Patent US5298797A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US5298797A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Gate charge recovery circuit for gate-driven semiconductor devices

Assignee: Asahi Kasei Toko Power Devices Corp
•
Filing: 1993-03-12
•
Granted: 1994-03-29
•
Expires: 2013-03-12
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A gate charge recovery circuit prevents generation of the voltage spike that would otherwise appear across the sense resistor that is employed to detect the current flowing through the switched terminal of a gate-driven semiconductor device when the device is turned on. The gate charge recovery circuit comprises the combination of a capacitor connected between the reference terminal of the semiconductor device and the positive terminal of a driver and a filter resistor connected between the positive terminal of the driver and the positive terminal of a voltage source.

Inventors

  • 👤 Richard Redl

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 13:11
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K17/00; H03K17/16; H03K17/168; H03K17/161; H03K17/162; H03K19/00; H03K19/0008; H03K19/0019; H03K2217/00; H03K2217/0036; H03K2217/0081

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 129 words
In a circuit wherein a gate-driven semiconductor device is configured with a current sense device connected between a gate voltage reference terminal of said semiconductor device and a first terminal of a voltage source supplying a gate-driving voltage to said semiconductor device, a gate-driving device having an output terminal connected to a gate terminal of said semiconductor device and having a supply terminal through which current flows to or from said output terminal in order to force said semiconductor device to an ON state, the improvement comprising: a capacitor connected between said gate voltage reference terminal of said semiconductor device and said supply terminal of said gate-driving device; and a filter element connected between said supply terminal of said gate-driving device and a second terminal of said voltage source.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 129 words
In a circuit wherein a gate-driven semiconductor device is configured with a current sense device connected between a gate voltage reference terminal of said semiconductor device and a first terminal of a voltage source supplying a gate-driving voltage to said semiconductor device, a gate-driving device having an output terminal connected to a gate terminal of said semiconductor device and having a supply terminal through which current flows to or from said output terminal in order to force said semiconductor device to an ON state, the improvement comprising: a capacitor connected between said gate voltage reference terminal of said semiconductor device and said supply terminal of said gate-driving device; and a filter element connected between said supply terminal of said gate-driving device and a second terminal of said voltage source.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 14 words
A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said gate-driven semiconductor device comprises a MOSFET.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 13 words
A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said filter element comprises a resistor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 13 words
A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said filter element comprises an inductor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 15 words
A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said filter element comprises a voltage-limited current source.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 128 words
A gate charge recovery circuit comprising: a gate-driven semiconductor device; a voltage source supplying a gate-driving voltage to said semiconductor device; a current sense device connected between a gate voltage reference terminal of said semiconductor device and a first terminal of said voltage source; a gate-driving device having an output terminal connected to a gate terminal of said semiconductor device and having a supply terminal through which current flows to or from said output terminal in order to force said semiconductor device to an ON state; a capacitor connected between said gate voltage reference terminal of said semiconductor device and said supply terminal of said gate-driving device; and a filter element connected between said supply terminal of said gate-driving device and a second terminal of said voltage source.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 128 words
A gate charge recovery circuit comprising: a gate-driven semiconductor device; a voltage source supplying a gate-driving voltage to said semiconductor device; a current sense device connected between a gate voltage reference terminal of said semiconductor device and a first terminal of said voltage source; a gate-driving device having an output terminal connected to a gate terminal of said semiconductor device and having a supply terminal through which current flows to or from said output terminal in order to force said semiconductor device to an ON state; a capacitor connected between said gate voltage reference terminal of said semiconductor device and said supply terminal of said gate-driving device; and a filter element connected between said supply terminal of said gate-driving device and a second terminal of said voltage source.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 43 words
A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said current sense device includes a first pair of terminals for carrying a current to be sensed and a second pair of terminals for providing a voltage that is proportional to said current to be sensed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 14 words
A circuit as in claim 6 wherein said gate-driven semiconductor device comprises a MOSFET.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 13 words
A circuit as in claim 6 wherein said filter element comprises a resistor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 13 words
A circuit as in claim 6 wherein said filter element comprises an inductor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 15 words
A circuit as in claim 6 wherein said filter element comprises a voltage-limited current source.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4215280A Cited
US5021747A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-03-28 1997-09-27 1998-03-29 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-03-28 2001-09-27 2002-03-29 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-03-28 2005-09-27 2006-03-29 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag