Drive circuit device for a power semiconductor, and signal transfer circuit device for use therein
A power semiconductor drive circuit device includes: an electronic control device generating a control input signal; a signal transfer circuit device having a main path and a self-diagnosis functional block; and a power semiconductor driven by the control output signal from the signal transfer circuit device. The self-diagnosis functional block includes: a feedback pulse transmitter circuit; a second signal transfer circuit; and a second receiver circuit. The second receiver circuit compares the control output signal with the control input signal so as to find out whether the control output signal is matched or unmatched with the control input signal, and then outputs a result to a comparison signal output terminal. A signal outputted to the comparison signal output terminal is transferred to the electronic control device.
1. A power semiconductor drive circuit device comprising:
an electronic control device generating a control input signal;
a signal transfer circuit device generating a control output signal obtained by being restored to the control input signal; and
a power semiconductor driven by the control output signal outputted from the signal transfer circuit device,
wherein the signal transfer circuit device includes a self-diagnosis functional block to compare the control output signal with the control input signal, and then to transfer an output obtained by the self-diagnosis functional block to the electronic control device, wherein the self-diagnosis functional block is provided with a photocoupler, and
wherein the electronic control device controls the signal transfer circuit device based on the output obtained by the self-diagnosis functional block.
2. A power semiconductor drive circuit device comprising:
an electronic control device generating a control input signal;
a signal transfer circuit device generating a control output signal obtained by being restored to the control input signal; and
a power semiconductor driven by the control output signal outputted from the signal transfer circuit device,
wherein the signal transfer circuit device includes a self-diagnosis functional block to compare the control output signal with the control input signal, and then to transfer an output obtained by the self-diagnosis functional block to the electronic control device, wherein the self-diagnosis functional block is provided with a transformer, and
wherein the electronic control device controls the signal transfer circuit device based on the output obtained by the self-diagnosis functional block.
3. A signal transfer circuit device, comprising:
a signal input terminal receiving a control input signal;
a transmission pulse generator circuit generating a transmission pulse signal that is synchronized with the control input signal;
a first signal transfer circuit transferring the transmission pulse signal to a stage succeeding thereto;
a first receiver circuit receiving the transmission pulse signal outputted from the first signal transfer circuit, and then restoring the transmission pulse signal to a signal approximately equivalent to the control input signal;
a signal output terminal from which the signal thus restored is outputted as a control output signal;
a feedback pulse transmitter circuit generating a feedback pulse signal that is synchronized with the control output signal;
a second signal transfer circuit transferring the feedback pulse signal to a succeeding stage; and
a second receiver circuit receiving the control input signal and the feedback pulse signal, and then comparing a signal whose waveform is shaped based on the feedback pulse, with the control input signal.
4. The signal transfer circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein
the transmission pulse generator circuit is provided with an edge detector detecting a rising edge and a falling edge of the control input signal, and then generating the transmission pulse signal,
the first signal transfer circuit is provided with a transformer having a primary winding thereof to which the transmission pulse signal is inputted, and a secondary winding thereof from which a signal approximately equivalent to the transmission pulse signal is outputted,
the first receiver circuit is provided with D-flipflop outputting the signal restored to the control input signal,
the feedback pulse transmitter circuit is provided with a pulse generator circuit generating the feedback pulse signal synchronized with the control output signal, and having continuous pulses during a period when the control output signal is “High” or during a period when the control output signal is “Low,” and
the second signal transfer circuit is provided with a feedback transformer having a primary winding thereof to which the feedback pulse signal is inputted, and a secondary winding thereof from which a pulse signal approximately equivalent to the feedback pulse signal is outputted.
5. The signal transfer circuit device according to claim 4 , wherein
the primary and the secondary windings, each included in the transformer and the feedback transformer, are individually connected to ground potentials provided separately from each other.
