IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,424,948
Granted Patent B2
US 12,424,948 · App. 18/219,200 · Granted Sep 23, 2025

Device and method of controlling the same

Inventor: Yunwook Park (Gyeonggi-do, KR)
Assignee: HL MANDO CORPORATION
H02M7/537H02P21/22H02P27/06H03K17/145H03K17/687
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 12,424,948
App. No.
18/219,200
Granted
Sep 23, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein is a device, and the device may include: an inverter including a plurality of power switching elements configured to supply a current to a motor; a current sensor configured to detect a current of each phase of the motor; a plurality of voltage detection circuits configured to detect voltages of the plurality of power switching elements; and a controller electrically connected to the plurality of voltage detection circuits. The controller determines a parasitic resistance of a turned-on power switching element based on a phase current and a voltage of the turned-on power switching element among the plurality of power switching elements, and estimates a junction temperature of the turned-on power switching element based on the parasitic resistance.

Claims (44)

1. A device comprising:

an inverter including a plurality of power switching elements configured to control a current supplied to a motor;

a current sensor configured to detect a phase current of each phase of the motor;

a plurality of voltage detection circuits configured to detect voltages of the plurality of power switching elements; and

a controller configured to:

determine a parasitic resistance of a turned-on power switching element among the plurality of power switching elements based on the phase current and a voltage of the turned-on power switching element, and

determine a junction temperature of the turned-on power switching element based on the parasitic resistance.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of voltage detection circuits are provided to be connected to a plurality of low-side power switching elements among the plurality of power switching elements.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of low-side power switching elements comprise metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), and

each of the plurality of voltage detection circuits is provided to detect a voltage between a drain terminal and a source terminal of each of the MOSFETs.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a memory in which junction temperatures for each parasitic resistance are stored.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a junction temperature corresponding to the determined parasitic resistance according to the junction temperatures for each parasitic resistance stored in the memory.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to reduce an output of the inverter based on the junction temperature being higher than a preset temperature.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to reduce an output current of the inverter according to the junction temperature.

8. A device comprising:

an inverter including a plurality of power switching elements configured to control a current supplied to a motor;

a current sensor configured to detect a detected phase current of each phase of the motor;

a plurality of voltage detection circuits configured to detect voltages of the plurality of power switching elements; and

a controller configured to:

determine a determined phase current of a turned-on power switching element among the plurality of power switching elements based on a voltage of the turned-on power switching element and a parasitic resistance of the turned-on power switching element, and

identify a phase current of the turned-on power switching element based on the detected phase current of the turned-on power switching element and the determined phase current of the turned-on power switching element.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of voltage detection circuits are provided to be connected to a plurality of low-side power switching elements among the plurality of power switching elements.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of low-side power switching elements comprise metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), and

each of the plurality of voltage detection circuits is provided to detect a voltage between a drain terminal and a source terminal of each of the MOSFETs.

11. The device of claim 8 , wherein the controller comprises a memory in which parasitic resistances of the plurality of power switching elements are stored.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the determined phase current of the turned-on power switching element based on the voltage of the turned-on power switching element and the parasitic resistance of the turned-on power switching element stored in the memory.

13. The device of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to determine failure of the current sensor based on a difference between the detected phase current and the determined phase current being greater than a predetermined permissible error.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the determined phase current as the phase current of the turned-on power switching element.

15. The device of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a normal operation of the current sensor based on the difference between the detected phase current and the determined phase current not being greater than the predetermined permissible error.

16. A method comprising:

detecting a current of a power switching element through a current sensor when the power switching element is driven;

detecting a voltage of the power switching element through a voltage detection circuit connected to both ends of the power switching element;

determining a parasitic resistance of the power switching element based on the current and the voltage of the power switching element; and

determining a junction temperature of the power switching element based on the parasitic resistance.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the determining of the junction temperature comprises determining a junction temperature corresponding to the parasitic resistance using a lookup table in which junction temperatures for each parasitic resistance are recorded.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

comparing the junction temperature and a preset temperature; and

reducing an output of the power conversion device based on the junction temperature being higher than the preset temperature.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

determining a current of the power switching element based on the voltage of the power switching element and the parasitic resistance of the power switching element; and

determining a phase current of the power switching element based on the detected current of the power switching element and the determined current of the power switching element.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the determining of the phase current of the power switching element comprises:

determining failure of the current sensor based on a difference between the detected current and the determined current being greater than a predetermined permissible error; and

determining the determined current as the phase current of the power switching element in response to the failure of the current sensor.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 18, 2025
From: PARK, YUNWOOK
To: HL MANDO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 071447/0137 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2023-0043965 · Apr 4, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240339938A1 · Oct 10, 2024
References Cited (8)
US 9419604B2 · Fukuta · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9601984B2 · Hamanaka · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 10343712B2 · Kuroda · 2019 [cited by examiner]
KR 1020140047758 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020200003520 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
KR 102101901 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020200112096 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
Office Action dated Nov. 25, 2024 for Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0043965 and its English translation provided by Applicant's foreign counsel. [cited by applicant]