voltage, such as a withstand voltage value greater than or equal to 600V, by optimizing the structure of the drift region length and the gate polysilicon field. The drains of the two LDMOS tubes are directly coupled to the ring high voltage area. That is, the LDMOS tube itself serves as a high voltage interconnection line, thereby avoiding the use of a high voltage interconnection line HVI across the drain of the LDMOS and the low potential area of the high voltage junction terminal, thereby realizing the highest withstand voltage performance of the ring high voltage area and reducing the circuit layout area occupied.

[0049] The gates (G1 and G2) of the two LDMOS tubes are coupled to the output end of the low voltage level shift circuit 11, so that the level signal outputted by the low voltage level shift circuit 11 can control the conduction and turn-off of the LDMOS tube. When the LDMOS tube is turned on, the level signal outputted by the low voltage level shift circuit 11 is inputted to the high voltage area through the drain (D1 or D2) of the LDMOS tube, thereby the level signal can be amplified twice by the high voltage area. Among them, the LDMOS tube can be a high voltage LDMOS tube.

[0050] The high-voltage level shift circuit 12 can simplify the structural complexity of the peripheral circuit of the driving module, thereby reducing additional components and connection lines, and lowering design and manufacturing costs. The integrated design of the body diode 121 and the high-voltage level shift circuit 12 can ensure closer coupling of the two, and further optimize the efficiency and reliability of signal transmission. This design not only reduces transmission delay time, but also reduces the static power consumption of the driving module.

[0051] The interlocking unit 13 is used to control the turn-on and turn-off of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, so that the high-voltage level shift circuit 12 can work in a safe voltage and circuit range, which can avoid damage to components of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12 due to overvoltage, overcurrent, etc.

[0052] The driver 14 is used to enhance the driving capability of the driving signal output by the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, for example, the driver 14 is used to amplify the current and / or voltage of the driving signal, so that the output driving signal HO of the driver 14 can drive the insulated gate bipolar transistor. Coupling the driver 14 at the output end of the interlocking unit 13 can perform a third amplification of the driving signal through the driver 14, and can avoid circuit failure due to insufficient driving of the driving module, thereby improving the operation stability of the driving module.

[0053] In summary, by using the integrated body diode 121 in the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, the level conversion from low-voltage domain to high-voltage domain can be realized without adding a bootstrap diode, through the combination of low-voltage level shift circuit 11, high-voltage level shift circuit and driver 14, etc. Therefore, the voltage resistance and driving voltage level of the driving module can be greatly improved.

[0054] In an alternative embodiment of the application, referring to Figure 3 The driving unit 1 further includes a narrow pulse generator 15 coupled between the low-voltage level shift circuit 11 and the high-voltage level shift circuit 12. The narrow pulse generator 15 is used to convert the square wave output by the low-voltage level shift circuit 11 into two narrow pulse signals and input into the high-voltage level shift circuit 12.

[0055] In the embodiment of the present application, the narrow pulse generator 15 can be understood as an electronic device or circuit capable of generating an electric pulse signal with extremely short pulse width. The narrow pulse generator 15 is coupled between the low-voltage level shift circuit 11 and the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, wherein the narrow pulse generator 15 converts the rising edge and the falling edge of the square wave signal input thereto into narrow pulse signals, for example, pulse signals with interval of 100 nanoseconds. Thus, the switching transition time of the insulated gate bipolar transistor controlled by the driving module as a whole can be reduced, thereby reducing the power consumption of the driving module. In this case, the narrow pulse generator converts the square wave into two narrow pulse signals which are input to the high-voltage level shift circuit 12. The two narrow pulse signals are used to control the turn-on and turn-off of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, and output control signals with the same frequency as the input signals.

[0056] In one or more embodiments, the gates (G1 and G2) of the two LDMOS transistors are coupled to the output of the narrow pulse generator 15, so that the conduction and turn-off of the two LDMOS transistors can be controlled by the two narrow pulse signals output by the output of the narrow pulse generator 15. For example, the narrow pulse generator 15 converts the rising edge of the square wave signal into a narrow pulse signal to control the conduction and turn-off of the first LDMOS transistor, and converts the falling edge of the square wave signal into a narrow pulse signal to control the conduction and turn-off of the second LDMOS transistor.

