IP Library › Granted Patent US 12683604
Granted Patent B2
US 12683604 · App. 17/844,053 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Driving apparatus

Inventors: Ryoga Kiguchi (Tachikawa-city, JP); Hiromu Takubo (Hachioji-city, JP)
Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
H03K17/6872
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12683604
App. No.
17/844,053
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A driving apparatus for driving a switching device is provided, the driving apparatus including: a high potential line; a high-potential-side switching control unit configured to perform switching as to whether to connect a control terminal of the switching device to the high potential line; a first resistor element located on a high-potential side and disposed in series with the high-potential-side switching control unit on a path from the control terminal of the switching device to the high potential line; a high-potential-side capacitor provided in parallel with the first resistor element on the path from the control terminal of the switching device to the high potential line; and a high-potential-side discharge control unit configured to control whether to discharge the high-potential-side capacitor.

Claims (71)

1 . A driving apparatus for driving a switching device, the driving apparatus comprising:

a high potential line;

a high-potential-side switching control unit configured to perform switching as to whether to connect a control terminal of the switching device to the high potential line;

a first resistor element located on a high-potential side and disposed in series with the high-potential-side switching control unit on a path from the control terminal of the switching device to the high potential line;

a high-potential-side capacitor provided in parallel with the first resistor element on the path from the control terminal of the switching device to the high-potential-side switching control unit;

a high-potential-side discharge control unit configured to control whether to discharge the high-potential-side capacitor; and

a high-potential-side diode disposed between the control terminal of the switching device and the high-potential-side capacitor.

2 . The driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the high-potential-side discharge control unit is configured to discharge the high-potential-side capacitor with a condition that a control voltage on the control terminal of the switching device is equal to or higher than a plateau voltage.

3 . The driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the switching device is either device of a pair of switching devices operated in a complementary manner, and

the high-potential-side discharge control unit is configured to discharge the high-potential-side capacitor during a period from a completion of turning-on of the switching device to be driven to a start of next turning-off of the switching device.

4 . The driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the first resistor element is disposed between the control terminal of the switching device and the high-potential-side switching control unit, and

the high-potential-side capacitor is disposed in parallel with the first resistor element between the control terminal of the switching device and the high-potential-side switching control unit.

5 . The driving apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the first resistor element is disposed between the control terminal of the switching device and the high-potential-side switching control unit, and

the high-potential-side capacitor is disposed in parallel with the first resistor element between the control terminal of the switching device and the high-potential-side switching control unit.

6 . The driving apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

the first resistor element is disposed between the control terminal of the switching device and the high-potential-side switching control unit, and

the high-potential-side capacitor is disposed in parallel with the first resistor element between the control terminal of the switching device and the high-potential-side switching control unit.

7 . The driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

a capacitance of the high-potential-side capacitor is variable, and

the driving apparatus further comprises a capacitance control unit configured to control the capacitance of the high-potential-side capacitor.

8 . The driving apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a reference potential line having a lower potential than the high potential line;

a reference-potential-side switching control unit configured to perform switching as to whether to connect the control terminal of the switching device to the reference potential line;

a first resistor element located on a reference-potential side and disposed in series with the reference-potential-side switching control unit on a path from the control terminal of the switching device to the reference potential line;

a reference-potential-side capacitor provided, in parallel with the first resistor element located on the reference-potential side, on the path from the control terminal of the switching device to the reference potential line; and

a reference-potential-side discharge control unit configured to control whether to discharge the reference-potential-side capacitor.

9 . The driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

at least one of the switching device or the high-potential-side discharge control unit is a wide bandgap semiconductor element containing at least one of silicon carbide, gallium nitride, gallium oxide, or diamond as a main material.

10 . The driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the high-potential-side discharge control unit is a transistor device, a photocoupler, a digital isolator, a mechanical relay, or a photodiode.

11 . A driving apparatus for driving a switching device, the driving comprising:

a high potential line;

a high-potential-side switching control unit configured to perform switching as to whether to connect a control terminal of the switching device to the high potential line;

a first resistor element located on a high-potential side and disposed in series with the high-potential-side switching control unit on a path from the control terminal of the switching device to the high potential line;

a high-potential-side capacitor provided in parallel with the first resistor element on the path from the control terminal of the switching device to the high-potential-side switching control unit;

a high-potential-side discharge control unit configured to control whether to discharge the high-potential-side capacitor; and

a high-potential-side diode disposed in parallel with the first resistor element between the control terminal of the switching device and the high-potential-side capacitor, wherein

the first resistor element is disposed between the control terminal of the switching device and the high-potential-side switching control unit.

12 . The driving apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein

the high-potential-side discharge control unit is a high-potential-side switch disposed between the high potential line and a connection point between the high-potential-side diode and the high-potential-side capacitor.

13 . The driving apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising:

a second resistor element located on the high-potential side and disposed in series with the high-potential-side diode between the control terminal of the switching device and a connection point between the high-potential-side capacitor and the high-potential-side discharge control unit.

14 . The driving apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising:

a third resistor element located on the high-potential side and disposed in series with the high-potential-side switch between the high potential line and the connection point between the high-potential-side capacitor and the high-potential-side switch.

15 . The driving apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein

a resistance value of the third resistor element is variable, and

the driving apparatus further comprises a resistance control unit configured to control the resistance value of the third resistor element.

16 . The driving apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising:

a fourth resistor element located on the high-potential side and disposed in series with the high-potential-side capacitor between a connection point between the high-potential-side switching control unit and the first resistor element and a connection point between the high-potential-side diode and the high-potential-side discharge control unit.

17 . The driving apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein

a resistance value of the fourth resistor element is variable, and

the driving apparatus further comprises a resistance control unit configured to control the resistance value of the fourth resistor element.

18 . The driving apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein

a resistance value of the second resistor element is variable, and

the driving apparatus further comprises a resistance control unit configured to control the resistance value of the second resistor element.

19 . The driving apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising:

a third resistor element located on the high-potential side and disposed in series with the high-potential-side switch between the high potential line and the connection point between the high-potential-side capacitor and the high-potential-side switch.

20 . The driving apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising:

a fourth resistor element located on the high-potential side and disposed in series with the high-potential-side capacitor between a connection point between the high-potential-side switching control unit and the first resistor element and a connection point between the high-potential-side diode and the high-potential-side switch.

21 . A driving apparatus for driving a switching device, the driving apparatus comprising:

a high potential line;

a high-potential-side switching control unit configured to perform switching as to whether to connect a control terminal of the switching device to the high potential line;

a first resistor element located on a high-potential side and disposed in series with the high-potential-side switching control unit on a path from the control terminal of the switching device to the high potential line;

a high-potential-side capacitor provided in parallel with the first resistor element on the path from the control terminal of the switching device to the high-potential-side switching control unit; and

a high-potential-side discharge control unit configured to control whether to discharge the high-potential-side capacitor, wherein

the high-potential-side switching control unit is provided between one electrode of the high-potential-side capacitor and the high potential line, and

the high-potential-side discharge control unit is provided in parallel with the high-potential-side switching control unit and provided between another electrode of the high-potential-side capacitor and the high potential line.