Evaluation circuit for a power device with an integrated sensor

Abstract

A method comprising evaluating a first parameter, a second parameter, and a third parameter of a circuit breaker. A first evaluation mode includes receiving a first measuring current at a common measuring terminal from the circuit breaker; and measuring the first parameter during a switching event of the circuit breaker based on the first measuring current. A second evaluation mode includes outputting a second measuring current from the common measuring terminal to the circuit breaker; and measuring the second parameter, which depends on a current flow of the second measuring current through the circuit breaker, wherein the current flow depends on an electrode voltage applied to a drain or collector of the circuit breaker.A third evaluation mode includes generating a third measuring current at the common measuring terminal; and measuring the third parameter, which is generated based on the third measuring current and a temperature of the circuit breaker.

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] Many functions of modern devices in automotive, consumer, and industrial applications, such as driving an electric motor or electric machine, rely on power semiconductor devices. For example, insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), and diodes, to name a few, have been used for various applications, including, but not limited to, switches in power supplies and power converters.

[0002] A transistor typically comprises a semiconductor structure configured to conduct a load current along a load current path between two load terminal structures of the transistor. Furthermore, the load current can be controlled by a control electrode of the transistor, sometimes referred to as the gate electrode. For example, upon receiving an appropriate control signal from, say, a gate driver, the control electrode can switch the transistor from a conducting state to a blocking state. Accordingly, the semiconductor structure behaves like a switch with on and off states (i.e., conducting and blocking states, respectively).

[0003] A power inverter typically consists of two complementary transistors (e.g., a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor) for each motor phase. These two complementary transistors form a half-bridge to drive an output pad connected to a motor winding. A gate driver used to control the two complementary transistors can be supplied with a fixed positive voltage and a fixed negative voltage relative to a reference voltage of each of the two complementary transistors. A positive supply rail can be connected to the output pad via the high-side transistor of the two complementary transistors to supply load current to the motor winding, and the negative supply rail can be connected to the output pad via the low-side transistor of the two complementary transistors to draw load current from the motor winding.The two complementary transistors can be switched on and off in a complementary manner to avoid cross-conduction.

[0004] Accordingly, the load current, also known as the motor phase current, can be controlled by driving the two complementary transistors. The amplitude of the control signal received by the gate driver for each transistor can be varied to switch the two complementary transistors between switching states. This, in turn, drives the motor. For example, the gate-source voltage Vgs of a MOSFET is typically driven down to approximately zero to turn the MOSFET off and is typically driven up to a maximum value to fully turn the MOSFET on. For this reason, the gate-source voltage Vgs can be referred to as the control voltage. SUMMARY

[0005] In some implementations, a system includes an evaluation circuit configured to evaluate a first parameter of a circuit breaker according to a first evaluation mode and to evaluate a second parameter of the circuit breaker according to a second evaluation mode, wherein the evaluation circuit includes: a return terminal configured to be coupled to an auxiliary measuring terminal of the circuit breaker; a common measuring terminal configured to be coupled to a measuring terminal of the circuit breaker;a first measuring circuit coupled to the return terminal and the common measuring terminal and configured to operate during the first evaluation mode, wherein the first measuring circuit is configured to receive a first measuring current at the common measuring terminal from the circuit breaker and to measure the first parameter during a switching event of the circuit breaker based on the first measuring current;and a second measuring circuit coupled to the return terminal and the common measuring terminal and configured to operate during the second evaluation mode, wherein the second measuring circuit is configured to output a second measuring current from the common measuring terminal to the circuit breaker and to measure the second parameter which depends on a current flow of the second measuring current through the circuit breaker, and wherein the current flow of the second measuring current through the circuit breaker depends on an electrode voltage applied to a second load electrode of the circuit breaker.

[0006] In some implementations, a system includes an evaluation circuit configured to evaluate a first parameter of a circuit breaker according to a first evaluation mode and to evaluate a second parameter of the circuit breaker according to a second evaluation mode, wherein the evaluation circuit includes: a return terminal configured to be coupled to an auxiliary measuring terminal of the circuit breaker; a common measuring terminal configured to be coupled to a measuring terminal of the circuit breaker;a first measuring circuit coupled to the return terminal and the common measuring terminal and configured to operate during the first evaluation mode, wherein the first measuring circuit is configured to receive a first measuring current at the common measuring terminal from the circuit breaker and to measure the first parameter during a switching event of the circuit breaker based on the first measuring current; and a second measuring circuit coupled to the return terminal and the common measuring terminal and configured to operate during the second evaluation mode, wherein the second measuring circuit is configured to generate a second measuring current at the common measuring terminal and to measure the second parameter, which is generated based on the second measuring current and a temperature of the circuit breaker.

[0007] In some implementations, a system includes an evaluation circuit configured to evaluate a first parameter of a circuit breaker according to a first evaluation mode and to evaluate a second parameter of the circuit breaker according to a second evaluation mode, wherein the evaluation circuit includes: a return terminal configured to be coupled to an auxiliary measuring terminal of the circuit breaker; a common measuring terminal configured to be coupled to a measuring terminal of the circuit breaker;a first measuring circuit coupled to the return terminal and the common measuring terminal and configured to operate during the first evaluation mode, wherein the first measuring circuit is configured to generate a first measuring current at the common measuring terminal and to measure the first parameter generated based on the first measuring current and a temperature of the circuit breaker;and a second measuring circuit coupled to the return terminal and the common measuring terminal and configured to operate during the second evaluation mode, wherein the second measuring circuit is configured to output a second measuring current from the common measuring terminal to the circuit breaker and to measure the second parameter which depends on a current flow of the second measuring current through the circuit breaker, and wherein the current flow of the second measuring current through the circuit breaker depends on an electrode voltage applied to a second load electrode of the circuit breaker.

[0008] In some implementations, a procedure comprises the following steps: evaluating a first parameter of a circuit breaker according to a first evaluation mode, comprising: receiving a first measuring current at a common measuring terminal from the circuit breaker; and measuring the first parameter during a switching event of the circuit breaker based on the first measuring current; evaluating a second parameter of the circuit breaker according to a second evaluation mode, comprising: generating a second measuring current; outputting the second measuring current from the common measuring terminal to the circuit breaker; and measuring the second parameter, which depends on a current flow of the second measuring current through the circuit breaker, the current flow depending on an electrode voltage applied to a drain or collector of the circuit breaker;and evaluating a third parameter of the circuit breaker according to a third evaluation mode, comprising: generating a third measuring current at the common measuring terminal; and measuring the third parameter generated based on the third measuring current and a temperature of the circuit breaker. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Implementations are described herein with reference to the attached drawings. Fig. Figure 1 shows a semiconductor power device according to one or more implementations. Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of a system according to one or more implementations. Fig. Figure 3 shows a diagram of exemplary evaluation schemes relating to the switching states of a circuit breaker according to one or more implementations. Fig. Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of a system according to one or more implementations. Fig. Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of a system according to one or more implementations. Fig. Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of a system according to one or more implementations. Fig. Figure 7 is a flowchart of an exemplary procedure that is assigned to an evaluation circuit for a power device with an integrated sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] Details are set forth below to provide a more thorough explanation of exemplary implementations. However, it is evident to those skilled in the art that these implementations can be carried out without these specific details. In other cases, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form or in a schematic view, rather than in detail, to avoid obscuring the implementations. Furthermore, features of the various implementations described below can be combined unless explicitly stated otherwise.

[0011] Furthermore, equivalent or identical elements, or elements with equivalent or identical functionality, are designated by equivalent or identical reference symbols in the following description. Since identical or functionally equivalent elements in the figures are provided with the same reference symbols, repeated descriptions for elements with the same reference symbols can be omitted. Therefore, descriptions provided for elements with the same or identical reference symbols are mutually interchangeable.

[0012] It is understood that when an element is described as "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it may be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or there may be intervening elements. In contrast, when an element is described as "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another element, there are no intervening elements. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in the same way (e.g., "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent," etc.).

[0013] In implementations described herein or shown in the drawings, any direct electrical connection or coupling (e.g., any connection or coupling without any additional intervening elements) may also be implemented by an indirect connection or coupling (e.g., a connection or coupling with one or more additional intervening elements, or vice versa), as long as the general purpose of the connection or coupling (e.g., to transmit a certain type of signal or to transmit a certain type of information) is substantially maintained. Features of different implementations may be combined to form other implementations. For example, variations or modifications described with respect to one of the implementations may also be applicable to other implementations unless otherwise stated.

[0014] For example, the terms "essentially" and "approximately" may be used herein to account for small manufacturing tolerances or other factors (e.g., within 5%) that are considered acceptable in the industry without deviating from the aspects of the implementations described herein. For example, a resistor with an approximate resistance value may practically have a resistance within 5% of the approximate resistance value. As another example, a signal with an approximate signal value may practically have a signal value within 5% of the approximate signal value.

[0015] In the present disclosure, expressions, including ordinal numbers such as "first," "second," and / or the like, may modify various elements. However, such elements are not restricted by such expressions. For example, such expressions do not restrict the order and / or importance of the elements. Instead, such expressions are used merely for the purpose of distinguishing one element from the other elements. For example, a first box and a second box denote different boxes, although both are boxes. By a further example, a first element could be designated as a second element, and likewise, a second element could also be designated as a first element, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0016] A transistor can be described as a power switch or transistor switch that can be used to drive a current, such as a load current. Specifically, a power transistor is a power semiconductor device that can be used to drive a load current. The power transistor comprises a first load terminal or first load electrode (e.g., a source or emitter) and a second load terminal or second load electrode (e.g., a drain or collector). Additionally, a load current path of the power transistor can be controlled by a control electrode, sometimes called a gate, which is connected to a control terminal of the power transistor. A load current path of the power transistor is a gate-controlled conductive channel whose conductivity is determined by a control signal (e.g., a voltage).a control current or voltage applied to the control electrode of the power transistor can be controlled. For example, the power transistor can be switched on or off by activating and deactivating its control electrode. For example, applying a positive voltage across the gate and source of a MOSFET keeps the MOSFET in its "on" state, while applying a voltage of approximately zero or slightly negative across the gate and source of the MOSFET causes the MOSFET to "switch off".

[0017] There is a turn-on procedure and a turn-off procedure for switching a transistor on and off. During the turn-on procedure of an n-channel transistor, a gate driver can be used to supply a gate current (e.g., an on current) to the gate of the n-channel transistor to charge the gate voltage to a sufficient level to turn the n-channel transistor on. Conversely, during the turn-off procedure of the n-channel transistor, the gate driver is used to draw a gate current (e.g., an off current) from the gate of the n-channel transistor to discharge the gate voltage sufficiently to turn the n-channel transistor off. A voltage pulse can be output by the gate driver as a control signal according to a pulse-width modulation (PWM) scheme.Thus, during a PWM cycle, the control signal can be switched between an on voltage level and an off voltage level to control the n-channel transistor. This, in turn, charges and discharges the gate capacitance to modulate the gate voltage accordingly, turning the n-channel transistor on or off.

[0018] The opposite is true for a p-channel transistor. The gate driver can be used to draw (pull) a gate current (e.g., an on current) from the gate of the p-channel transistor to discharge the gate voltage to a sufficient level to turn the p-channel transistor on. Conversely, during the turn-off process of the p-channel transistor, the gate driver is used to supply (feed) a gate current (e.g., an off current) to the gate of the p-channel transistor to sufficiently charge the gate voltage to turn the p-channel transistor off. A control signal applied to the gate of the p-channel transistor can be switched between an on voltage level and an off voltage level during a PWM cycle to control the p-channel transistor. This in turn charges and discharges the gate voltage to switch the p-channel transistor on or off.

[0019] For both n-channel and p-channel transistors, the n-channel and p-channel transistors are off when the gate-source voltage Vgs is approximately zero or below a threshold voltage, and the n-channel and p-channel transistors are on when the gate-source voltage Vgs is equal to or greater than the threshold voltage.

[0020] To drive a load in this way, two transistors are typically arranged in a half-bridge configuration, comprising a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor. The high-side transistor can be a p-channel transistor connected to a high-side supply potential, and the low-side transistor can be an n-channel transistor connected to a low-side supply potential. In some implementations, the high-side and low-side transistors can be of the same transistor type (e.g., both n-channel and p-channel).

[0021] A load current is referred to as a positive load current when it flows from a half-bridge towards the load, and a load current is referred to as a negative load current when it flows away from the load towards the half-bridge. When switched on, a high-side transistor is responsible for conducting a positive load current to supply the load, while its complementary low-side transistor is switched off (e.g., the low-side transistor is in blocking or high-impedance mode). To drain load current from the load, the roles of the high-side and low-side transistors are reversed. Here, when switched on, the low-side transistor is responsible for conducting a negative load current to drain the load, while its complementary high-side transistor is switched off (e.g., the high-side transistor is in blocking or high-impedance mode).The two complementary transistors are typically connected in such a way that they are not both switched on at the same time.

[0022] Transistors can include IGBTs and MOSFETs (e.g., Si-MOSFETs or SiC-MOSFETs), among other examples. It is understood that one transistor type can be replaced by another. In this context, if a MOSFET is replaced by an IGBT, the drain of the MOSFET can be replaced by the collector of the IGBT, the source of the MOSFET can be replaced by the emitter of the IGBT, the drain-source voltage Vds of the MOSFET can be replaced by the collector-emitter voltage Vce of the IGBT, and the gate-source voltage Vgs of the MOSFET can be replaced by the gate-emitter voltage Vge of the IGBT, or vice versa, in each of the examples described herein.

[0023] Silicon carbide circuit breakers (SiC circuit breakers) have a significantly smaller chip area compared to silicon circuit breakers (Si circuit breakers), which can make them more difficult to cool. Consequently, evaluating one or more circuit breaker parameters can be used to optimize circuit breaker performance and / or detect one or more fault conditions associated with the circuit breaker. For example, there may be an interest in optimizing circuit breaker control to minimize switching losses and / or improve circuit breaker performance. Minimized switching losses and / or improved circuit breaker performance can be achieved by adjusting a voltage transient dV / dt present at a load terminal (e.g., a drain terminal) of the circuit breaker to an optimal value for all load currents.The voltage transient dV / dt can correspond to a voltage across the power switch. For example, the voltage transient dV / dt can be a drain-source voltage (Vds) transient of the power switch. Measurements of the voltage transient dV / dt can be obtained and compared to one or more threshold values ​​to determine an optimized control parameter of the power switch and / or to determine the status of the power switch. However, evaluating the voltage transient dV / dt typically requires additional wiring and may necessitate one or more additional pads or pins on the power switch. The additional wiring and / or pins increase manufacturing costs and complexity for the power switch and the gate driver.

[0024] Additionally, there may be an interest in monitoring the temperature of the circuit breaker. However, evaluating the temperature typically requires the integration of a sensor and an additional pad or pin on the circuit breaker, which can reduce the active area of ​​the circuit breaker and / or increase manufacturing costs and complexity.

[0025] Additionally, there may be an interest in detecting overload and short-circuit conditions (e.g., overcurrent conditions) of the circuit breaker and reducing the response time for detecting and / or reacting to these conditions. One method used for short-circuit detection, known as the desaturation method (DESAT method), requires an expensive diode with at least the same voltage blocking capability as the circuit breaker, connected between the gate driver and the drain of the circuit breaker, as well as a large printed circuit board (PCB) area due to creepage and clearance requirements for high voltage.Both the diode and the large PCB area can lead to larger distances between the gate driver and the power switch, which affects control quality, as longer electrical connections are prone to more noise and / or longer signal propagation time compared to shorter electrical connections.

[0026] As a result, it can be complicated to monitor one, two or all three parameters (e.g. voltage transients dV / dt, temperature and overcurrent) of the circuit breaker in a cost-effective manner and / or without affecting one or more aspects of the circuit breaker.

[0027] Some implementations disclosed herein are directed toward a system that includes an evaluation circuit configured to monitor one, two, or all three parameters (e.g., voltage transient dV / dt, temperature, and overcurrent) of a power device, such as a circuit breaker, using a single electrical sensing connection for acquiring the parameters and a single electrical return connection from the power device. The power device may include an integrated sensor that allows the evaluation circuit to acquire each parameter based on a specific sensing technique or scheme. The single electrical sensing connection, the single electrical return connection, and / or the integrated sensor can minimize the complexity of the power device while enabling each parameter to be measured and evaluated.As a result, manufacturing costs can be reduced compared to other conventional solutions. The single electrical sensing connection, the single electrical return connection, and / or the integrated sensor can reduce the impact on the on-resistance, active area, or total area of ​​the power device compared to the on-resistance of other conventional solutions. The single electrical sensing connection, the single electrical return connection, and / or the integrated sensor can minimize the impact on the length of electrical connections between a gate driver and the power device compared to the length of electrical connections in other conventional solutions.

[0028] Although implementations can be described with reference to a MOSFET (e.g., Si-MOSFET or SiC-MOSFET), the implementations can be applied to other types of semiconductor power devices, such as IGBTs, junction-gate field-effect transistors (JFETs), GaN power switches, gallium oxide power switches (Ga2O3 power switches), trench-type power switches, planar-type power switches, combined-pin Schottky diodes, pn diodes, and pure Schottky diodes.

[0029] Fig. Figure 1 shows a semiconductor power device 100 according to one or more implementations. The semiconductor power device 100 can be a power switch, such as a SiC trench MOSFET. The semiconductor power device 100 can include a sensor area 102 (e.g., an integrated sensor area) in which an integrated sensor is provided, and a transistor cell area 104 in which a transistor cell is provided. The semiconductor power device 100 can include a drain area 106, a semiconductor body 108 arranged on the drain area 106, and a dielectric layer 110 arranged on the semiconductor body 108. The semiconductor body 108 can include a drift area 112, source areas 114, and a body area 116, which is arranged between the drift area 112 and the source areas 114 and is doped complementarily to the source area 114.One or more gate electrodes 118 are provided for controlling an inversion channel in the body region 116 between the source regions 114 and the drift region 112. The gate electrodes 118 can be dielectrically isolated from the semiconductor body 108 by a gate dielectric 120. Thus, the gate electrodes 118 can be formed in gate trenches extending into the semiconductor body 108. The gate electrodes 118 can be electrically coupled to a gate driver to receive a control signal from the gate driver.

[0030] The source regions 114 can be arranged in contact with a source electrode 124 (e.g., a first load electrode). The source electrode 124 can extend through the dielectric layer 110 to make contact with the source regions 114. Thus, the source electrode 124 can be isolated from the gate electrodes 118 by the electrical layer 110. The body region 116 can be arranged in contact with the source electrode 124. In some implementations, shielding regions 122 (e.g., p-shields), doped complementarily to the drift region 112, can be provided at the bottom of the gate trenches to prevent, for example, gate-to-drain leakage current. The shielding regions 122 can be electrically coupled to or contacted with the source electrode 124. Fig. 1 not shown).

[0031] The drain region 106, which is adjacent to the drift region 112, can be more heavily doped than the drift region 112. The drain region 106 can be in contact with a drain electrode 126 (e.g., a second load electrode). The drain region 106 can, for example, be realized by a semiconductor substrate onto which an epitaxial layer with a base doping is applied. Sections of the epitaxial layer that have the base doping can form the drift region 112.

[0032] The semiconductor power device 100 can be n-type (e.g., of n-channel type). In other words, the drain region 106, the drift region 112, and the source regions 114 can be n-doped, while the body region 116 can be p-doped. Alternatively, the semiconductor power device 100 can be p-type (e.g., of p-channel type). In other words, the drain region 106, the drift region 112, and the source regions 114 can be p-doped, while the body region 116 can be n-doped.

[0033] The source region 114, the body region 116, the drift region 112, and the drain region 106 can be arranged sequentially in a vertical direction within the semiconductor power device 100. When the transistor cell is driven in the on-state, i.e., when a positive voltage is applied between the drain and source of an n-type power semiconductor device and a suitable drive potential is applied to the gate electrode 118, a current flows in a vertical direction through the drift region 112 between the source electrode 124 and the drain electrode 126.

[0034] In the case of this component, the body region 116 and the drain region 106 form the first and second component regions, between which the drift region 112 is arranged. In this case, a space charge region propagates in the drift region 112 from the semiconductor junction between the body region 116 and the drift region 112 when a blocking voltage is applied between the body region 116 and the drain region 112. In some implementations, the semiconductor power device 100 can be a high-voltage power switch exhibiting a blocking voltage of at least 300 V. The blocking voltage can be configured, at least in part, based on the thickness and doping of the drift region 112.

[0035] The sensor area 102 can contain a doped sensor area 128 integrated into the drift area 112. The doped sensor area 128 can be doped complementarily to the drift area 112. Thus, the doped sensor area 128 can be a p-well or island area that can be used to measure one or more parameters of the semiconductor power device 100.