[0057] In an alternative embodiment of the present application, as shown in Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 5 , the driving unit 1 further comprises a first power protection circuit 2, which is arranged between the input power supply VCC and the control end of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11. The input end of the first power protection circuit 2 is coupled to the input power supply VCC to protect the driving unit 1.

[0058] In the embodiment of the present application, the first power protection circuit 2 is used to monitor the input power supply VCC. When the voltage of the input power supply VCC is too small or the power-on reset is abnormal, the voltage input of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11 is disconnected, thereby realizing the under-voltage protection and running stability of the driving module.

[0059] In an alternative embodiment of the present application, as shown in Figure 4As shown, the first power protection circuit 2 can include a first input voltage division sub-circuit 21, a path selection sub-circuit 22, a voltage comparison sub-circuit 23, and a logic conversion sub-circuit 24. The first input voltage division sub-circuit 21 outputs at least a first voltage division Vin1 and a second voltage division Vin2. The path selection sub-circuit 22 is coupled with the first voltage division Vin1 and the second voltage division Vin2, respectively, to control one of the first voltage division Vin1 and the second voltage division Vin2 to output. The voltage comparison sub-circuit 23 is coupled with the path selection sub-circuit 22 to compare one of the first voltage division Vin1 and the second voltage division Vin2 with a reference voltage Vref and output a comparison level. The logic conversion sub-circuit 24 is coupled with the voltage comparison sub-circuit 23 and the path selection sub-circuit 22, respectively, to output a control level of the path selection sub-circuit 22 according to the comparison level.

[0060] In the embodiment of the present application, the first input voltage division sub-circuit 21 is configured to obtain a power supply voltage division corresponding to the input power supply VCC by using resistance voltage division. Thus, the power supply voltage division value can be compared with the reference voltage Vref, so that whether the voltage value of the input power supply VCC is in an under-voltage state can be determined by the voltage comparison result. For example, the first input voltage division sub-circuit 21 can be provided with at least three voltage division resistors, so that at least two detection voltages are output. The first input voltage division sub-circuit 21 outputs at least a first voltage division Vin1 and a second voltage division Vin2.

[0061] In one or more embodiments, the first input voltage division sub-circuit 21 is configured to obtain a power supply voltage division corresponding to the input power supply VCC by using resistance voltage division. Thus, the power supply voltage division value can be compared with the reference voltage Vref, so that whether the voltage value of the input power supply VCC is in an under-voltage state can be determined by the voltage comparison result. For example, the first input voltage division sub-circuit 21 can be provided with at least three voltage division resistors, so that at least two detection voltages are output. The first input voltage division sub-circuit 21 outputs at least a first voltage division Vin1 and a second voltage division Vin2. Figure 4 As shown, the first input voltage division sub-circuit 21 can include an initial voltage division resistor R0, a first voltage division Vin1 resistor R1, and a second voltage division Vin2 resistor R2. The initial voltage division resistor R0, the first voltage division Vin1 resistor R1, and the second voltage division Vin2 resistor R2 are connected in series. One end of the initial voltage division resistor R0 is coupled with the input power supply VCC, and the other end is coupled with the first voltage division Vin1 resistor R1. The voltage value at the connection between the initial voltage division resistor R0 and the first voltage division Vin1 resistor R1 is the first voltage division Vin1. The voltage value at the connection between the first voltage division Vin1 resistor R1 and the second voltage division Vin2 resistor R2 is the second voltage division Vin2.

[0062] The path selection sub-circuit 22 is configured to compare one of the first voltage division Vin1 and the second voltage division Vin2 with the reference voltage Vref by using a switching device and output a comparison level. For example, the first voltage division Vin1 can be compared with the reference voltage Vref by the action of the path selection sub-circuit 22, or the second voltage division Vin2 can be compared with the reference voltage Vref by the action of the path selection sub-circuit 22.

