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US5635823A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Current detector circuit

Assignee: Toshiba Corp
•
Filing: 1995-10-04
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Granted: 1997-06-03
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Expires: 2015-10-04
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Abstract

Abstract In a current detector circuit wherein the sense current flowing through a sense transistor for sensing part of the main current flowing through a main element transistor is flowed through the detection resistor to cause the bipolar or MOS control transistor to detect the voltage drop across the detection resistor, a compensation diode connected to the base or gate of the control transistor and the emitter of the sense transistor and a forward bias generation resistor element for generating a forward bias applied to the diode for a time interval during which the main current flows are arranged. When a sense current flowing through a sense element for sensing part of a main current flowing through a main element is to be flowed through a detection resistor to cause a control transistor to detect a voltage drop across through the detection resistor, the temperature dependence of a threshold voltage between the base and emitter of the control transistor is compensated for, and an output current is detected with an almost constant current level during an operation.

Inventors

  • 👤 Koichi Murakami
  • 👤 Motohiro Oomichi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 19:13
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K17/00; H03K17/14; H03K17/145; H03K17/08; H03K17/082; H03K17/0822; H03K17/0828

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 133 words
A current detector circuit comprising a first insulating gate transistor for a main element; a second insulating gate transistor for a sense element, a current input terminal of which is connected to a current input terminal of said first insulated gate transistor, and a control terminal of which is connected to a control terminal of said first insulated gate transistor, the second insulating gate transistor for sensing part of a main current flowing through said first insulating gate transistor; a current detection resistor through which a sense current flowing through said second insulated gate transistor flows; a control transistor for detecting a voltage drop across said current detection resistor; and a compensation diode connected between a control terminal of said control transistor and a current output terminal of said second insulated gate transistor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 133 words
A current detector circuit comprising a first insulating gate transistor for a main element; a second insulating gate transistor for a sense element, a current input terminal of which is connected to a current input terminal of said first insulated gate transistor, and a control terminal of which is connected to a control terminal of said first insulated gate transistor, the second insulating gate transistor for sensing part of a main current flowing through said first insulating gate transistor; a current detection resistor through which a sense current flowing through said second insulated gate transistor flows; a control transistor for detecting a voltage drop across said current detection resistor; and a compensation diode connected between a control terminal of said control transistor and a current output terminal of said second insulated gate transistor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 23 words
A current detector circuit according to claim 1, wherein said diode is replaced with a circuit using a temperature variable type resistor element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 28 words
A current detector circuit according to claim 1, wherein a collector of said control transistor is commonly connected to said control terminal of said second insulated gate transistor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 23 words
A current detector circuit according to claim 3, wherein said diode is replaced with a circuit using a temperature variable type resistor element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 35 words
A current detector circuit according to claim 1, further including a forward bias generation resistor element for generating a forward bias applied to said diode for a time interval during which the main current flows.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 23 words
A current detector circuit according to claim 5, wherein said diode is replaced with a circuit using a temperature variable type resistor element.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 194 words
A current detector circuit comprising a first insulating gate transistor for a main element; a second insulating gate transistor for a sense element, a current input terminal of which is connected to a current input terminal of said first insulated gate transistor, and a control terminal of which is connected to a control terminal of said first insulated gate transistor, the second insulating gate transistor for sensing part of a main current flowing through said first insulating gate transistor; a current detection resistor through which a sense current flowing through said second insulated gate transistor flows; a control transistor for detecting a voltage drop across said current detection resistor; a constant current circuit, connected to a current output terminal of said first insulated gate transistor and a current output terminal of said second insulated gate transistor, the constant current circuit for setting potentials at said current output terminals of said first and second insulated gate transistors to equal to each other; and a compensation diode and a current detection resistor element which are inserted in series with each other between an output current path of the constant current circuit and a negative bias terminal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 194 words
A current detector circuit comprising a first insulating gate transistor for a main element; a second insulating gate transistor for a sense element, a current input terminal of which is connected to a current input terminal of said first insulated gate transistor, and a control terminal of which is connected to a control terminal of said first insulated gate transistor, the second insulating gate transistor for sensing part of a main current flowing through said first insulating gate transistor; a current detection resistor through which a sense current flowing through said second insulated gate transistor flows; a control transistor for detecting a voltage drop across said current detection resistor; a constant current circuit, connected to a current output terminal of said first insulated gate transistor and a current output terminal of said second insulated gate transistor, the constant current circuit for setting potentials at said current output terminals of said first and second insulated gate transistors to equal to each other; and a compensation diode and a current detection resistor element which are inserted in series with each other between an output current path of the constant current circuit and a negative bias terminal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 23 words
A current detector circuit according to claim 7, wherein said diode is replaced with a circuit using a temperature variable type resistor element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 28 words
A current detector circuit according to claim 7, wherein a collector of said control transistor is commonly connected to said control terminal of said second insulated gate transistor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 23 words
A current detector circuit according to claim 9, wherein said diode is replaced with a circuit using a temperature variable type resistor element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 127 words
A current detector circuit according to claim 7, wherein said constant current circuit comprises a first pnp transistor, an emitter of which is connected to said current output terminal of said first insulated gate transistor, and a base and collector of which are connected to each other, a constant current value setting resistor element connected between a collector of said first pnp transistor and said negative bias terminal, and a second pnp transistor, an emitter of which is connected to said current output terminal of said second insulated gate transistor, and a base of which is connected to a base of said first pnp transistor, said second pnp transistor having a collector connected to an anode of said diode and a control terminal of said control transistor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 23 words
A current detector circuit according to claim 11, wherein said diode is replaced with a circuit using a temperature variable type resistor element.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 28 words
A current detector circuit according to claim 4, wherein a collector of said control transistor is commonly connected to said control terminal of said second insulated gate transistor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 23 words
A current detector circuit according to claim 13, wherein said diode is replaced with a circuit using a temperature variable type resistor element.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4553084A Cited
US4672302A Cited
US4914542A Cited
US5550462A Cited
US5545970A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2000-06-02 2000-12-02 2001-06-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2004-06-02 2004-12-02 2005-06-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2008-06-02 2008-12-02 2009-06-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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