[0036] The doped sensor area 128 can be electrically coupled to a measuring terminal 130. Additionally, the doped sensor area 128 and the drift area 112 can form a junction capacitor Cs, which is electrically coupled to the measuring terminal 130 and the drain electrode 126 of the circuit breaker. Furthermore, in the case of an n-type circuit breaker, the doped sensor area 128 and the drift area 112 can form a pn-junction diode Ds with an anode electrically coupled to the measuring terminal 130 and a cathode electrically coupled to the drain electrode 126 of the circuit breaker.The junction capacitor Cs and the pn junction diode Ds can be parasitic elements, since the pn junction diode Ds can be driven in forward conduction if a voltage at the measuring terminal 130 exceeds a diffusion voltage of the pn junction, and the junction capacitor Cs can cause interference and capacitive coupling with the source electrode 124 and the drain electrode 126 during switching of the power switch.

[0037] In some implementations, the doped sensor area 128 can provide a temperature-dependent resistance path that offers an electrical resistance Rs which can vary based on the temperature of the power switch. In some implementations, the temperature-dependent resistance path can be formed between the sensing terminal 130 and an auxiliary sensing terminal 132 of the semiconductor power device 100. In some implementations, the auxiliary sensing terminal 132 can be the source electrode 124 or can be coupled to the source electrode 124. In some implementations, the temperature-dependent resistance path is optional and therefore may be omitted.

[0038] The junction capacitor Cs, the pn junction diode Ds, and the (optional) electrical resistor Rs can form an integrated sensor 134 of the semiconductor power device 100, which can be used in conjunction with an evaluation circuit to measure and / or evaluate one or more parameters of the semiconductor power device 100, such as a voltage transient dV / dt, a drain voltage, a drain-source voltage Vds, a current, and / or a temperature of the power switch. The semiconductor power device 100 (e.g., the power switch) can be a vertical device, and the junction capacitor and the pn junction diode can be arranged vertically within the vertical device, whereas the temperature-dependent resistor path can extend in a lateral direction.

[0039] As stated above, Fig. 1 is provided merely as an example. Other examples may differ from what is described in relation to Fig. 1 is described.

[0040] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of a system 200 according to one or more implementations. The system 200 can include an evaluation circuit 202 and a circuit breaker 204. The circuit breaker 204 can be the one connected to Fig. The semiconductor power device 100 described in Section 1 may be similar. Thus, the power switch 204 may comprise the gate electrode 118, the source electrode 124, the drain electrode 126, the measuring terminal 130, the auxiliary measuring terminal 132, and the integrated sensor 134 formed by the doped sensor area 128. The elements Cs, Ds, and Rs in Fig. 2 are the electrical equivalents to the doped sensor area 128 as lumped circuit elements.

[0041] The evaluation circuit 202 can be configured to evaluate a first parameter of a circuit breaker according to a first evaluation mode, a second parameter of the circuit breaker according to a second evaluation mode, and a third parameter of the circuit breaker according to a third evaluation mode. The evaluation circuit 202 can evaluate the first, second, and third parameters using a single electrical measuring connection and a single electrical return connection from the circuit breaker 204. In some implementations, the first evaluation mode is active during a switching event of the circuit breaker 204.For example, the first evaluation mode can be active (activated) during a switch-on event, when the circuit breaker 204 transitions from an off state to an on state, and / or during a switch-off event, when the circuit breaker 204 transitions from the on state to the off state. In some implementations, the second and / or third evaluation modes can be active outside of the switching events of the circuit breaker 204 when the circuit breaker 204 is in a quasi-static state (e.g., when the circuit breaker 204 is in the on state or the off state). In some implementations, the second and / or third evaluation modes can be deactivated during switching events (e.g., while the first evaluation mode is activated).In some implementations, the first evaluation mode may be deactivated outside of the switching events of circuit breaker 204 (e.g., while the second and / or third evaluation modes are activated). In some implementations, the second and third evaluation modes may be activated simultaneously or nested during operation (e.g., activated individually in nested time windows). In some implementations, only one evaluation mode may be activated at a time.

[0042] In some implementations, the evaluation circuit 202 and the power switch 204 can be integrated on separate chips. In some implementations, the evaluation circuit 202 can be electrically coupled to a gate driver or controller (not shown) to provide measurement data to the gate driver or controller, and the gate driver or controller can control the power switch 204 based on the measurement data (e.g., by controlling a control signal provided to the gate electrode 118). In some implementations, the gate driver or controller can be part of the evaluation circuit 202, or the evaluation circuit 202 can be integrated into the gate driver or controller. In some implementations, the gate driver or controller can perform part of one or more measurement operations in conjunction with the evaluation circuit 202 (e.g.,based on measurement signals provided by the evaluation circuit 202).

[0043] The evaluation circuit 202 may include a return terminal 206 configured to be coupled to the auxiliary measuring terminal 132. For example, the return terminal 206 may be coupled to the source electrode 124 of the circuit breaker 204. The return terminal 206 may be coupled to an electrical return path 208, which is coupled to the source electrode 124. The electrical return path 208 may allow one or more measuring currents to flow and / or provide a supply voltage for the evaluation circuit 202. In some implementations, the return terminal 206 may be used as a return path for a gate control of the power device 204.

[0044] The evaluation circuit 202 can include a common measuring terminal 210, which is coupled to the measuring terminal 130 of the circuit breaker 204. Based on an active evaluation mode, the common measuring terminal 210 can be configured to receive one or more measuring currents or voltages from the integrated sensor 134 of the circuit breaker 204, or to provide one or more measuring currents or voltages to the integrated sensor 134 of the circuit breaker 204.

[0045] The evaluation circuit 202 can include a first measuring circuit 212, which is coupled to the return line terminal and the common measuring terminal and is configured to operate during the first evaluation mode. The evaluation circuit 202 can include a second measuring circuit 214, which is coupled to the return line terminal and the common measuring terminal and is configured to operate during the second evaluation mode. The evaluation circuit 202 can include a third measuring circuit 216, which is coupled to the return line terminal and the common measuring terminal and is configured to operate during the third evaluation mode.

[0046] The first measuring circuit 212 can be configured to receive a first measuring current I1 at the common measuring terminal 210 from the circuit breaker 204 and to measure the first parameter during a switching event of the circuit breaker 204 based on the first measuring current I1. The first parameter can be representative of a rate of change of the electrode voltage applied to the drain electrode 126. For example, the first parameter can be representative of the voltage transient dV / dt (e.g., a voltage transient of the drain voltage or the drain-source voltage Vds).

[0047] In some implementations, the first measurement circuit 212 may include a first measurement path 218 that couples the common measurement terminal 210 and the return terminal 206. The first measurement path 218 may include a first measurement node 220 and a resistive element 222 configured to generate a measurement voltage at the first measurement node 220 based on the first measurement current I1 received at the common measurement terminal 210 from the circuit breaker 204. For example, the measurement voltage at the first measurement node 220 may depend on the magnitude of the first measurement current I1 based on a voltage drop across the resistive element 222. The first measurement circuit 212 may be configured to measure the measurement voltage during the switching event in order to derive the first parameter.The first measurement path 218 can include a first switch S1, which is closed to activate the first measurement circuit 212 and open to deactivate the first measurement circuit 212 based on a desired evaluation mode. In other implementations, the first measurement path 218 can be formed by one or more active elements, such as a current mirror, a current-to-voltage converter, or a current-to-current converter.

[0048] During the first evaluation mode (e.g., while the first measuring circuit 212 is activated), the junction capacitor Cs can provide the first measuring current I1 for the common measuring terminal 210 during the switching event. The magnitude of the first measuring current I1 can be representative of the drain voltage of the circuit breaker 204. The return terminal 206 is coupled to the electrical return path 208, which allows the first measuring current I1 to flow through the first measuring circuit 212 during the first evaluation mode.

[0049] The first measuring circuit 212 can be configured, for example in conjunction with the gate driver or the controller, to regulate the control signal of the circuit breaker 204 based on the first parameter, to detect a short circuit based on the first parameter, to adjust a dead time of the circuit breaker 204 based on the first parameter, to detect an operating range of the circuit breaker 204 based on the first parameter and / or to monitor a status of the circuit breaker 204 based on the first parameter.

[0050] The second measuring circuit 214 can be configured to output a second measuring current I2 from the common measuring terminal 210 to the circuit breaker 204 and to measure the second parameter, which is based on a magnitude of the second measuring current and / or depends on a current flow of the second measuring current I2 through the circuit breaker 204. In some implementations, "depends on a current flow" may refer to how the second measuring current I2 is divided between two possible current paths in the circuit breaker 204. In some implementations, "depends on a current flow" may refer to a magnitude of the second measuring current I2 (e.g., a quantity of current) that can change based on a change in one or more states in the circuit breaker 204. The magnitude of the second measuring current I2 and / or the current flow of the second measuring current I2 through the circuit breaker 204 may depend on an electrode voltage (e.g.,The second measurement current I2 depends on the drain voltage applied to the drain electrode of the circuit breaker 204. During the second evaluation mode, the pn junction diode Ds can be configured to conduct the second measurement current I2 based on the drain voltage of the circuit breaker 204. While the pn junction diode Ds conducts the second measurement current I2, a small portion of the second measurement current I2 can flow through the electrical return path 208, for example, through the electrical resistance Rs of the temperature-dependent resistance path. However, if the drain voltage is subject to a sudden increase, for example, due to an overcurrent condition (e.g.,In the event of an overload or short circuit, the pn-junction diode Ds can enter a reverse bias state, and the entire second measurement current I2 is conducted through the electrical resistance Rs of the resistance path. This would cause a sudden decrease in either the second measurement current I2 and / or a sudden increase in the measurement voltage at the common measurement terminal 210. Thus, the second parameter can be representative of the drain voltage applied to the drain electrode and can be used to detect the overcurrent condition. The electrical resistance Rs is higher than the non-linear diode characteristic of the pn-junction diode Ds. When the pn-junction diode Ds enters the reverse bias state, a current source for the second measurement current I2 can enter a voltage clamp and will no longer be able to drive the desired second measurement current I2 against the high-impedance load Rs.

[0051] The second measuring circuit 214 can include a second measuring path 224, which couples the return terminal 206 and the common measuring terminal 210. The second measuring path can include a first current generator 226 and a second measuring node 228. The first current generator 226 can generate the second measuring current I2 such that the second parameter is generated at the second measuring node 228 based on the drain voltage of the circuit breaker 204. The second parameter can be a current or a voltage that is representative of the drain voltage applied to the drain electrode.The first current generator 226 can be a voltage source with a series impedance that limits the second measuring current I2 to a defined value, a current mirror combined with a reference current (where the reference current can be generated from a reference voltage drop across a resistor), a transconductance amplifier with an input voltage that sets the current value and shape for the second measuring current I2, or any other type of current source.