[0063] The path selection sub-circuit 22 can include a first NMOS transistor S1, a first PMOS transistor S2, a second NMOS transistor S3, and a second PMOS transistor S4. The drain of the first NMOS transistor S1 is coupled with the source of the first PMOS transistor S2 to form a coupling with a circuit node corresponding to the first voltage division Vin1. The drain of the second NMOS transistor S3 is coupled with the source of the second PMOS transistor S4 to form a coupling with a circuit node corresponding to the second voltage division Vin2. The gate of the second NMOS transistor S3 and the gate of the first PMOS transistor S2 are controlled by the first control level EN1 output by the logic conversion sub-circuit 24. The gate of the first NMOS transistor S1 and the gate of the second PMOS transistor S4 are controlled by the second control level EN2 output by the logic conversion sub-circuit 24. The source of the first NMOS transistor S1, the source of the second NMOS transistor S3, the drain of the first PMOS transistor S2, and the drain of the second PMOS transistor S4 are coupled together and serve as an output terminal of the path selection sub-circuit 22, which is coupled with the voltage comparison sub-circuit 23.

[0064] In one or more embodiments, if the first control level EN1 is high and the second control level EN2 is low, the second NMOS transistor S3 and the second PMOS transistor S4 are both turned on, and the second voltage division Vin2 is input into the voltage comparison sub-circuit 23 as a voltage value for comparison with the reference voltage Vref. At this time, the gate of the first NMOS transistor S1 inputs the second control level EN2 to be turned off, and the gate of the first PMOS transistor S2 inputs the first control level EN1 to be turned off.

[0065] In one or more embodiments, if the first control level EN1 is low and the second control level EN2 is high, the first NMOS transistor S1 and the first PMOS transistor S2 are both turned on, and the first voltage division Vin1 is input into the voltage comparison sub-circuit 23 as a voltage value for comparison with the reference voltage Vref. At this time, the gate of the second NMOS transistor S3 inputs the first control level EN1 to be turned off, and the gate of the second PMOS transistor S4 inputs the second control level EN2 to be turned off.

[0066] The voltage comparison sub-circuit 23 is configured to compare the output voltage of the path selection sub-circuit 22 with the reference voltage Vref. Referring to Figure 4As shown, the logic conversion sub-circuit 24 is coupled with the voltage comparison sub-circuit 23 and the path selection sub-circuit 22, respectively, to output the control level of the path selection sub-circuit 22 according to the comparison level. For example, the logic conversion sub-circuit 24 and the voltage comparison sub-circuit 23 can be a voltage judgment combination composed of multiple MOS tubes. The output voltage of the path output sub-circuit is coupled to the gate of one of the MOS tubes in the voltage comparison sub-circuit 23, and the reference voltage Vref in the voltage comparison sub-circuit 23 is coupled to the gate of another MOS tube, so as to detect the voltage size of the output voltage and the reference voltage Vref by driving different MOS tubes to be in different on or off states.

[0067] In one or more embodiments, with reference to Figure 4 As shown, if the first voltage division Vin1 is less than the reference voltage Vref, it is determined that the input power supply VCC is in an under-voltage state, in which case the first output level of the logic conversion sub-circuit 24 can be high, and the second output level of the logic conversion sub-circuit 24 can be low. Thus, the second PMOS tube S4 and the second NMOS tube S3 can be turned on to switch the second voltage division Vin2 as the input voltage of the voltage comparison sub-circuit 23.

[0068] If the second voltage division Vin2 is greater than the reference voltage Vref, it indicates that the input power supply VCC is in a reset state, in which case the first output level of the logic conversion sub-circuit 24 can be low, and the second output level of the logic conversion sub-circuit 24 can be high. At this time, the first PMOS tube S2 and the first NMOS tube S1 are turned on to switch the first voltage division Vin1 as the input voltage of the voltage comparison sub-circuit 23. Moreover, the first voltage division Vin1 resistor R1 serves as a hysteresis resistor, and a person skilled in the art can adjust the size of the under-voltage protection hysteresis voltage by adjusting the resistance value of the first voltage division Vin1 resistor R1.

[0069] In an alternative embodiment, the first input voltage dividing sub-circuit 21 further outputs a third voltage dividing Vin3, and the first power supply protection circuit 2 can comprise a reset voltage detection sub-circuit 25, an NOR gate sub-circuit 26 and an inverter. The reset voltage detection sub-circuit 25 is coupled to the third voltage dividing Vin3, wherein the reset voltage detection sub-circuit 25 outputs a high level when detecting that the third voltage dividing Vin3 is greater than a set voltage threshold, and outputs a low level when detecting that the third voltage dividing Vin3 is less than or equal to the set voltage threshold. The NOR gate sub-circuit 26 is coupled to the logic conversion sub-circuit 24 and the reset voltage detection sub-circuit 25. The inverter is coupled to the NOR gate sub-circuit 26 to output a power supply control level to control the on-off of the low voltage level shift circuit 11.

