Single-Supply Gate Driver Shoot-Through Protection Logic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gate drive systems face challenges in ensuring shoot through protection (STP) across different architectures, as existing STP features are specific to the supplier and architecture, making it difficult to guarantee functionality in all conditions.
Innovation Solution
A switch control system with multiple gate drivers connected to separate voltage sources and logic components that include shoot through protection (STP) to prevent both switches from being closed simultaneously, using complementary logic and integrated circuits to generate bipolar gate voltages, ensuring robust protection even under fault conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional STP features are used in gate driver architectures, then shoot through protection is provided for the specific architecture, but it becomes difficult to ensure the STP features work in all conditions for other gate driver architectures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal STP logic component that can be integrated into different gate driver architectures (single-supply and dual-supply) to provide shoot through protection. The logic component monitors gate control signals and generates protection outputs that can interface with various switch types (MOSFETs, IGBTs) and driver configurations, making the STP feature architecture-agnostic and broadly applicable across different power electronics designs.
2Reliability
If multiple gate drivers with separate voltage sources are used to provide robust STP, then protection reliability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple gate driver functions and STP logic into integrated circuit implementations. The STP logic component is merged with the gate driver circuitry, allowing shared voltage sources and control logic while maintaining independent protection functionality. This integration reduces the number of discrete components and simplifies the overall system architecture while preserving the reliability benefits of comprehensive STP monitoring.
Data Source
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AI summary
A switch control system includes a first voltage source configured to output a first source voltage on a first voltage line (102). The system includes a first gate driver (104), a second gate driver (116), a third gate driver (122), and a fourth gate driver. Each of the gate drivers includes shoot through protection (STP) configured to prevent a first switch and a second switch of the system from ever both being closed at once thereby preventing shoot voltages from a DC bus to ground through the first and second switches.