[0052] The electrical return path 208 can provide a supply voltage for the second measuring circuit 214 during the second evaluation mode. The second measuring path 224 can include a second switch S2, which is closed to activate the second measuring circuit 214 and open to deactivate the second measuring circuit 214 based on a desired evaluation mode.

[0053] During the second evaluation mode (e.g., while the second measuring circuit 214 is activated), the pn junction diode Ds can allow the second measuring current I2, based on the drain voltage, to flow to the drain electrode 126 and through the power switch 204 to the source electrode 124. Optionally, the auxiliary measuring terminal 132 can be connected to the doped sensor area 128 to provide the resistance path.

[0054] The second measuring circuit 214 can compare the second parameter at the second measuring node 228 with a first threshold value and detect an overcurrent condition of the circuit breaker 204 based on the second parameter meeting the first threshold value. For example, the second measuring circuit 214 can detect the overcurrent condition based on the second parameter exceeding the first threshold value (e.g., being greater than it). The second measuring circuit 214 can be configured, for example in conjunction with the gate driver or the controller, to regulate the control signal of the circuit breaker 204 based on the second parameter.

[0055] The third measuring circuit 216 can be configured to generate a third measuring current I3 at the common measuring terminal 210 and to measure the third parameter, which is generated based on the third measuring current I3 and a temperature of the circuit breaker 204. The third measuring circuit 216 can be configured to output the third measuring current I3 (e.g., as a positive current) from the common measuring terminal 210 to the circuit breaker 204, or it can be configured to derive the third measuring current I3 (e.g., as a negative current) from the circuit breaker 204 to the common measuring terminal 210. In some implementations, the electrical return path 208 can allow the third measuring current I3 to flow through the third measuring circuit 216 during the third evaluation mode.

[0056] The third measuring circuit 216 can include a third measuring path 230, which couples the return terminal 206 and the common measuring terminal 210. The third measuring path 230 can include a second current generator 232 and a third measuring node 234. The second current generator 232 can be a voltage source, a current mirror combined with a reference current, a transconductance amplifier, or any other type of current source. The second current generator 232 can generate the third measuring current I3 such that the third parameter is generated at the third measuring node 234 based on the temperature of the circuit breaker 204. The third parameter can be representative of an absolute temperature value, and the third measuring circuit 216 can be configured to determine the absolute temperature value from the third parameter. In some implementations, the third parameter can be a voltage at the third measuring node 234.

[0057] In some implementations, the second measuring current I2 and the third measuring current I3 can have an independent relationship to each other. For example, if the third evaluation mode is activated while circuit breaker 204 is off, the third measuring current I3 can have any current value. Thus, the third measuring current I3 can be less than, equal to, or greater than the second measuring current I2 when the third evaluation mode is activated while circuit breaker 204 is off.

[0058] In some implementations, the third measurement current I3 should be smaller than the second measurement current I2. For example, if the third evaluation mode is activated during a circuit breaker 204's on state, the third measurement current I3 should be smaller than the second measurement current I2 (e.g., significantly smaller than the second measurement current I2—an integer multiple smaller than the second measurement current I2, where the integer is greater than one). This would allow both the second and third evaluation modes to be activated during the circuit breaker 204's on state, although not simultaneously (see, for example, the second evaluation scheme 302 in [reference]). Fig. 3) Thus, during the on-state of the circuit breaker 204, the third measuring circuit 216 can be configured to generate the third measuring current I3 in a first range, and the second measuring circuit 214 can be configured to generate the second measuring current I2 in a second range that is higher than the first range. For example, the lower limit of the second range can be higher than the lower limit of the first range, and the upper limit of the second range can be higher than the upper limit of the first range. In some implementations, the first and second ranges do not overlap. In one example, the first and second ranges do not overlap, so the lower limit of the second range is higher than the upper limit of the first range. Furthermore, the third measuring current I3 can be lower than the second measuring current I2.For example, the second measuring current I2 can be between 50 µA and 1 mA, whereas the third measuring current I3 can be between 10 µA and 500 µA. The third measuring current I3 can be generated such that it is an integer multiple smaller than the second measuring current I2, where the integer is greater than one. For example, the third measuring current I3 can be five times smaller than the second measuring current I2 (e.g., I3 can be equal to one-fifth of I2). The third measuring path 230 can include a third switch S3, which is closed to activate the third measuring circuit 216 and open to deactivate the third measuring circuit 216 based on a desired evaluation mode.

[0059] During the third evaluation mode (e.g., while the third measuring circuit 216 is activated), the integrated sensor 134 can allow the third measuring current I3 to flow through the sensor region of the circuit breaker 204, causing the third parameter to be generated at the third measuring node 234 based on the temperature in the sensor region. The auxiliary measuring terminal 132 can be connected to the doped sensor area 128 to provide the resistance path (e.g., a temperature-dependent resistance path).

[0060] In some implementations, the temperature-dependent resistance path coupled to the common measuring terminal 210 and formed by the doped sensor area 128 can be configured to conduct the third measuring current I3 and generate the third parameter at the third measuring node 234 (e.g., at the common measuring terminal 210) based on the temperature of the circuit breaker 204. For example, the resistance value of the electrical resistance Rs can vary based on the temperature of the circuit breaker 204, which can influence the voltage at the third measuring node 234 according to Ohm's law.

[0061] The third measuring circuit 216 can compare the third parameter at the third measuring node 234 with a second threshold and detect an overtemperature condition based on the third parameter meeting the second threshold. For example, the third measuring circuit 216 can detect the overtemperature condition based on the third parameter exceeding the second threshold (e.g., being greater than it). The third measuring circuit 216 can be configured, for example in conjunction with the gate driver or the controller, to regulate the control signal of the power switch 204 based on the third parameter.

[0062] During turn-on or turn-off switching events, switch S1 may be closed, and switches S2 and S3 may be open. During a dV / dt phase, the junction capacitor Cs may provide a displacement current (e.g., the first measurement current I1) for the evaluation circuit 202, and a voltage may be provided at the first measurement node 220 for further processing. The controller or gate driver may set a control signal (e.g., a gate current) to achieve a desired slope for dV / dt based on a measurement acquired by the first measurement node 220. A portion of the displacement current may flow to the source electrode via the resistance path (through Rs), but most of the displacement current will flow into the first measurement circuit 212 because the first measurement circuit 212 has a resistance significantly lower than Rs.Even in the case of active current transformers, these active circuits can enable an input resistance of 0 ohms.

[0063] After the circuit breaker 204 has been switched on (e.g., after a switch-on event), switches S1 and S3 can be opened and switch S2 can be closed to activate the second evaluation mode. The second measuring current I2 can be injected from the second measuring circuit 214 into the measuring terminal 130. The pn junction diode Ds can be implemented as a DESAT diode monolithically integrated into the circuit breaker 204. Because the diode is monolithically integrated into the circuit breaker 204, no additional high-voltage connection is required, thus eliminating the need for additional external components that would otherwise have been required to perform DESAT protection. A simple low-voltage connection (e.g., in the gate voltage range) to the gate driver or the evaluation circuit 202 is sufficient to perform overcurrent detection.Furthermore, the only required high-voltage pin is the drain electrode 126 of the circuit breaker 204, which must in any case be designed to withstand the high voltage of a load or power supply. The second measuring current I2 should be large enough that a significant portion of it flows through the pn junction diode Ds to the drain of the circuit breaker when the circuit breaker's Vds is sufficiently low. This condition can be met with a second measuring current I2 in the range of 50 µA to 1 mA. However, other current ranges can be used, depending on the configuration of the circuit breaker 204. In the event of a short circuit or a high overcurrent, Vds and thus the voltage at the second measuring node 228 will increase, indicating a fault.

[0064] If the temperature of the power switch 204 is to be monitored (e.g., during an on-state and / or an off-state), switches S1 and S2 can be opened and switch S3 can be closed to activate the third evaluation mode. The third measurement current I3 can be generated, and a corresponding voltage drop across the third measurement node 234 can be monitored. For the third evaluation mode, the third measurement current I3 should be selected such that the voltage across the third measurement node 234 remains below approximately 2.5 V if the power switch 204 is implemented as a SiC MOSFET, so that a large portion of the third measurement node 234 current flows through Rs, and only a negligible portion of the third measurement current I3 flows through the pn junction diode Ds. The diffusion voltage is approximately 0.4 to 0.8 V lower than the band gap of the semiconductor material used. For Si, it is in the range of 0.5 V (only a small window for temperature).-measurement!), approximately 2.5–2.9 V for GaN and SiC and approximately 3.7–4.5 V for Ga2O3. It can be reduced by parasitic elements such as parasitic surface channels caused by interface defects and traps. The third measuring current I3 can be selected based on a resistance value of the resistance path Rs such that a voltage drop across the resistance path Rs does not exceed the forward voltage drop of the pn junction diode Ds during normal operation of the power switch 204 (e.g., outside of switching transients and / or abnormal conditions such as overload or short circuit). Furthermore, the second measuring current I2 can be selected such that a voltage drop across the resistance path is greater than the forward voltage drop of the pn junction diode Ds during normal operation of the power switch. In some implementations, the third measuring current I3 can be generated in such a way that it lies in a range of 10 µA to 500 µA.In some implementations, the third measuring current I3 should not exceed 1 / 5 of the second measuring current I2. Alternatively, a negative current can be injected into the measuring terminal 130 such that the pn junction diode Ds is in a reverse bias state. This can allow for higher voltage drops or sensor signals at the cost of implementing a negative supply voltage in the third measuring circuit 216, which typically adds more complexity.

[0065] A significant advantage that arises from the in Fig. 1 and Fig. The advantage of the connections shown in Figure 2 is that the evaluation circuit 202 can be connected to many different types of circuit breakers with varying characteristics (e.g., different drain-source on-resistance (RDS,on), different capacitive characteristics, different transconductance, different voltage classes, etc.). This allows all these different circuit breakers to have a single interface compatible with the evaluation circuit 202, thus reducing the number of different (and costly) designs required for the integrated circuits used to implement the evaluation circuit 202. In other words, the single electrical sensing connection, the single electrical return connection, and the integrated sensor enable the evaluation circuit 202 to be implemented for a wide range of circuit breakers and other power devices.In some implementations, additional adjustments may be necessary in the evaluation circuit 202 to adapt it to a power device in use.