[0070] In the embodiment, the first input voltage dividing sub-circuit 21 can further comprise a third voltage dividing Vin3 resistor R3, which is connected in series with the second voltage dividing Vin2 resistor R2. The connection between the third voltage dividing Vin3 resistor R3 and the second voltage dividing Vin2 resistor R2 can serve as an output circuit node of the third voltage dividing Vin3 of the first input voltage dividing sub-circuit 21. The initial voltage dividing resistor R0, the first voltage dividing Vin1 resistor R1, the second voltage dividing Vin2 resistor R2 and the third voltage dividing Vin3 resistor R3 cumulatively form a total voltage dividing resistor value. The voltage value of the first voltage dividing Vin1 can be obtained by multiplying the resistance ratio of the cumulative resistance value of the first voltage dividing Vin1 resistor R1, the second voltage dividing Vin2 resistor R2 and the third voltage dividing Vin3 resistor R3 to the total voltage dividing resistor value, and the voltage value of the input power supply VCC. The voltage value of the second voltage dividing Vin2 can be obtained by multiplying the resistance ratio of the cumulative resistance value of the second voltage dividing Vin2 resistor R2 and the third voltage dividing Vin3 resistor R3 to the total voltage dividing resistor value, and the voltage value of the input power supply VCC. The voltage value of the third voltage dividing Vin3 can be obtained by multiplying the resistance ratio of the resistance value of the third voltage dividing Vin3 resistor R3 to the total voltage dividing resistor value, and the voltage value of the input power supply VCC.

[0071] The reset voltage detection sub-circuit 25 is used to detect whether the input power supply VCC is in a reset state. For example, the reset voltage detection sub-circuit 25 comprises a detection NMOS transistor NM0, and the gate of the detection NMOS transistor NM0 is coupled to the circuit node corresponding to the third voltage dividing Vin3. When the third voltage dividing Vin3 is greater than the threshold voltage (which can also be referred to as a set voltage threshold) of the detection NMOS transistor NM0, the output end POR_OUT of the reset voltage detection sub-circuit 25 outputs a high level, which is used to represent that the input power supply VCC has completed the power-on process.

[0072] In an example, the input terminal of the NOR gate 26 is coupled to the logic conversion sub-circuit 24 and the reset voltage detection sub-circuit 25, respectively. That is, the output terminal UVLO_OUT of the logic conversion sub-circuit 24 and the output terminal POR_OUT of the reset voltage detection sub-circuit 25 are simultaneously used as the level inputs of the NOR gate 26. When one of the two input levels of the NOR gate 26 is high, the output terminal of the NOR gate 26 outputs low. When all the input levels are low, the output terminal of the NOR gate 26 outputs high.

[0073] The inverter is used to output a level opposite to the input. For example, if the inverter input is high, the output is low. If the inverter input is low, the output is high. Thus, the logic conversion sub-circuit 24 can output high at the output terminal UVLO_OUT when detecting that the input power supply VCC is in the undervoltage state, and output low when detecting that the input power supply VCC is in the reset state.

[0074] Thus, when the input power supply VCC is in the undervoltage state or the power-on state, the output terminal Vout of the inverter outputs low, so that the low voltage level shift circuit 11 can be controlled to be turned off, thereby protecting the circuit structure of the driving unit 1. In the embodiment of the application, since the power-on reset and the undervoltage protection are integrated in one circuit, the power consumption of the entire first power supply protection circuit 2 is greatly reduced.

[0075] In an optional embodiment of the application, with reference to Figure 5As shown, the embodiment of the present application also discloses a drive module of an insulated gate bipolar transistor, which can include three drive units 1. The drive unit 1 can include a low-voltage level shift circuit 11, a high-voltage level shift circuit 12, an interlocking unit 13, and a driver 14. The input end of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11 is coupled with an input power supply VCC, and the input end of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12 is coupled with the output end of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11, wherein a body diode 121 is integrated in the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, and the cathode of the body diode 21 is coupled with a high-side floating power supply VB. The input end of the interlocking unit 13 is coupled with the output end of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12. The input end of the driver 14 is coupled with the output end of the interlocking unit 13, and the output end of the driver 14 is used to be coupled with the gate of an insulated gate bipolar transistor to drive the insulated gate bipolar transistor. Wherein, the three drive units 1 are respectively coupled with the input power supply VCC, so that the driver 14 of each drive unit 1 respectively drives one insulated gate bipolar transistor.

