IP Library Granted Patent US 12683606
Granted Patent B2
US 12683606 · App. 18/744,450 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Signal transmission device and electronic device

Inventor: Masahiko Arimura (Kyoto, JP)
Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
H03K17/691H03K19/0175
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12683606
App. No.
18/744,450
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A signal transmission device includes a logic in a primary circuit system, a logic and a driver in a secondary circuit system, and a first and a second transformer circuit that transmit driving pulse signals and feedback pulse signals between the logics while isolating between the primary and secondary circuit systems. The second logic has a function of determining the logic level of a gate signal by driving the driver according to the driving pulse signals, a function of pulse-driving the feedback pulse signals at a predetermined period, with a first number of pulses at a time, if the secondary circuit system is in normal condition, and a function of switching the first number of pulses according to the driving capacity of the driver.

Claims (53)

1 . A signal transmission device comprising:

a first logic configured to be provided in a primary circuit system;

a second logic configured to be provided in a secondary circuit system;

a driver configured to be provided in the secondary circuit system and to generate a gate signal;

a first transformer circuit configured to transmit a driving pulse signal output from the first logic to the second logic while isolating between the primary and secondary circuit systems; and

a second transformer circuit configured to transmit a feedback pulse signal output from the second logic to the first logic while isolating between the primary and secondary circuit systems,

wherein

the second logic has:

a function of determining a logic level of the gate signal by driving the driver according to the driving pulse signal;

a function of pulse-driving the feedback pulse signal at a predetermined period, with a first number of pulses at a time, if the secondary circuit system is in normal condition; and

a function of switching the first number of pulses according to a driving capacity of the driver,

wherein

the signal transmission device comprises first, second and third output terminals configured to connect to a gate of an external switching device,

wherein

the first output terminal is configured to provide a first output pulse signal to turn on the external switching device,

the second and third output terminals are configured to output second and third output pulse signals, respectively, to turn off the external switching device, and

the second logic is configured to switch the first number of pulses based on whether just the second output terminal is outputting the second output pulse signal, or both the second and third terminals are outputting the second and third output pulse signals respectively.

2 . The signal transmission device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the feedback pulse signal includes a first feedback pulse signal and a second feedback pulse signal,

the second logic pulse-drives, when the gate signal is at a first logic level, the first feedback pulse signal and, when the gate signal is at a second logic level, the second feedback pulse signal.

3 . The signal transmission device according to claim 2 , wherein the second logic further has a function of, at a timing that the gate signal turns to the first logic level, pulse-driving the first feedback pulse signal with a second number of pulses and, at a timing that the gate signal turns to the second logic level, pulse-driving the second feedback pulse signal with the second number of pulses.

4 . The signal transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein the driving capacity of the driver is, when a selection signal is at a third logic level, a first driving capacity and, when the selection signal is at a fourth logic level, a second driving capacity.

5 . The signal transmission device according to claim 4 , wherein the driving pulse signal includes a first driving pulse signal and a second driving pulse signal, the first logic pulse-drives, when the selection signal is at the third logic level, the first driving pulse signal and, when the selection signal is at the fourth logic level, the second driving pulse signal.

6 . The signal transmission device according to claim 5 , wherein the driver includes a first driving transistor and a second driving transistor, and the second logic drives, according to the first driving pulse signal, only the first driving transistor and, according to the second driving pulse signal, both the first and second driving transistors.

7 . The signal transmission device according to claim 5 , wherein the first logic has a function of driving the first and second driving pulse signals sequentially regardless of the selection signal and, based on the feedback pulse signal from the second logic, self-diagnosing whether the driving capacity of the driver is switched properly.

8 . The signal transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein a first chip having the first logic integrated therein, a second chip having the second logic and the driver integrated therein, and a third chip having the first and second transformer circuits integrated therein are sealed in a single package.

9 . An electronic device comprising:

a switching element configured to be driven with a gate signal; and

the signal transmission device according to claim 1 .

10 . The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein the switching element is an IGBT or an FET.

11 . A signal transmission device comprising:

a first logic configured to be provided in a primary circuit system;

a second logic configured to be provided in a secondary circuit system;

a driver in the secondary circuit system, wherein the driver is configured to generate a gate signal;

a first transformer circuit configured to transmit a driving pulse signal output from the first logic to the second logic while isolating between the primary circuit system and the secondary circuit system; and

a second transformer circuit configured to transmit a feedback pulse signal output from the second logic to the first logic while isolating between the primary circuit system and the secondary circuit system,

wherein

the second logic is configured to:

determine a logic level of the gate signal by driving the driver according to the driving pulse signal;

pulse-drive the feedback pulse signal at a predetermined period, with a first number of pulses at a time, based on the secondary circuit system being in a normal condition; and

switch the first number of pulses according to a driving capacity of the driver,

wherein the driving capacity is a gate-off capacity to turn off an external switching device.

12 . The signal transmission device according to claim 11 , wherein the feedback pulse signal includes a first feedback pulse signal and a second feedback pulse signal, the second logic is configured to pulse-drive, based on the gate signal being at a first logic level, the first feedback pulse signal and is configured to pulse-drive, based on the gate signal being at a second logic level, the second feedback pulse signal.

13 . The signal transmission device according to claim 12 , wherein the second logic further is configured to, at a timing that the gate signal turns to the first logic level, pulse-drive the first feedback pulse signal with a second number of pulses and is configured to, at a timing that the gate signal turns to the second logic level, pulse-drive the second feedback pulse signal with the second number of pulses.

14 . The signal transmission device according to claim 11 , wherein the driving capacity of the driver comprises, based on a selection signal being at a third logic level, a first driving capacity and, based the selection signal is at a fourth logic level, a second driving capacity.

15 . The signal transmission device according to claim 14 , wherein the driving pulse signal includes a first driving pulse signal and a second driving pulse signal, the first logic is configured to pulse-drive, based on the selection signal being at the third logic level, the first driving pulse signal and is configured to pulse-drive, based on the selection signal being at the fourth logic level, the second driving pulse signal.

16 . The signal transmission device according to claim 15 , wherein the driver includes a first driving transistor and a second driving transistor, and the second logic is configured to drive, according to the first driving pulse signal, only the first driving transistor and, according to the second driving pulse signal, both the first and second driving transistors.

17 . The signal transmission device according to claim 15 , wherein the first logic is configured to drive the first and second driving pulse signals sequentially regardless of the selection signal and to, based on the feedback pulse signal from the second logic, self-diagnose whether the driving capacity of the driver is switched properly.

18 . The signal transmission device according to claim 11 , wherein a first chip having the first logic integrated therein, a second chip having the second logic and the driver integrated therein, and a third chip having the first and second transformer circuits integrated therein are sealed in a single package.

19 . An electronic device comprising:

a switching element configured to be driven with the gate signal; and

the signal transmission device according to claim 11 .

20 . The electronic device according to claim 19 , wherein the switching element is an IGBT or an FET.