[0066] As stated above, Fig. 2 is provided merely as an example. Other examples may differ from what is provided in relation to Fig. 2 is described. The number and arrangement of components that are in Fig. The components shown in Figure 2 are provided as an example. In practice, the system can have 200 additional components, fewer components, different components, or components arranged differently than those shown. Fig. The two shown components are included. Two or more components that are in Fig. The two shown can be implemented within a single component, or a single component that is in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the system can be implemented as multiple, distributed components. Additionally or alternatively, a set of components (e.g., one or more components) of System 200 can perform one or more functions that are described as being performed by another set of components of System 200.

[0067] Fig. Figure 3 shows a diagram 300 of exemplary evaluation schemes relating to the switching states of a circuit breaker according to one or more implementations. Diagram 300 shows a first evaluation scheme 301, during which the first evaluation mode, the second evaluation mode, and the third evaluation mode are activated at different phases or time intervals of the switching states of the circuit breaker. The switching states (e.g., on-transition state, on state, off-transition state, and off state) are shown based on a gate voltage of the circuit breaker.

[0068] Additionally, diagram 300 shows a second evaluation scheme 302, during which the first, second, and third evaluation modes are activated at different phases or time intervals of the circuit breaker's switching states. In the second evaluation scheme 302, the second and third evaluation modes are switched or interleaved while the circuit breaker is in the ON state.

[0069] The first, second, and third evaluation modes can each be activated separately at different time intervals. The integrated temperature sensing system can exhibit a much faster response compared to external temperature sensors and, due to good thermal coupling within the circuit breaker without oxide interfaces, can be faster than conventional integrated temperature sensors that have dielectric isolation from the semiconductor material. Because of this faster response, acute overload conditions can also be detected in conjunction with... Fig. 1 and Fig. The temperature sensor described in section 2 can be detected.

[0070] During a circuit breaker blocking operation (e.g., during the off state), overcurrent detection is not required. Therefore, the third measuring circuit 216 can be activated during the off state of the circuit breaker. If, for specific requirements, it is necessary to monitor the temperature even during the forward operation of the circuit breaker, the evaluation circuit 202 can switch between the second and third evaluation modes during the on state of the circuit breaker.

[0071] During a dV / dt phase when switching on a circuit breaker, the voltage in the circuit breaker must first fall below the terminal voltage of the first current generator 226 before the second measuring circuit 214 is operational. Therefore, a blanking time may be activated after the gate driver's switch-on command before the second measuring circuit 214 is activated. Consequently, using the first evaluation mode during this phase does not reduce the circuit breaker's protection. The time delay between the gate signal rising and the voltage falling below the terminal voltage of the first current generator 226 or lower during initial switch-on (e.g., with zero load current) can be used to calibrate the evaluation circuit 202, the gate driver, and / or the control circuitry to the parasitic characteristics of the application under consideration.Furthermore, in the event of power-on into a high overcurrent or short-circuit mode, the dV / dt response time is significantly slowed due to the smaller voltage difference between the Miller voltage used to conduct the load current and the maximum voltage of the gate driver. If dV / dt does not reach an expected value during power-on, a fault can be detected and used for additional, fast protection. Of course, the expected value should not be set too narrowly to avoid false fault detections, as parasitic capacitances or the recovery charge of freewheeling elements during power-on can lead to elevated current levels that may exceed normal operating currents.

[0072] When the circuit breaker 204 is switched on with a short circuit present, the voltage at the drain of the circuit breaker 204 initially drops, solely due to the voltage drop across the residual inductance of the short circuit. The drain-source voltage then rises again. If the first measuring circuit 212 detects a pattern of negative dV / dt followed shortly by a positive dV / dt, the first measuring circuit 212 can detect a short circuit in the load. The short-circuit detection can include some filtering to avoid the negative influence of measurement noise. Thus, the first measuring circuit 212 can evaluate a dV / dt pattern and detect one or more types of overcurrent conditions (e.g., short circuit, etc.).

[0073] In an alternative configuration, during the first dV / dt measurement after system startup, the first evaluation mode can be skipped and replaced by the second evaluation mode to verify that the circuit breaker is free of defects, such as wiring and / or load faults, without the time delay required by a dead time between evaluation modes. A safe dV / dt or gate driver strength should be selected here. Since this only applies to one or a few pulses for each circuit breaker, the increased turn-on losses do not noticeably affect system efficiency.

[0074] As stated above, Fig. 3 is provided merely as an example. Other examples may differ from what is provided in relation to Fig. 3 is described.

[0075] Fig. Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of a System 400 according to one or more implementations. The System 400 comprises a transistor half-bridge including a high-side power switch 204_HS and a low-side power switch 204_LS, which are connected to a load. The System 400 further includes a high-side gate driver 402 for driving the high-side power switch 204_HS between switching states based on a PWM control signal HIN received from a controller (not shown), and a low-side gate driver 404 for driving the low-side power switch 204_LS between switching states based on a PWM control signal LIN received from the controller.

[0076] The auxiliary measuring terminal 132 of each circuit breaker can be connected to a reference supply of a gate driver. For example, the auxiliary measuring terminal 132 of the high-side circuit breaker 204_HS can be connected to a reference supply (e.g., ground) REF_HS of the high-side gate driver 402. The auxiliary measuring terminal 132 of the low-side circuit breaker 204_LS can be connected to a reference supply (e.g., ground) REF_LS of the low-side gate driver 404.

[0077] System 400 further comprises a high-side evaluation circuit 202_HS for evaluating one or more parameters of the high-side circuit breaker 204_HS and a low-side evaluation circuit 202_LS for evaluating one or more parameters of the low-side circuit breaker 204_LS. The high-side evaluation circuit 202_HS can receive a mode control signal IN,H from the controller or the high-side gate driver 402, indicating an evaluation mode, and can activate the first, second, or third evaluation mode based on the mode control signal IN,H. The high-side evaluation circuit 202_HS can generate one or more measurement signals and / or fault signals based on the evaluation mode and one or more measurement results (e.g., Fault,DS,H; Fault,temp,H; Temperature,H; Vds,H; dV / dt,H).The 202_LS low-side evaluation circuit can receive a mode control signal IN,L from the controller or the 404 low-side gate driver, indicating an evaluation mode, and can activate the first, second, or third evaluation mode based on this IN,L control signal. The 202_LS low-side evaluation circuit can generate one or more measurement signals and / or error signals based on the evaluation mode and one or more measurement results (e.g., Error,DS,L; Error,temp,L; Temperature,L; Vds,L; dV / dt,L).For example, the high-side evaluation circuit 202_HS and the low-side evaluation circuit 202_LS can generate `error,DS,x` in a case where a drain-source voltage Vds is higher than expected, `error,temp,x` in a case where a junction temperature is higher than expected, `temperature,x`, which is an analog or digital information signal representing a measured junction temperature, `Vds,x`, which represents a value of the drain-source voltage Vds that can be used to determine the voltage transient dV / dt, and `dV / dt,x`, which represents the rate of rise that can be calculated by the evaluation circuit based on, for example, Vds,x. Here, "x" is a placeholder for H or L, and "higher than expected" means "exceeds a respective threshold".

[0078] As stated above, Fig. 4 is provided merely as an example. Other examples may differ from what is provided in relation to Fig. 4 is described. The number and arrangement of components that are in Fig. The components shown in Figure 4 are provided as an example. In practice, the system can have 400 additional components, fewer components, different components, or components arranged differently than those shown. Fig. The four shown include two or more components that are in Fig. The four shown can be implemented within a single component, or a single component that is in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, System 400 can be implemented as multiple, distributed components. Additionally or alternatively, a set of components (e.g., one or more components) of System 400 can perform one or more functions that are described as being performed by another set of components of System 400.

[0079] Fig. Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of a System 500 according to one or more implementations. The System 500 comprises the evaluation circuit 202 and the circuit breaker 204. The evaluation circuit 202 may include a mode switch SM, a switch control circuit 502, a current mirror 504, and a reference current generator 506, which may be combined to form a configurable current source. The switch control circuit 502 may receive a mode control signal IN indicating an evaluation mode and generate one or more switch control signals to control the mode switch SM, the second switch S2, and the third switch S3 based on the mode control signal IN.The mode switch SM can connect the reference current generator 506 to different control values, including an off control value, during which the reference current generator 506 produces no current; an I2 control value, during which the reference current generator 506 produces a reference current equal to the second measured current I2; and an I3 control value, during which the reference current generator 506 produces a reference current equal to the third measured current I3. The I3 control value can be smaller than the I2 control value. For example, the I3 control value can be less than one-fifth of the I2 control value.

[0080] The current mirror 504 can induce a measurement current Isense into the measurement terminal 130 of the circuit breaker 204 based on the position of the mode switch SM. For example, the current mirror 504 can generate the second measurement current I2 when the mode switch SM is in the I2 position, and it can generate the third measurement current I3 when the mode switch SM is in the I3 position. In some implementations, moving the mode switch SM to an off position disables the measurement functionality of the evaluation circuit 202, for example, in a case where the first evaluation circuit 212 is not present. In some implementations, if the first evaluation circuit 212 is present, moving the mode switch SM to an off position allows the evaluation circuit 202 to receive the first measurement current I1 at the common measurement terminal 210 from the circuit breaker 204 (e.g., for the first evaluation mode).

[0081] A measurement voltage Vsense can be generated at the common measurement terminal 210 during the various evaluation modes. For example, the measurement current Isense causes the measurement voltage Vsense to be equal to the forward voltage of the pn junction diode Ds during the second evaluation mode, and causes the measurement voltage Vsense to be equal to Rs × Isense during the third evaluation mode.

[0082] The second measuring circuit 214 of the evaluation circuit 202 can include a comparator 508, which compares the measured voltage Vsense with a threshold Vth,desat and generates an error signal Fehler,DS (e.g., a logic high signal) if the measured voltage Vsense exceeds the threshold Vth,desat. The second measuring circuit 214 can provide the error signal Fehler,DS to the gate driver or the controller. The gate driver can decide to switch off the power switch 204 immediately as soon as the respective threshold is exceeded, or with a certain delay, depending on certain filter functions.

[0083] An overcurrent event can occur when the drain voltage rises due to an overload drain current condition. This causes the sense voltage Vsense to rise to a point where the pn junction diode Ds opens, and the entire impressed sense current Isense flows through the electrical return path 208 (e.g., through the electrical resistance Rs), instead of at least part of the sense current Isense flowing through the pn junction diode Ds to the drain. As a result, the sense voltage Vsense becomes equal to I² × Rs, which is greater than the threshold Vth,desat.

[0084] The third measuring circuit 216 of the evaluation circuit 202 can include a comparator 510 that compares the measured voltage Vsense with a threshold Vth,temp and generates an error signal Fehler,temp (e.g., a logic high signal) if the measured voltage Vsense exceeds the threshold Vth,temp. The third measuring circuit 216 can provide the error signal Fehler,temp to the gate driver or the controller. The gate driver can decide to switch off the power switch 204 immediately as soon as the respective threshold is exceeded, or with a certain delay, depending on certain filter functions.

