IP Library Granted Patent US 12,283,946
Granted Patent B2
US 12,283,946 · App. 18/248,330 · Granted Apr 22, 2025

Electronic driver circuit for driving a field-effect transistor

Inventors: Boris Bouchez (Drammen, NO); Baptiste Dumenil (Cergy, FR)
Assignee: Valeo eAutomotive France SAS
H03K17/162H03K17/04123
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,283,946
App. No.
18/248,330
Granted
Apr 22, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electrical circuit includes a MOSFET and an electronic driver circuit for driving the MOSFET, having four pins, the electrical circuit including at least one electrical track to which the MOSFET is connected by a bond wire having an intrinsic inductance. The electronic driver circuit is connected to the MOSFET by a first terminal directly linked to the first source and, in parallel, by a second terminal linked to the second source. The bond wire is arranged between the second terminal and the second source. The electronic driver circuit is configured so as to apply an electrical driver signal between the gate and the first source or between the gate and the second source of the MOSFET, in order to trigger a change of state of the MOSFET to the OFF state or to the ON state, respectively.

Claims (20)

1. Electrical circuit comprising a MOSFET and an electronic driver circuit for driving said MOSFET, having four pins including a drain, a gate, a first source and a second source, said MOSFET having an ON state and an OFF state, said electrical circuit comprising at least one electrical track and said MOSFET being connected to said at least one electrical track by way of at least one bond wire, said at least one bond wire having an intrinsic inductance, said electronic driver circuit being connected to the MOSFET by a first terminal linked to the first source and, in parallel, by a second terminal linked to the second source, said at least one bond wire having the intrinsic inductance being arranged between the first terminal and the first source, and

the electronic driver circuit being configured so as to apply an electrical driver signal between the gate and the first source or between the gate and the second source of the MOSFET, in order to trigger a change of state of said MOSFET, and such that:

when the electrical driver signal is intended to transition the MOSFET to the OFF state, the electronic driver circuit applies the electrical driver signal between the gate and the first source, and

when the electrical driver signal is intended to transition the MOSFET to the ON state, the electronic driver circuit applies the electrical driver signal between the gate and the second source.

2. Electrical circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic driver circuit comprises a bridge of switches with a first switch and a second switch connected in parallel, respectively between a voltage source emitting the electrical driver signal and the first source of the MOSFET and between said voltage source emitting the electrical driver signal and the second source of the MOSFET, the first switch being in an ON state and the second switch being in an OFF state when the electrical driver signal is intended to transition the MOSFET to the ON state, and, respectively, the first switch being in an OFF state and the second switch being in an ON state when the electrical driver signal is intended to transition the MOSFET to the OFF state.

3. Electrical circuit according to claim 2 , wherein the electronic driver circuit comprises a bridge of diodes with a first diode and a second diode connected in parallel, respectively between the first source of the MOSFET and an electrical earth of the electronic driver circuit and between the second source of the MOSFET and said electrical earth of the electronic driver circuit, the first diode being configured to block any flow of an electrical current through said at least one bond wire when the MOSFET is driven via the second source, and, respectively, the second diode being configured to block any flow of an electrical current via the second source when the MOSFET is driven via the first source.

4. Item of electrical equipment comprising an electrical circuit according to claim 2 .

5. Electrical transformer comprising an electrical circuit according to claim 2 .

6. Inverter comprising an electrical circuit according to claim 2 .

7. Power converter comprising an electrical circuit according to claim 2 .

8. Electrical circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic driver circuit comprises a bridge of diodes with a first diode and a second diode connected in parallel, respectively between the first source of the MOSFET and an electrical earth of the electronic driver circuit and between the second source of the MOSFET and said electrical earth of the electronic driver circuit, the first diode being configured to block any flow of an electrical current through said at least one bond wire when the MOSFET is driven via the second source, and, respectively, the second diode being configured to block any flow of an electrical current via the second source when the MOSFET is driven via the first source.

9. Item of electrical equipment comprising an electrical circuit according to claim 8 .

10. Electrical transformer comprising an electrical circuit according to claim 8 .

11. Inverter comprising an electrical circuit according to claim 8 .

12. Power converter comprising an electrical circuit according to claim 8 .

13. Item of electrical equipment comprising an electrical circuit according to claim 1 .

14. Motor vehicle comprising an item of electrical equipment according to claim 13 .

15. Electrical transformer comprising an electrical circuit according to claim 1 .

16. Inverter comprising an electrical circuit according to claim 1 .

17. Power converter comprising an electrical circuit according to claim 1 .

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: VALEO SYSTÉMES DE CONTRÔLE MOTEUR
To: VALEO ELECTRIFICATION
Reel/Frame 070945/0001 →
MERGER Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: VALEO EAUTOMOTIVE FRANCE SAS
To: VALEO SYSTEMES DE CONTROLE MOTEUR
Reel/Frame 071047/0181 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: VALEO SIEMENS EAUTOMOTIVE NORWAY AS
To: VALEO SIEMENS EAUTOMOTIVE FRANCE SAS
Reel/Frame 071058/0906 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: VALEO SIEMENS EAUTOMOTIVE FRANCE SAS
To: VALEO EAUTOMOTIVE FRANCE SAS
Reel/Frame 071058/0983 →
Priority Claims (1)
FR 20 10346 · Oct 9, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230378953A1 · Nov 23, 2023
References Cited (3)
US 20210318375A1 · Lee · 2021 [cited by examiner]
EP 0980141A1 · 2000 [cited by applicant]
Mingliang et al., “Intelligent Power Module Featuring Optimized Active Gate Driver and IGBT Module Integration for Electric Vehicle Application”, 2018 7 [cited by applicant]