Switching apparatus

1. A switching apparatus comprising first and second current paths, each current path configured to be capable of conducting an electrical current, the first current path including a first switching element connected in parallel with a diode, the switching apparatus further including a switching controller configured to selectively control the switching of the first switching element, wherein based at least in part on whether the switching apparatus is operating in an intra-current path or an inter-current path, the switching controller is configured to selectively switch the first switching element at a first intra-current path switching speed to commutate the electrical current between the first switching element and the diode, or the switching controller is configured to selectively switch the first switching element at a first inter-current path switching speed to commutate the electrical current between the first and second current paths, and the first intra-current path switching speed is faster or slower than the first inter-current path switching speed.

2. The switching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the switching controller is configured to set the intra-current path switching speed to regulate switching loss in the switching apparatus.

3. The switching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the switching controller is configured to set the inter-current path switching speed to regulate voltage transient and/or ringing in the switching apparatus.

4. The switching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the second current path includes a second switching element, the switching controller is configured to selectively switch the second switching element at a second inter-current path switching speed to commutate the electrical current between the first and second current paths, and the first intra-current path switching speed is faster or slower than the second inter-current path switching speed.

5. The switching apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the second current path includes the second switching element connected in parallel with a second passive current check element, the switching controller configured to selectively switch the second switching element at a second intra-current path switching speed to commutate the electrical current between the second switching element and the second passive current check element, and wherein the second intra-current path switching speed is faster or slower than the first inter-current path switching speed and/or the second intra-current path switching speed is faster or slower than the second inter-current path switching speed.

6. The switching apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the first intra-current path switching speed is faster than or slower than or the same as the second intra-current path switching speed.

7. The switching apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the first inter-current path switching speed is faster than or slower than or the same as the second inter-current path switching speed.

8. The switching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the switching controller is configured to selectively set the intra-current path and inter-current path switching speeds to be the same or substantially the same when the electrical current is below a predefined current threshold.

9. The switching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the switching controller includes: a plurality of single switching speed control circuits, each single switching speed control circuit configured to provide a switching signal at a respective single switching speed; and/or a variable switching speed control circuit configured to provide a switching signal at two or more switching speeds.

10. The switching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the or each switching element is configured to be switchable to a reverse conduction state so that a reverse current flowing in the corresponding current path flows preferentially through that switching element than through the corresponding parallel-connected passive current check element.

11. The switching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the or each switching element includes a transistor.

12. The switching apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the transistor is formed of silicon carbide.

13. The switching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the or each passive current check element includes a diode.

14. The switching apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the diode is a body or close-coupled diode.

15. A method of operating a switching apparatus comprising first and second current paths, each current path configured to be capable of conducting an electrical current, the first current path including a first switching element connected in parallel with a diode, the method comprising:

based at least in part on whether the switching apparatus is operating in an intra-current path or an inter-current path:

switching the first switching element at a first intra-current path switching speed to commutate the electrical current between the first switching element and the first passive current check element; or

switching the first switching element at a first inter-current path switching speed to commutate the electrical current between the first and second current paths,

wherein the first intra-current path switching speed is faster or slower than the first inter-current path switching speed.