High-Side Drive Circuit Overlap Prevention for Power Semiconductors

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Solution Overview

Problem

Power semiconductor device pairs, particularly high-side and low-side devices, are prone to 'latch-on' failure due to cross-conduction caused by timing overlap between reset input pulses and voltage-recovery periods, leading to catastrophic damage in high-voltage integrated circuits.

Innovation Solution

A high-side drive circuit with an overlap-prevention circuit is implemented, which includes an input circuit generating control signals and a high-voltage circuit that prevents timing overlap between reset control signals and voltage-recovery periods, using edge-trigger circuits and level shifters to ensure proper timing alignment and prevent unwanted set signals during high-voltage recovery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a high-side drive circuit is used to control the high-side device, then the power semiconductor device pair can be controlled for high-voltage applications, but timing overlap between reset control signals and voltage-recovery periods can cause latch-on failure and cross-conduction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol reliabilityVSAvoidlatch-on failure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The overlap-prevention circuit proactively detects the voltage-recovery period and preemptively prevents the reset control signal from being output during this critical time window, eliminating the possibility of latch-on failure before it can occur

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The overlap-prevention circuit acts as an intermediary between the input circuit and the high-voltage circuit, filtering and conditioning the control signals to ensure they are properly timed and free from harmful overlaps before reaching the power semiconductor devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If reset control signals are output during voltage-recovery periods, then the high-side device can be turned off, but simultaneous conduction of high-side and low-side devices occurs causing cross-conduction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveswitching speedVSAvoidcross-conduction

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The overlap-prevention circuit applies preliminary anti-action by blocking the reset control signal during the voltage-recovery period, preventing the harmful effect of cross-conduction before it can manifest

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The circuit monitors the voltage-recovery period and uses this feedback information to dynamically control the output of reset signals, ensuring they are only generated when safe to do so

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20190028097A1Drive circuit for power semiconductor devices

Publication Date: 2019.01.24 SEMICON COMPONENTS IND LLC

AI summary

In a general aspect, an apparatus can include a low-side drive circuit configured to control a low-side device of a power semiconductor device pair and a high-side drive circuit configured to control a high-side device of the power semiconductor device pair. The high-side drive circuit can include an input circuit configured to receive an input signal and produce, based on the input signal, a first control signal, from which a latch set signal is produced to turn on the high-side device, and a second control signal, from which a latch reset signal is produced to turn off the high-side device. The high-side drive circuit can further include an overlap-prevention circuit configured to prevent timing overlap between the second control signal and a voltage-recovery period of the high-voltage circuit, where the voltage-recovery period occurs after turning off the high-side device of the power semiconductor device pair.