[0076] In the embodiment of the present application, the drive unit 1 refers to a circuit set for driving a single insulated gate bipolar transistor. Correspondingly, the drive module is used to drive three insulated gate bipolar transistors, which are used to control the conduction and cutoff of the insulated gate bipolar transistor.

[0077] The low-voltage level shift circuit 11 is used to convert the signal level input therein to a level range suitable for the subsequent high-voltage level shift circuit 12 to work. In other words, it can be understood that the low-voltage level shift circuit 11 can first enhance the amplitude of the input signal level.

[0078] The high-voltage level shift circuit 12 is used to convert the signal level output from the low-voltage level shift circuit 11 to a level range suitable for the subsequent driver 14 to work. In other words, it can be understood that the low-voltage level shift circuit 11 can secondly enhance the amplitude of the input signal level. Referring to Figure 2 As shown, the high-voltage level shift circuit 12 is provided with a body diode 121 through an integrated process, which can avoid the case that an external bootstrap diode occupies additional assembly space, so as to facilitate the miniaturization design of the drive module. Moreover, it can simplify the structural complexity of the peripheral circuit of the drive module, thereby reducing additional components and connection lines and reducing design and manufacturing costs. The integrated design of the body diode 121 and the high-voltage level shift circuit 12 can ensure that the coupling of the two is more close, and the efficiency and reliability of signal transmission are further optimized. This design not only reduces the transmission delay time, but also reduces the static power consumption of the drive module.

[0079] The interlocking unit 13 is used to control the turn-on and turn-off of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, so that the high-voltage level shift circuit 12 can work in a safe voltage and circuit range, which can avoid the damage of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12 due to overvoltage, overcurrent and the like.

[0080] The driver 14 is used to enhance the driving capability of the driving signal output by the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, for example, the driver 14 is used to amplify the current and / or voltage of the driving signal, so that it can be ensured that the driving signal output by the driver 14 can drive the insulated gate bipolar transistor. The output end of the interlocking unit 13 is coupled to the driver 14, the third amplification of the driving signal can be performed through the driver 14, and the circuit failure due to insufficient driving of the driving module can be avoided, thereby improving the operation stability of the driving module.

[0081] In summary, when the number of the driving units 1 is three, the three driving units 1 can be respectively coupled to the input power supply VCC, so that each driving unit 1 can be driven by inputting the input power supply VCC respectively, and the output ends HO1, HO2 and HO3 of the three drivers 14 correspondingly drive the insulated gate bipolar transistors coupled thereto in a single-input single-output manner. The output end of each driving unit 1 can only use one insulated gate bipolar transistor, compared with H-bridge driving, which can reduce the number of switching devices, reduce the structural complexity of the driving unit 1, and reduce the electromagnetic interference caused by the action of the switching device. The three independent driving units 1 can also facilitate the iteration and current configuration of the circuit structure of the modular structure. For example, 300 milliampere or 500 milliampere output current is configured in each driving unit 1, which is used to meet the load demand in different driving scenarios.

[0082] In addition, the three-channel independent transmission path design can avoid the possibility of signal interference in the double-input or multiple-input single-output mode, and reduce the power loss caused by common-mode noise or crosstalk in the transmission process of the level signal. Therefore, the transmission accuracy of the driving level and the operation stability of the driving module are greatly improved. In an example, the transmission mode of the square wave converted into two narrow pulse level signals by the narrow pulse generator 15 can make the driving unit 1 reduce the transmission delay of the level signal under the premise of maintaining low power consumption, for example, the transmission delay of the driving module is less than 500 nanoseconds, thereby improving the energy efficiency ratio of the driving module.

[0083] In an optional embodiment, with reference to Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 5As shown, the driving unit 1 further comprises a filter circuit 16, which is coupled with the input end of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11, and used to filter the input power VCC.