[0085] The third measuring circuit 216 of the evaluation circuit 202 can include an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 512 and a digital interface 514. The ADC 512 can convert the measuring voltage Vsense into a digital signal (e.g., a digital value) that can represent the absolute temperature of the power switch 204. The digital value can represent the resistance value of the electrical resistor Rs. The digital interface 514 can include a lookup table and can output the absolute temperature based on the digital value provided by the ADC 512.

[0086] Each measuring circuit 212, 214 and 216 can also include analog and / or digital filtering to, for example, improve the signal quality.

[0087] As stated above, Fig. 5 is provided merely as an example. Other examples may differ from what is provided in relation to Fig. 5 is described. The number and arrangement of components that are in Fig. The components shown in Figure 5 are provided as an example. In practice, the system can have 500 additional components, fewer components, different components, or components arranged differently than those shown. Fig. The 5 shown include two or more components that are in Fig. The five shown can be implemented within a single component, or a single component that is in Fig. As shown in Figure 5, System 500 can be implemented as multiple, distributed components. Additionally or alternatively, a set of components (e.g., one or more components) of System 500 can perform one or more functions that are described as being performed by another set of components of System 500.

[0088] Fig. Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of a System 600 according to one or more implementations. The System 600 comprises the evaluation circuit 202 and the circuit breaker 204. The evaluation circuit 202 includes the first measuring circuit 212 and an additional switch state on the switch control circuit 502 for the first switch S1. The first switch S1 can be closed when the switch control circuit 502 moves the mode switch SM to the off position, and can be open when the switch control circuit 502 moves the mode switch SM to the I2 or I3 position. The first measuring circuit 212 can include the resistive element 222, which can be used as a sense resistor Rsense. In addition, the first measuring circuit 212 can include an ADC 602 and a digital interface 604. The ADC 602 can convert the sense voltage Vsense into a digital signal (e.g., a voltage).a digital value) that can represent the drain voltage or the drain-source voltage of switch 204. The 604 digital interface can evaluate the digital signal over a predetermined interval to calculate a rise rate (e.g., a rate of change) or slope of the drain voltage (e.g., dV / dt), or it can provide the digital signal to the gate driver or controller.

[0089] The gate driver or controller can compare the rate of increase with one or more setpoints (e.g., thresholds) and can increase or decrease the rate of increase by adjusting the control signal provided to the gate electrode 118.

[0090] In some implementations, a blanking time is included on the rising edge of the mode control signal IN to keep the mode switch SM in the off position and to activate the first measuring circuit 212 during the blanking time. The first switch S1, the second switch S2, and the third switch S3 can be configured according to the configuration in conjunction with Fig. The first evaluation scheme 301 or the second evaluation scheme 302 described in section 3 can be accessed.

[0091] In some implementations, the second measurement circuit 214 or the third measurement circuit 216 may not be present.

[0092] Each measuring circuit 212, 214 and 216 can also include analog and / or digital filtering to, for example, improve the signal quality.

[0093] As stated above, Fig. 6 is provided merely as an example. Other examples may differ from what is provided in relation to Fig. 6 is described. The number and arrangement of components that are in Fig. The components shown in Figure 6 are provided as an example. In practice, the system can have 600 additional components, fewer components, different components, or components arranged differently than those shown. Fig. The 6 shown include two or more components that are in Fig. The elements shown in 6 can be implemented within a single component, or a single component that is in Fig. As shown in Figure 6, the system can be implemented as multiple, distributed components. Additionally or alternatively, a set of components (e.g., one or more components) of the System 600 can perform one or more functions that are described as being performed by another set of components of the System 600.

[0094] Fig. Figure 7 is a flowchart of an exemplary procedure 700, which is associated with an evaluation circuit for a power device with an integrated sensor. In some implementations, one or more procedure steps of Fig. 7 is performed by an evaluation circuit (e.g., evaluation circuit 202). In some implementations, one or more process steps are performed by Fig. 7. performed by another device or group of devices that are separate from or include the evaluation circuit, such as a gate driver or controller. Additionally or alternatively, one or more process steps of Fig. 7 in conjunction with a power device, such as the circuit breaker 204.

[0095] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 7, procedure 700 can involve evaluating a first parameter of a circuit breaker according to a first evaluation mode (step 710). Evaluating the first parameter can involve receiving a first test current at a common test terminal from the circuit breaker; and measuring the first parameter during a switching event of the circuit breaker based on the first test current. For example, evaluation circuit 202 can evaluate the first parameter as described above.

[0096] As further in Fig. As shown in Figure 7, the procedure 700 can include evaluating a second parameter of the circuit breaker according to a second evaluation mode (step 720). Evaluating the second parameter can involve generating a second measuring current; outputting the second measuring current from the common measuring terminal to the circuit breaker; and measuring the second parameter, which depends on the flow of the second measuring current through the circuit breaker, wherein the current flow depends on an electrode voltage applied to a drain or collector of the circuit breaker. For example, the evaluation circuit 202 can evaluate the first parameter as described above.

[0097] As further in Fig. As shown in Figure 7, procedure 700 can involve evaluating a third parameter of the circuit breaker according to a third evaluation mode (step 730). Evaluating the third parameter can involve generating a third measuring current at the common measuring terminal; and measuring the third parameter generated based on the third measuring current and a temperature of the circuit breaker. For example, evaluation circuit 202 can evaluate the third parameter as described above.

[0098] Procedure 700 may include additional implementations, such as a single implementation or a combination of implementations, which are described below and / or in conjunction with one or more other procedures described elsewhere herein.

[0099] Although Fig. Seven exemplary steps of Procedure 700 show that in some implementations, Procedure 700 includes additional steps, fewer steps, different steps, or steps arranged differently than those shown. Fig. 7 shown. Additionally or alternatively, two or more of the steps of procedure 700 can be carried out in parallel.

[0100] The following provides an overview of some aspects of the present revelation:

[0101] Aspect 1: System, comprising: an evaluation circuit configured to evaluate a first parameter of a circuit breaker according to a first evaluation mode and to evaluate a second parameter of the circuit breaker according to a second evaluation mode, wherein the evaluation circuit comprises: a return terminal configured to be coupled to an auxiliary measuring terminal of the circuit breaker; a common measuring terminal configured to be coupled to a measuring terminal of the circuit breaker;a first measuring circuit coupled to the return terminal and the common measuring terminal and configured to operate during the first evaluation mode, wherein the first measuring circuit is configured to receive a first measuring current at the common measuring terminal from the circuit breaker and to measure the first parameter during a switching event of the circuit breaker based on the first measuring current;and a second measuring circuit coupled to the return terminal and the common measuring terminal and configured to operate during the second evaluation mode, wherein the second measuring circuit is configured to output a second measuring current from the common measuring terminal to the circuit breaker and to measure the second parameter which depends on a current flow of the second measuring current through the circuit breaker, and wherein the current flow of the second measuring current through the circuit breaker depends on an electrode voltage applied to a second load electrode of the circuit breaker.

[0102] Aspect 2: System according to aspect 1, wherein a first load electrode of the circuit breaker is a source or an emitter and the second load electrode is a drain or a collector.

[0103] Aspect 3: System according to one of aspects 1-2, where the first parameter is representative of a rate of change of the electrode voltage applied to the second load electrode.

[0104] Aspect 4: System according to aspect 3, wherein the first measuring circuit is set up to control a control signal of the circuit breaker based on the first parameter, to detect a short-circuit-based first parameter, to adjust a dead time of the circuit breaker based on the first parameter, to detect an operating range of the circuit breaker based on the first parameter, or to monitor a status of the circuit breaker based on the first parameter.

[0105] Aspect 5: System according to one of aspects 1-4, wherein the switching event is a switching-on switching event during which the circuit breaker changes from an off state to an on state, or wherein the switching event is a switching-off switching event during which the circuit breaker changes from the on state to the off state.

[0106] Aspect 6: System according to one of aspects 1-5, where the second parameter is representative of the electrode voltage applied to the second load electrode.

[0107] Aspect 7: System according to one of aspects 1-6, wherein the second measuring circuit comprises a second measuring path coupled between the return terminal and the common measuring terminal, wherein the second measuring path comprises a first current generator and a second measuring node, and wherein the first current generator is configured to generate the second measuring current such that the second parameter is generated at the second measuring node based on the electrode voltage of the circuit breaker.

[0108] Aspect 8: System according to aspect 7, wherein the second measuring circuit is set up to compare the second parameter at the second measuring node with a first threshold and to detect an overcurrent state of the circuit breaker based on the second parameter meeting the first threshold.

[0109] Aspect 9: System according to one of aspects 1-8, wherein the evaluation circuit is configured to evaluate a third parameter of the circuit breaker according to a third evaluation mode, wherein the evaluation circuit further comprises: a third measuring circuit coupled to the return terminal and the common measuring terminal and configured to operate during the third evaluation mode, wherein the third measuring circuit is configured to generate a third measuring current at the common measuring terminal and to measure the third parameter generated based on the third measuring current and a temperature of the circuit breaker.

[0110] Aspect 10: System according to aspect 9, wherein the third measuring circuit is configured to output the third measuring current from the common measuring terminal to the circuit breaker, or wherein the third measuring circuit is configured to derive the third measuring current from the circuit breaker to the common measuring terminal.

[0111] Aspect 11: System according to aspect 9, wherein the third measuring circuit comprises a third measuring path coupled between the return terminal and the common measuring terminal, wherein the third measuring path comprises a second current generator and a third measuring node, and wherein the second current generator is configured to generate the third measuring current such that the third parameter is generated at the third measuring node based on the temperature of the circuit breaker.

[0112] Aspect 12: System according to aspect 11, wherein the third parameter is representative of an absolute temperature value and the third measuring circuit is set up to determine the absolute temperature value from the third parameter.

[0113] Aspect 13: System according to aspect 11, wherein the third measuring circuit is set up to compare the third parameter at the third measuring node with a second threshold and to detect an overtemperature condition based on the fact that the third parameter meets the second threshold.

[0114] Aspect 14: System according to any of aspects 1-13, further comprising the power switch, and wherein the power switch comprises: a semiconductor body comprising a drift region, a transistor cell region at least partially integrated into the drift region, and a doped sensor region integrated into the drift region, wherein the doped sensor region is electrically coupled to the common measuring terminal, wherein the doped sensor region and the drift region form a junction capacitor electrically coupled to the common measuring terminal and the second load electrode of the power switch, and wherein the doped sensor region and the drift region form a pn junction diode with an anode electrically coupled to the common measuring terminal and a cathode electrically coupled to the second load electrode of the power switch.

