Short circuit detection and protection for an insulated gate component by monitoring and checking the gate voltage

1. A power stage comprising a power transistor controlled via a driver, the power transistor comprising three terminals including a collector c, an emitter e and a gate g linked to the driver, the power stage comprising a detection device for detecting a short-circuit current cc between the collector c and the emitter e, the detection device comprising a voltage sensor capable of detecting a voltage Vge at the gate g of the power transistor outside of a predefined voltage range, the detection device comprising a capacitance measurement sensor configured to measure an equivalent capacitance value Cge at the gate g of the power transistor and compare the gate equivalent capacitance value Cge to a predefined capacitance value, the detection device comprising an energy storage device configured to deliver an additional voltage to the gate g if the capacitance measurement sensor detects that the value of the gate equivalent capacitance Cge is lower than the predefined capacitance value.

2. The power stage according to claim 1 , wherein the energy storage device is an inductor positioned between the driver and the gate g of the power transistor.

3. The power stage according to either of claim 1 , comprising a voltage reducer capable of reducing the voltage Vge at the gate g to a threshold voltage.

4. The power stage according to claim 1 , comprising a recorder capable of recording a power transistor operating fault.

5. A detection method for detecting a short-circuit current cc between a collector c and an emitter e of a power transistor comprising a gate g according to claim 1 , the method comprising the following steps:

detecting a voltage Vge at the gate g of the power transistor outside of a predefined voltage range,

reducing the voltage at the gate g of the power transistor to a predefined reduction voltage,

switching off the power transistor.