Internal Temperature Sensor for Semiconductor Power Inverter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor packages for multi-phase power inverter circuits require separate temperature sensors external to the leadframe-based package, which complicates circuit design, increases costs, and reduces efficiency due to the distance between temperature sensors and power switches, hindering accurate and fast temperature measurement.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an internal temperature sensor on the leadframe within the semiconductor package, allowing it to be closer to power switches and driver circuits, enabling more accurate and rapid temperature sensing and simplifying circuit design by integrating the temperature sensor with the driver and control circuits on a common IC.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a discrete temperature sensor is mounted on a PCB external to the leadframe-based package, then the temperature sensor can be separate from the power switches, but the distance between the temperature sensor and power switches reduces measurement accuracy and speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the temperature sensor with the driver circuit and control circuit on a common integrated circuit (IC) chip. This integration places the temperature sensor in close proximity to the power switches on the leadframe, enabling accurate and fast temperature measurement while simplifying the overall circuit design by eliminating separate discrete components and their interconnections.
2Ease of manufacture
If a discrete temperature sensor is mounted on a PCB external to the leadframe-based package, then the temperature sensor can be separately installed, but this increases component quantity and costs
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature sensor, driver circuit, and control circuit are merged into a single common IC chip. This integration reduces the total component quantity by eliminating separate discrete temperature sensors, driver ICs, and control circuits. The reduced component count simplifies assembly processes and lowers manufacturing costs while maintaining all required functions.
3Measurement precision
If the temperature sensor is placed closer to the power switches on the leadframe, then temperature measurement accuracy improves, but the integration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the integration complexity by combining the temperature sensor, driver circuit, and control circuit onto a single common IC chip. This unified integration approach places the temperature sensor in close proximity to the power switches on the leadframe for accurate measurement, while the common IC architecture simplifies the integration process compared to coordinating multiple separate components.
Data Source
AI summary
According to an exemplary implementation, a semiconductor package includes a multi-phase power inverter having power switches and situated on a leadframe of the semiconductor package. The semiconductor package further includes a temperature sensor situated on the leadframe, where the temperature sensor is configured to generate a sensed temperature of the power switches. The semiconductor package also includes a driver circuit configured to drive the power switches of the multi-phase power inverter responsive to the sensed temperature. The temperature sensor can be on a common IC with the driver circuit. Furthermore, the semiconductor package can include an over-temperature protection circuit configured to provide over-temperature protection to the multi-phase power inverter using the sensed temperature.