IP Library Granted Patent US 8,780,517
Granted Patent B2
US 8,780,517 · App. 12/772,638 · Granted Jul 15, 2014

Semiconductor apparatus and temperature detection circuit

Inventor: Ikuo Fukami (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,780,517
App. No.
12/772,638
Granted
Jul 15, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a semiconductor apparatus which includes a power transistor that is placed between an input terminal and an output terminal, a temperature detection diode that has a cathode connected to the input terminal and an anode connected to the output terminal, a current amplifier that outputs a detection current generated by amplifying a backward leakage current flowing from the cathode to the anode of the temperature detection diode, a first conversion resistor that outputs an overheat detection signal generated by converting the detection current into a voltage, a gating circuit that performs gating of a control signal according to the overheat detection signal, and a driver circuit that outputs a drive signal to a control terminal of the power transistor based on an output signal of the gating circuit.

Claims (42)

1. A semiconductor apparatus comprising:

a power transistor that is placed between an input terminal and an output terminal;

a temperature detection diode that has a cathode connected to the input terminal and an anode connected to the output terminal;

a current amplifier that outputs a detection current generated by amplifying a backward leakage current flowing from the cathode to the anode of the temperature detection diode;

a first conversion resistor that outputs an overheat detection signal generated by converting the detection current into a voltage;

a gating circuit that performs gating of a control signal according to the overheat detection signal:

a driver circuit that outputs a drive signal to a control terminal of the power transistor based on an output signal of the gating circuit; and

an overvoltage protection circuit configured to prevent breakdown current flowing to the temperature detection diode when a drain-source voltage of the power transistor becomes equal to or higher than a breakdown voltage,

wherein the current amplifier includes a second conversion resistor that is connected between the cathode of the temperature detection diode and the input terminal and generates a leakage voltage by converting the backward leakage current into a voltage,

wherein the overvoltage protection circuit comprises:

an overvoltage protection diode that has a cathode connected to the input terminal and an anode connected to the output terminal;

a fourth conversion resistor that is placed between the input terminal and the cathode of the overvoltage protection diode and generates an overvoltage detection signal by converting a current flowing through the overvoltage protection diode into a voltage; and

an overvoltage protection transistor that is placed between the cathode of the overvoltage protection diode and the second conversion resistor of the current amplifier and has a conduct state controlled based on the overvoltage detection signal.

2. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the current amplifier operates based on a first voltage input to the input terminal and a second voltage lower than the first voltage, and

the current amplifier includes:

a third conversion resistor that is connected between an internal output node and the input terminal;

a buffer circuit that generates a reference voltage corresponding to the leakage voltage at the internal output node according to a current flowing through the third conversion resistor; and

a second internal output transistor that has a control terminal connected in common to a control terminal of a first internal output transistor of the buffer circuit, a source connected to an internal power supply terminal that supplies the second voltage, and a drain connected to the input terminal through the first conversion resistor.

3. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a current gain of the current amplifier is determined by a product of a first amplification ratio indicating a resistance ratio of the second conversion resistor and the third conversion resistor and a second amplification ratio indicating a transistor size ratio of the first internal output transistor and the second internal output transistor.

4. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fourth conversion resistor has a lower resistance value than the second conversion resistor.

5. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the anode of the temperature detection diode is formed by the same process as a base region of the power transistor, and the cathode of the temperature detection diode is formed by the same process as a source region of the power transistor.

6. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the power transistor is a planar-type vertical MOS transistor, and the temperature detection diode is placed adjacent to the power transistor.

7. A temperature detection circuit comprising:

a temperature detection diode that is placed in parallel with a power transistor between an input terminal and an output terminal and has a cathode connected to the input terminal and an anode connected to the output terminal;

a current amplifier that outputs a detection current generated by amplifying a backward leakage current flowing from the cathode to the anode of the temperature detection diode; and

a first conversion resistor that outputs an overheat detection signal generated by converting the detection current into a voltage; and

an overvoltage protection circuit configured to prevent breakdown current flowing to the temperature detection diode when a drain-source voltage of the power transistor becomes equal to or higher than a breakdown voltage,

wherein the current amplifier includes a second conversion resistor that is connected between the cathode of the temperature detection diode and the input terminal and generates a leakage voltage by converting the backward leakage current into a voltage, wherein the overvoltage protection circuit comprises:

an overvoltage protection diode that has a cathode connected to the input terminal and an anode connected to the output terminal;

a fourth conversion resistor that is aced between the input terminal and the cathode of overvoltage protection diode and generates an overvoltage detection signal by converting a current flowing through the overvoltage protection diode into a voltage; and

an overvoltage protection transistor that is a laced between the cathode of the overvoltage protection diode and the second conversion resistor of the current amplifier and has a conductive state controlled based on the overvoltage detection signal.

8. The temperature detection circuit according to claim 7 , wherein

the current amplifier operates based on a first voltage input to the input terminal and a second voltage lower than the first voltage, and

the current amplifier includes:

a third conversion resistor that is connected between an internal output node and the input terminal;

a buffer circuit that generates a reference voltage corresponding to the leakage voltage according to a current flowing through the third conversion resistor; and

a second internal output transistor that has a control terminal connected in common to a control terminal of a first internal output transistor of the buffer circuit, a source connected to an internal power supply terminal that supplies the second voltage, and a drain connected to the input terminal through the first conversion resistor.

9. The temperature detection circuit according to claim 8 , wherein a current gain of the current amplifier is determined by a product of a first amplification ratio indicating a resistance ratio of the second conversion resistor and the third conversion resistor and a second amplification ratio indicating a transistor size ratio of the first internal output transistor and the second internal output transistor.

10. The temperature detection circuit according to claim 7 , wherein the fourth conversion resistor has a lower resistance value than the second conversion resistor.

11. The temperature detection circuit according to claim 7 , wherein the anode of the temperature detection diode is formed by the same process as a base region of the power transistor. and the cathode of the temperature detection diode is formed by the same process as a source region of the power. transistor.

12. The temperature detection circuit according to claim 7 , wherein the power transistor is a planar-type vertical MOS transistor, and the temperature detection diode is placed adjacent to the power transistor.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Nov 29, 2017
From: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
To: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 044928/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 26, 2010
From: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
To: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 025191/0985 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 4, 2010
From: FUKAMI, IKUO
To: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024330/0990 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2009-146178 · Jun 19, 2009 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100321846A1 · Dec 23, 2010