[0115] Aspect 15: System according to aspect 14, wherein the circuit breaker has a blocking voltage of at least 300 V.

[0116] Aspect 16: System according to aspect 14, wherein the evaluation circuit and the power switch are integrated on separate chips.

[0117] Aspect 17: System according to aspect 14, wherein the return terminal is coupled to an electrical return path which is coupled to the auxiliary measuring terminal of the circuit breaker, and wherein the electrical return path is configured to allow the first measuring current to flow through the first measuring circuit during the first evaluation mode, and to provide a supply voltage for the second measuring circuit during the second evaluation mode.

[0118] Aspect 18: System according to aspect 14, wherein the doped sensor area is doped in a complementary manner to the drift area.

[0119] Aspect 19: System according to aspect 14, wherein the junction capacitor is configured to provide the first measuring current for the common measuring terminal during the switching event.

[0120] Aspect 20: System according to aspect 14, wherein the pn junction diode is configured to conduct the second measuring current based on the electrode voltage of the power switch.

[0121] Aspect 21: System according to Aspect 14, wherein the auxiliary measuring terminal is connected to the doped sensor area to provide a resistance path to the common measuring terminal via the doped sensor area.

[0122] Aspect 22: System according to aspect 21, wherein the auxiliary measuring connection is a first load electrode of the circuit breaker.

[0123] Aspect 23: System according to Aspect 14, wherein the evaluation circuit is configured to evaluate a third parameter of the circuit breaker according to a third evaluation mode, wherein the evaluation circuit further comprises: a third measuring circuit coupled to the return terminal and the common measuring terminal and configured to operate during the third evaluation mode, wherein the third measuring circuit is configured to generate a third measuring current at the common measuring terminal and to measure the third parameter, which is generated based on a third measuring current and the temperature of the circuit breaker, wherein a temperature-dependent resistance path coupled to the common measuring terminal and formed by the doped sensor area is configured to conduct the third measuring current and to generate the third parameter at the third measuring circuit based on the temperature of the circuit breaker.and where the third parameter is a voltage corresponding to the temperature.

[0124] Aspect 24: System, comprising: an evaluation circuit configured to evaluate a first parameter of a circuit breaker according to a first evaluation mode and to evaluate a second parameter of the circuit breaker according to a second evaluation mode, wherein the evaluation circuit comprises: a return terminal configured to be coupled to an auxiliary measuring terminal of the circuit breaker; a common measuring terminal configured to be coupled to a measuring terminal of the circuit breaker;a first measuring circuit coupled to the return terminal and the common measuring terminal and configured to operate during the first evaluation mode, wherein the first measuring circuit is configured to receive a first measuring current at the common measuring terminal from the circuit breaker and to measure the first parameter during a switching event of the circuit breaker based on the first measuring current; and a second measuring circuit coupled to the return terminal and the common measuring terminal and configured to operate during the second evaluation mode, wherein the second measuring circuit is configured to generate a second measuring current at the common measuring terminal and to measure the second parameter, which is generated based on the second measuring current and a temperature of the circuit breaker.

[0125] Aspect 25: System, comprising: an evaluation circuit configured to evaluate a first parameter of a circuit breaker according to a first evaluation mode and to evaluate a second parameter of the circuit breaker according to a second evaluation mode, wherein the evaluation circuit comprises: a return terminal configured to be coupled to an auxiliary measuring terminal of the circuit breaker; a common measuring terminal configured to be coupled to a measuring terminal of the circuit breaker; a first measuring circuit coupled to the return terminal and the common measuring terminal and configured to operate during the first evaluation mode, wherein the first measuring circuit is configured to generate a first measuring current at the common measuring terminal and to measure the first parameter generated based on the first measuring current and a temperature of the circuit breaker;and a second measuring circuit coupled to the return terminal and the common measuring terminal and configured to operate during the second evaluation mode, wherein the second measuring circuit is configured to output a second measuring current from the common measuring terminal to the circuit breaker and to measure the second parameter which depends on a current flow of the second measuring current through the circuit breaker, and wherein the current flow of the second measuring current through the circuit breaker depends on an electrode voltage applied to a second load electrode of the circuit breaker.

[0126] Aspect 26: System according to aspect 25, wherein the first measuring current during an ON state of the circuit breaker is less than the second measuring current, and wherein the first measuring current and the second measuring current have an independent relationship during an OFF state of the circuit breaker.

[0127] Aspect 27: Method, comprising: Evaluating a first parameter of a circuit breaker according to a first evaluation mode, comprising: Receiving a first measuring current at a common measuring terminal from the circuit breaker; and measuring the first parameter during a switching event of the circuit breaker based on the first measuring current; Evaluating a second parameter of the circuit breaker according to a second evaluation mode, comprising: Generating a second measuring current; Outputting the second measuring current from the common measuring terminal to the circuit breaker; and Measuring the second parameter, which depends on a current flow of the second measuring current through the circuit breaker, the current flow depending on an electrode voltage applied to a drain or a collector of the circuit breaker;and evaluating a third parameter of the circuit breaker according to a third evaluation mode, comprising: generating a third measuring current at the common measuring terminal; and measuring the third parameter generated based on the third measuring current and a temperature of the circuit breaker.

[0128] Aspect 28: Method according to aspect 27, wherein the first evaluation mode is activated during a switch-on event and a switch-off event of the circuit breaker, the second evaluation mode is activated during an ON state of the circuit breaker, and the third evaluation mode is activated during an OFF state of the circuit breaker.

[0129] Aspect 29: Procedure according to one of aspects 27-28, wherein the second measuring current and the third measuring current are the same current.

[0130] Aspect 30: Method according to aspect 27, wherein the first evaluation mode is activated during a switch-on event and a switch-off event of the circuit breaker, the second evaluation mode is activated during an ON state of the circuit breaker, and the third evaluation mode is activated during the ON state of the circuit breaker and during an OFF state of the circuit breaker, wherein during the ON state of the circuit breaker the second evaluation mode and the third evaluation mode are activated in nested time windows, such that the second evaluation mode and the third evaluation mode are activated alternately.

[0131] Aspect 31: Procedure according to one of aspects 27-30, wherein during a first power-on event after a system startup the second evaluation is activated and the first and third evaluation modes are deactivated.

[0132] Aspect 32: Method according to any of Aspects 27-31, wherein the first parameter is a voltage transient dV / dt of an electrode voltage of the circuit breaker, and wherein the evaluation of the first parameter of the circuit breaker comprises evaluating a pattern of the first parameter and detecting an overcurrent based on the pattern satisfying an overcurrent condition.

[0133] Aspect 33: Method according to any of Aspects 27-32, wherein the first parameter is a voltage transient dV / dt of an electrode voltage of the circuit breaker, and wherein the evaluation of the first parameter of the circuit breaker comprises evaluating a pattern of the first parameter during a switching-on event of the circuit breaker and detecting a short circuit based on the pattern indicating a negative voltage transient followed by a positive voltage transient.

[0134] Aspect 34: System that is configured to perform one or more operations listed in one or more of Aspects 1-33.

[0135] Aspect 35: Device comprising means for carrying out one or more operations listed in one or more of Aspects 1-33.

[0136] Aspect 36: Non-volatile computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions comprises one or more instructions which, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform one or more operations listed in one or more of Aspects 1-33.

[0137] Aspect 37: Computer program product, comprising instructions or code for performing one or more operations listed in one or more of Aspects 1-33.

[0138] The foregoing disclosure provides illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or to restrict implementations to the exact form disclosed. Modifications and variations may be made in light of the foregoing disclosure or derived from practical implementation experience.

[0139] Some implementations may be described herein in connection with thresholds. As used herein, "meeting" a threshold may refer to a value that is greater than the threshold, more than the threshold, higher than the threshold, greater than or equal to the threshold, less than the threshold, less than the threshold, lower than the threshold, less than or equal to the threshold, equal to the threshold, or the like.

[0140] As used herein, the term "component" shall be understood generally to mean hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. Systems and / or procedures described herein may be implemented in various forms of hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. The actual specialized control hardware or software code used to implement these systems and / or procedures does not restrict the implementations. Thus, the operation and behavior of the systems and / or procedures are described herein without reference to specific software code—it is understood that software and hardware may be designed to implement the systems and / or procedures based on the description herein.

[0141] Each of the processing components can be implemented as a central processing unit (CPU) or another type of processor that reads and executes a software program from a non-volatile, computer-readable recording medium, such as a hard disk or semiconductor storage device. For example, instructions can be executed by one or more processors, such as one or more CPUs, digital signal processors (DSPs), general-purpose microprocessors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable logic arrays (FPLAs), programmable logic controllers (PLCs), or other equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuits. Accordingly, the term "processor," as used herein, refers to any of the foregoing structures or any other structure suitable for implementing the techniques described herein.Software can be stored on a non-volatile, computer-readable medium such that the non-volatile, computer-readable medium comprises program code or a program algorithm stored on it which, when executed, causes the processor to perform the steps of a procedure via a computer program.

[0142] A controller incorporating hardware can also perform one or more of the techniques described in this disclosure. A controller incorporating one or more processors can use electrical signals and digital algorithms to perform its acquisition, analysis, and control functions, which may further include correction functions. Such hardware, software, and firmware can be implemented within the same device or within separate devices to support the various techniques described in this disclosure.

[0143] A signal processing circuit and / or a signal conditioning circuit can receive one or more signals (e.g., measurement signals) from one or more components in the form of raw measurement data and can derive further information from the measurement signal. "Signal conditioning," as used here, refers to manipulating an analog signal in such a way that the signal meets the requirements of a subsequent processing stage. Signal conditioning can include analog-to-digital conversion (e.g., via an analog-to-digital converter), amplification, filtering, conversion, biasing, range matching, isolation, and any other processes necessary to make a signal suitable for processing after conditioning.

[0144] Even if certain combinations of features are listed in the claims and / or disclosed in the description, these combinations are not intended to limit the disclosure of implementations described herein. Many of these features can be combined in ways not expressly listed in the claims and / or disclosed in the description. For example, the disclosure includes each dependent claim in a set of claims in combination with each other individual claim in that set of claims and each combination of multiple claims in that set of claims. As used herein, an expression referring to "at least one of" a list of elements refers to each combination of those elements, including individual elements. As an example, "at least one of: a, b, or c" is intended to cover a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c, and a, b, and c, as well as each combination with multiples of the same element (e.g.,a + a, a + a + a, a + a + b, a + a + c, a + b + b, a + c + c, b + b, b + b + b, b + b + c, c + c and c + c + c or any other order of a, b and c).