[0084] In the embodiment of the present application, the filter circuit 16 is used to preprocess the voltage input into the low-voltage level shift circuit 11, and filter the interference signal in the input power VCC. In an implementation, the filter circuit 16 can include but is not limited to a capacitance filter structure, an inductance filter structure, and an LC filter structure. The specific structure type of the filter circuit 16 can be determined according to the actual test result by the person skilled in the art, which is not limited here. Through the design of the filter circuit 16, the control accuracy of the output level of the driving unit 1 and the operation stability of the driving module can be improved.

[0085] An optional embodiment of the present application is shown in Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 5 The driving unit 1 can further comprise a second power protection circuit 17, wherein the second power protection circuit 17 can be coupled with at least one of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, the interlocking unit 13, and the driver 14, so that the second power protection circuit 17 can be used to control the on-off of at least one of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, the interlocking unit 13, and the driver 14. For example, the circuit structure of the second power protection circuit 17 can be consistent with that of the first power protection circuit 2.

[0086] In summary, the embodiment of the present application discloses a drive module of an insulated gate bipolar transistor, which can include at least one drive unit 1. The drive unit 1 can include a low-voltage level shift circuit 11, a high-voltage level shift circuit 12, an interlocking unit 13, and a driver 14. The input end of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11 is coupled with an input power supply VCC, and the input end of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12 is coupled with the output end of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11, wherein a body diode 121 is integrated in the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, and the cathode of the body diode 21 is coupled with a high-side floating power supply VB. The input end of the interlocking unit 13 is coupled with the output end of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12. The input end of the driver 14 is coupled with the output end of the interlocking unit 13, and the output end of the driver 14 is used to be coupled with the gate of the insulated gate bipolar transistor to drive the insulated gate bipolar transistor. Thus, by using the integrated body diode 121 in the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, the level conversion from the low-voltage domain to the high-voltage domain can be realized by the combination of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11, the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, and the driver 14 without adding a bootstrap diode, so that the withstand voltage capability and the driving voltage level of the drive module can be greatly improved.

[0087] The embodiment of the present application also discloses an insulated gate bipolar transistor drive chip, which includes the drive module of the insulated gate bipolar transistor as described in any one of the above embodiments. The IGBT drive chip can include at least one drive unit 1. The drive unit 1 can include a low-voltage level shift circuit 11, a high-voltage level shift circuit 12, an interlocking unit 13, and a driver 14. The input end of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11 is coupled with an input power supply VCC, and the input end of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12 is coupled with the output end of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11, wherein a body diode 121 is integrated in the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, and the cathode of the body diode 21 is coupled with a high-side floating power supply VB.

[0088] The input end of the interlocking unit 13 is coupled with the output end of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12. The input end of the driver 14 is coupled with the output end of the interlocking unit 13, and the output end of the driver 14 is used to be coupled with the gate of the insulated gate bipolar transistor to drive the insulated gate bipolar transistor. Thus, by using the integrated body diode 121 in the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, the level conversion from the low-voltage domain to the high-voltage domain can be realized by the combination of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11, the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, and the driver 14 without adding a bootstrap diode, so that the withstand voltage capability and the driving voltage level of the drive module can be greatly improved.

[0089] In the embodiment of the application, the IGBT drive chip with the drive module described in the above embodiment of the application has the advantages of simple structure, modular design facilitating product iteration, low power consumption, and the like. Moreover, the transmission delay for controlling the conduction and cutoff of the IGBT is short, and the IGBT drive chip can be widely applied to high-voltage drive scenarios, for example, can be applied to IGBT drive scenarios above 700V.

[0090] In the embodiment of the application, an intelligent power module is also disclosed, which comprises the insulated gate bipolar transistor drive chip described in the above embodiment of the application, and at least one insulated gate bipolar transistor, the gate of the insulated gate bipolar transistor being coupled with the output end of the driver 14.

[0091] In the embodiment of the application, the intelligent power module (IPM) with the IGBT drive chip described above can drive each drive unit 1 by inputting a power supply VCC, so that each drive level drives the insulated gate bipolar transistor coupled therewith in a single-input single-output manner. The output end of each drive unit 1 can only use one insulated gate bipolar transistor, which can reduce the number of switching devices, reduce the structural complexity of the drive unit 1, and reduce electromagnetic interference caused by the action of the switching device, compared with H-bridge drive. The three independent drive units 1 can also facilitate the iteration of the circuit structure of the modular structure and the current configuration, and the like. For example, 300 milliamps or 500 milliamps of output current are configured in each drive unit 1 to meet the load demand in different drive scenarios. In addition, the three-channel independent transmission path design can avoid the possibility of signal interference between each other in the double-input or multi-input single-output mode, and reduce the power loss caused by common-mode noise or crosstalk in the transmission process.

[0092] In the embodiment of the application, a controller is also disclosed, which comprises the intelligent power module described in the above embodiment of the application.

[0093] In the embodiment of the application, an electric appliance is also disclosed, which comprises the controller described in the above embodiment of the application.

[0094] In the embodiment of the present application, the controller can be a device for controlling the running state of an electrical appliance, which can include an intelligent power module. Correspondingly, the electrical appliance can include but is not limited to an air conditioner, a washing machine, a refrigerator, a fan, an electric hair dryer and other electrical equipment. The controller can include at least one drive unit 1. The drive unit 1 can include a low-voltage level shift circuit 11, a high-voltage level shift circuit 12, an interlock unit 13 and a driver 14. The input end of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11 is coupled with an input power supply VCC, and the input end of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12 is coupled with the output end of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11, wherein a body diode 121 is integrated in the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, and the cathode of the body diode 21 is coupled with a high-side floating power supply VB. The input end of the interlock unit 13 is coupled with the output end of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12. The input end of the driver 14 is coupled with the output end of the interlock unit 13, and the output end of the driver 14 is used to be coupled with the gate of an insulated gate bipolar transistor to drive the insulated gate bipolar transistor. In this way, by adopting the integrated body diode 121 mode in the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, the level conversion from the low-voltage domain to the high-voltage domain can be realized by the combination of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11, the high-voltage level shift circuit 12 and the driver 14 without adding a bootstrap diode, thereby greatly improving the voltage withstand capability and driving voltage level of the drive module.

[0095] In summary, the embodiment of the present application discloses a drive module, a drive chip, an intelligent power module, a controller and an electrical appliance, which can include at least one drive unit 1. The drive unit 1 can include a low-voltage level shift circuit 11, a high-voltage level shift circuit 12, an interlock unit 13 and a driver 14. The input end of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11 is coupled with an input power supply VCC, and the input end of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12 is coupled with the output end of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11, wherein a body diode 121 is integrated in the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, and the cathode of the body diode 21 is coupled with a high-side floating power supply VB. The input end of the interlock unit 13 is coupled with the output end of the high-voltage level shift circuit 12. The input end of the driver 14 is coupled with the output end of the interlock unit 13, and the output end of the driver 14 is used to be coupled with the gate of an insulated gate bipolar transistor to drive the insulated gate bipolar transistor. In this way, by adopting the integrated body diode 121 mode in the high-voltage level shift circuit 12, the level conversion from the low-voltage domain to the high-voltage domain can be realized by the combination of the low-voltage level shift circuit 11, the high-voltage level shift circuit 12 and the driver 14 without adding a bootstrap diode, thereby greatly improving the voltage withstand capability and driving voltage level of the drive module.

[0096] Each of the embodiments described in this specification has at least one implementation in one or more systems and methods that include the features described herein. Each of the embodiments described in this specification can be used alone or in combination with one another.

[0097] Any combination of the described embodiments in combination with one another is seen as being within the scope of the application. Thus, the breadth and scope of the application should not be limited to any of the described embodiments, but should be defined in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

[0098] In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the application can be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been described in detail in order to not obscure aspects of the present application.

[0099] Similarly, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the application can be used alone or in combination with one another.

[0100] Further, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the features of the various embodiments described herein are applicable to other embodiments not described herein. For example, the features of the various embodiments described herein can be used in any combination with one another. Moreover, the features of the various embodiments described herein can be used in any combination with the features of other embodiments described herein or known in the art.