[0145] Furthermore, it is understood that the disclosure of multiple steps or functions in the description or in the claims should not be interpreted as being in a specific order. Therefore, the disclosure of multiple steps or functions does not restrict them to a particular order unless such steps or functions are not interchangeable for technical reasons. Furthermore, in some implementations, a single step may contain or be broken down into multiple substeps. Such substeps may be included and form part of the disclosure of that single step unless they are expressly excluded.

[0146] No element, step, or instruction used herein should be construed as critical or essential unless expressly described as such. Furthermore, as used herein, the article "the" should include one or more elements referred to in conjunction with the article "the" and may be used interchangeably with "the one or several." Also, as used herein, the terms "has," "have," "indicating," or the like should be open terms that do not restrict an element they modify (e.g., an element "indicating" A may also exhibit B). Furthermore, the phrase "based on" should mean "at least partly based on" unless expressly stated otherwise. As used herein, the term "several" may be replaced by "a multitude of" and vice versa.Furthermore, as used herein, the term “or” is to be inclusive when used in a series and can be used interchangeably with “and / or” unless expressly stated otherwise (e.g. when used in combination with “either” or “only one of”).

Claims

[1] System, encompassing: an evaluation circuit configured to evaluate a first parameter of a circuit breaker according to a first evaluation mode and to evaluate a second parameter of the circuit breaker according to a second evaluation mode, wherein the evaluation circuit comprises: a return connection which is designed to be coupled to an auxiliary measuring connection of the circuit breaker; a common measuring terminal which is designed to be coupled to a measuring terminal of the circuit breaker; a first measuring circuit that is coupled to the return line connection and the common measuring connection and is configured to operate during the first evaluation mode, wherein the first measuring circuit is configured to receive a first measuring current at the common measuring terminal from the circuit breaker and to measure the first parameter during a switching event of the circuit breaker based on the first measuring current; and a second measuring circuit, which is coupled to the return line connection and the common measuring connection and is configured to operate during the second evaluation mode, wherein the second measuring circuit is configured to output a second measuring current from the common measuring terminal to the circuit breaker and to measure the second parameter, which depends on a current flow of the second measuring current through the circuit breaker, and wherein the current flow of the second measuring current through the circuit breaker depends on an electrode voltage that is applied to a second load electrode of the circuit breaker. [2] System according to claim 1, wherein a first load electrode of the circuit breaker is a source or an emitter and the second load electrode is a drain or a collector. [3] System according to claim 1, wherein the first parameter is representative of a rate of change of the electrode voltage applied to the second load electrode. [4] System according to claim 3, wherein the first measuring circuit is configured to control a control signal of the circuit breaker based on the first parameter, to detect a short circuit based on the first parameter, to adjust a dead time of the circuit breaker based on the first parameter, to detect an operating range of the circuit breaker based on the first parameter or to monitor a status of the circuit breaker based on the first parameter. [5] System according to claim 1, wherein the switching event is a switch-on switching event, during which the circuit breaker changes from an off state to an on state, or wherein the switching event is a switch-off switching event, during which the circuit breaker changes from the on state to the off state. [6] System according to claim 1, wherein the second parameter is representative of the electrode voltage applied to the second load electrode. [7] System according to claim 1, wherein the second measuring circuit comprises a second measuring path coupled between the return terminal and the common measuring terminal, wherein the second measurement path comprises a first current generator and a second measurement node, and wherein the first current generator is set up to generate the second measuring current in such a way that the second parameter is generated at the second measuring node based on the electrode voltage of the circuit breaker. [8] System according to claim 7, wherein the second measuring circuit is configured to compare the second parameter at the second measuring node with a first threshold and to detect an overcurrent state of the circuit breaker based on the fact that the second parameter meets the first threshold. [9] System according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation circuit is configured to evaluate a third parameter of the circuit breaker according to a third evaluation mode, wherein the evaluation circuit further comprises: a third measuring circuit, which is coupled to the return line terminal and the common measuring terminal and is configured to operate during the third evaluation mode, wherein the third measuring circuit is set up to generate a third measuring current at the common measuring terminal and to measure the third parameter, which is generated based on the third measuring current and a temperature of the circuit breaker. [10] System according to claim 9, wherein the third measuring circuit is configured to output the third measuring current from the common measuring terminal to the circuit breaker, or wherein the third measuring circuit is configured to derive the third measuring current from the circuit breaker to the common measuring terminal. [11] System according to claim 9, wherein the third measuring circuit comprises a third measuring path coupled between the return terminal and the common measuring terminal, wherein the third measurement path includes a second power generator and a third measurement node, and wherein the second current generator is set up to generate the third measuring current in such a way that the third parameter is generated at the third measuring node based on the temperature of the circuit breaker. [12] System according to claim 11, wherein the third parameter is representative of an absolute temperature value and the third measuring circuit is configured to determine the absolute temperature value from the third parameter. [13] System according to claim 11, wherein the third measuring circuit is configured to compare the third parameter at the third measuring node with a second threshold and to detect an overtemperature condition based on the fact that the third parameter meets the second threshold. [14] System according to claim 1, further comprising the circuit breaker, and wherein the circuit breaker comprises: a semiconductor body comprising a drift region, a transistor cell region at least partially integrated into the drift region, and a doped sensor region integrated into the drift region, wherein the doped sensor area is electrically coupled to the common measuring connection, wherein the doped sensor area and the drift area form a junction capacitor which is electrically coupled to the common measuring terminal and the second load electrode of the circuit breaker, and wherein the doped sensor area and the drift area form a pn junction diode with an anode electrically coupled to the common measuring terminal and a cathode electrically coupled to the second load electrode of the power switch. [15] System according to claim 14, wherein the circuit breaker has a blocking voltage of at least 300 V. [16] System according to claim 14, wherein the evaluation circuit and the power switch are integrated on separate chips. [17] System according to claim 14, wherein the return terminal is coupled to an electrical return path which is coupled to the auxiliary measuring terminal of the circuit breaker, and wherein the electrical return path is configured to allow the first measuring current to flow through the first measuring circuit during the first evaluation mode, and to provide a supply voltage for the second measuring circuit during the second evaluation mode. [18] System according to claim 14, wherein the doped sensor area is doped in a complementary manner to the drift area. [19] System according to claim 14, wherein the junction capacitor is configured to provide the first measuring current for the common measuring terminal during the switching event. [20] System according to claim 14, wherein the pn junction diode is configured to conduct the second measuring current based on the electrode voltage of the power switch. [21] System according to claim 14, wherein the auxiliary measuring terminal is connected to the doped sensor area to provide a resistance path to the common measuring terminal via the doped sensor area. [22] System according to claim 21, wherein the auxiliary measuring connection is a first load electrode of the circuit breaker. [23] System according to claim 14, wherein the evaluation circuit is configured to evaluate a third parameter of the circuit breaker according to a third evaluation mode, wherein the evaluation circuit further comprises: a third measuring circuit, which is coupled to the return line terminal and the common measuring terminal and is configured to operate during the third evaluation mode, wherein the third measuring circuit is configured to generate a third measuring current at the common measuring terminal and to measure the third parameter, which is generated based on the third measuring current and a temperature of the circuit breaker, wherein a temperature-dependent resistance path, coupled to the common measuring terminal and formed by the doped sensor area, is configured to conduct the third measuring current and generate the third parameter at the third measuring circuit based on the temperature of the power switch, and where the third parameter is a voltage that corresponds to the temperature. [24] System, encompassing: an evaluation circuit configured to evaluate a first parameter of a circuit breaker according to a first evaluation mode and to evaluate a second parameter of the circuit breaker according to a second evaluation mode, wherein the evaluation circuit comprises: a return connection which is designed to be coupled to an auxiliary measuring connection of the circuit breaker; a common measuring terminal which is designed to be coupled to a measuring terminal of the circuit breaker; a first measuring circuit that is coupled to the return line connection and the common measuring connection and is configured to operate during the first evaluation mode, wherein the first measuring circuit is configured to receive a first measuring current at the common measuring terminal from the circuit breaker and to measure the first parameter during a switching event of the circuit breaker based on the first measuring current; and a second measuring circuit, which is coupled to the return line connection and the common measuring connection and is configured to operate during the second evaluation mode, wherein the second measuring circuit is set up to generate a second measuring current at the common measuring terminal and to measure the second parameter, which is generated based on the second measuring current and a temperature of the circuit breaker. [25] System, comprehensive: an evaluation circuit configured to evaluate a first parameter of a circuit breaker according to a first evaluation mode and to evaluate a second parameter of the circuit breaker according to a second evaluation mode, wherein the evaluation circuit comprises: a return connection which is designed to be coupled to an auxiliary measuring connection of the circuit breaker; a common measuring terminal which is designed to be coupled to a measuring terminal of the circuit breaker; a first measuring circuit that is coupled to the return line connection and the common measuring connection and is configured to operate during the first evaluation mode, wherein the first measuring circuit is configured to generate a first measuring current at the common measuring terminal and to measure the first parameter generated based on the first measuring current and a temperature of the circuit breaker; and a second measuring circuit, which is coupled to the return line connection and the common measuring connection and is configured to operate during the second evaluation mode, wherein the second measuring circuit is configured to output a second measuring current from the common measuring terminal to the circuit breaker and to measure the second parameter, which depends on a current flow of the second measuring current through the circuit breaker, and wherein the current flow of the second measuring current through the circuit breaker depends on an electrode voltage that is applied to a second load electrode of the circuit breaker. [26] System according to claim 25, wherein the first measuring current during an ON state of the circuit breaker is smaller than the second measuring current, and wherein the first measuring current and the second measuring current have an independent relationship during an OFF state of the circuit breaker. [27] Procedures, including: Evaluating a first parameter of a circuit breaker according to a first evaluation mode, comprising: Receiving an initial measuring current at a common measuring terminal from the circuit breaker; and Measuring the first parameter during a switching event of the circuit breaker based on the first measuring current; Evaluating a second parameter of the circuit breaker according to a second evaluation mode, including: Generating a second measuring current; Output of the second measuring current from the common measuring terminal to the circuit breaker; and Measuring the second parameter, which depends on a current flow of the second measuring current through the circuit breaker, wherein the current flow depends on an electrode voltage applied to a drain or a collector of the circuit breaker; and Evaluating a third parameter of the circuit breaker according to a third evaluation mode, comprising: Generating a third measuring current at the common measuring terminal; and Measuring the third parameter, which is generated based on the third measuring current and a temperature of the circuit breaker.

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