Claims

1. A driving module for an insulated gate bipolar transistor, characterized in that, The driving module includes at least one driving unit, the driving unit comprising: A low-voltage level shifting circuit, wherein the input terminal of the low-voltage level shifting circuit is coupled to the input power supply; A high-voltage level shifting circuit, wherein the input terminal of the high-voltage level shifting circuit is coupled to the output terminal of the low-voltage level shifting circuit, wherein the high-voltage level shifting circuit integrates a body diode, and the cathode of the body diode is coupled to a high-side floating power supply; An interlocking unit, wherein the input terminal of the interlocking unit is coupled to the output terminal of the high-voltage level shifting circuit; A driver, wherein the input terminal of the driver is coupled to the output terminal of the interlock unit, and the output terminal of the driver is used to be coupled to the gate of an insulated gate bipolar transistor to drive the insulated gate bipolar transistor.

2. The driving module for an insulated gate bipolar transistor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driving unit further includes a narrow pulse generator, which is coupled between the low-voltage level shift circuit and the high-voltage level shift circuit; The narrow pulse generator is used to convert the square wave output by the low-voltage level shift circuit into two narrow pulse signals and input them into the high-voltage level shift circuit.

3. The driving module for the insulated gate bipolar transistor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driving unit further includes a first power protection circuit, which is disposed between the input power supply and the control terminal of the low-voltage level shift circuit. The input terminal of the first power protection circuit is coupled to the input power supply to protect the driving unit.

4. The driving module for the insulated gate bipolar transistor according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first power protection circuit includes: The first input voltage divider circuit outputs at least a first voltage divider and a second voltage divider. A path selection sub-circuit is coupled to the first voltage divider and the second voltage divider respectively, and is used to control one of the first voltage divider and the second voltage divider to output; A voltage comparison subcircuit, coupled to the path selection subcircuit, is used to compare one of the first voltage divider and the second voltage divider with a reference voltage and output a comparison level; A logic conversion sub-circuit is coupled to the voltage comparison sub-circuit and the path selection sub-circuit, respectively, for outputting the control level of the path selection sub-circuit according to the comparison level.

5. The driving module for an insulated gate bipolar transistor according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first input voltage divider circuit also outputs a third voltage divider, and the first power supply protection circuit includes: A reset voltage detection sub-circuit is provided, which is coupled to the third voltage divider. The reset voltage detection sub-circuit outputs a high level when it detects that the third voltage divider is greater than a set voltage threshold, and outputs a low level when it detects that the third voltage divider is less than or equal to the set voltage threshold. The NOR gate sub-circuit, wherein the input terminals of the NOR gate sub-circuit are respectively coupled to the logic conversion sub-circuit and the reset voltage detection sub-circuit; An inverter, the input of which is coupled to the NOR gate circuit, controls the on / off state of the low-voltage level shift circuit by outputting a power supply control level.

6. The driving module for an insulated gate bipolar transistor according to claim 4, characterized in that, The path selection sub-circuit includes: A first NMOS transistor and a first PMOS transistor, wherein the drain of the first NMOS transistor is coupled to the source of the first PMOS transistor and is input to the first voltage divider; The second NMOS transistor and the second PMOS transistor are coupled at the drain and the source of the second PMOS transistor and are input to the second voltage divider. The gates of the second NMOS transistor and the first PMOS transistor are controlled by the logic conversion sub-circuit outputting a first control level. The gates of the first NMOS transistor and the second PMOS transistor are controlled by the second control level output by the logic conversion sub-circuit. Furthermore, the sources of the first NMOS transistor, the second NMOS transistor, the drain of the first PMOS transistor, and the drain of the second PMOS transistor are simultaneously coupled and serve as the output terminals of the path selection sub-circuit.

7. The driving module for an insulated gate bipolar transistor according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the number of driving units is three, the three driving units are respectively coupled to the input power supply so that the driver of each driving unit drives one of the insulated gate bipolar transistors.

8. The driving module for an insulated gate bipolar transistor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driving unit further includes a filtering circuit, which is coupled to the input terminal of the low-voltage level shifting circuit to filter the input power supply.

9. An insulated-gate bipolar transistor driver chip, characterized in that, The insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) driver chip includes the IGBT driver module as described in any one of claims 1-8.

10. A smart power module, characterized in that, The intelligent power module includes an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) driver chip as described in claim 9, and at least one IGBT, wherein the gate of the IGBT is coupled to the output terminal of the driver.

11. A controller, characterized in that, The controller includes the intelligent power module as described in claim 10.

12. An electrical appliance, characterized in that, The electrical appliance includes the controller as described in claim 11.

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