6. The signal transfer circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein
the transmission pulse generator circuit is provided with: a first edge detector detecting a rising edge of the control input signal, and then generating, as the transmission pulse signal, a first transmission pulse signal; and a second edge detector detecting a falling edge of the control input signal, and then generating, as the transmission pulse signal, a second transmission pulse signal,
the first signal transfer circuit is provided with: a first transformer and a second transformer each having a primary winding thereof to which the first and the second transmission pulse signals are inputted, respectively, and a secondary winding thereof from which pulse signals approximately equivalent to the first and the second transmission pulse signals are outputted, respectively,
the first receiver circuit is provided with an RS-flipflip having a set terminal thereof and a reset terminal thereof to which the pulse signals outputted from the secondary windings of the first and the second transformers are inputted, respectively, the RS-flipflop having an output thereof transferred to the signal output terminal,
the feedback pulse transmitter circuit is provided with a pulse generator circuit generating, in synchronization with the control output signal, a feedback pulse signal having continuous pulses during a period when the control output signal is “High” or during a period when the control output signal is “Low,” and
the second signal transfer circuit is provided with a feedback transformer having a primary winding thereof to which the continuous pulses are inputted, and a secondary winding thereof from which a continuous pulse signal approximately equivalent to the continuous pulses is outputted.
7. The signal transfer circuit device according to claim 6 , wherein
the primary and the secondary windings, each included in the first and the second transformer, and in the feedback transformer, are individually connected to ground potentials provided separately from each other.
8. The signal transfer circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein
the transmission pulse generator circuit is provided with: a first edge detector detecting a rising edge of the control input signal, and then generating a first transmission pulse signal; and a second edge detector detecting a falling edge of the control input signal, and then generating a second transmission pulse signal,
the first signal transfer circuit is provided with: a first transformer and a second transformer each having a primary winding thereof to which the first and the second transmission pulse signals are inputted, respectively, and a secondary winding thereof from which pulse signals approximately equivalent to the first and the second transmission pulse signals are outputted, respectively,
the first receiver circuit is provided with an RS-flipflop having a set terminal thereof and a reset terminal thereof to which the pulse signals outputted from the secondary windings of the first and the second transformers are inputted, respectively, the RS-flipflop having an output thereof transferred onto the signal output terminal,
the feedback pulse transmitter circuit is provided with: a third edge detector detecting a rising edge of the control output signal outputted to the signal output terminal, and then generating a first feedback pulse signal; and a fourth edge detector detecting a falling edge of the control output signal, and then generating a second feedback pulse signal,
the second signal transfer circuit is provided with: a first feedback transformer and a second feedback transformer each having a primary winding thereof to which the first and the second feedback pulses are inputted, respectively, and a secondary winding thereof from which a feedback pulse signal is outputted, and
the second receiver circuit is provided with an RS-flipflop having a set terminal thereof and a reset terminal thereof to which the pulse signals outputted from the secondary windings of the first and second feedback transformers are inputted, respectively.
9. The signal transfer circuit device according to claim 8 , wherein
the primary and the secondary windings, each included in the first and the second transformers, and in the first and the second feedback transformers, are individually connected to ground potentials provided separately from each other.
10. The signal transfer circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein
the first and second signal transfer circuits each have a photocoupler as a main circuit thereof.
11. The signal transfer circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein
the first and second signal transfer circuits each have a transformer as a main circuit thereof.
12. The signal transfer circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein
the second receiver circuit is provided with an exclusive OR circuit.
13. The signal transfer circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein
the second receiver circuit is provided with a waveform-shaping circuit shaping the feedback pulse signal into a signal approximately equivalent to the control input signal.
14. The signal transfer circuit device according to claim 13 , wherein
the waveform-shaping circuit comprises:
a switching transistor turned on and off in accordance with the feedback pulse signal;
a current supply and a capacitor working together with the switching transistor, and thereby generating a first shaped pulse signal different from the feedback pulse signal;
a comparator receiving the first shaped pulse signal, and then generating a second shaped pulse signal different from the first shaped pulse signal; and
an exclusive OR circuit connected to the comparator.
15. A power semiconductor drive circuit device, comprising:
an electronic control device generating a control input signal;
a signal transfer circuit device generating a control output signal obtained by being restored to the control input signal; and
a power semiconductor driven by the control output signal outputted from the signal transfer circuit device,
wherein
the signal transfer circuit device is provided with a self-diagnosis functional block comparing the control output signal with the control input signal, and then transferring an output obtained by the self-diagnosis functional block to the electronic control device, and
the electronic control device controls the signal transfer circuit device based on the output obtained by the self-diagnosis functional block, and
wherein the signal transfer circuit device comprises:
a signal input terminal to which the control input signal is inputted;
a transmission pulse generator circuit generating a transmission pulse signal that is synchronized with the control input signal;
a first signal transfer circuit transferring the transmission pulse signal to a stage succeeding thereto;
a first receiver circuit receiving the transmission pulse signal outputted from the first signal transfer circuit, and then restoring the transmission pulse signal to a signal approximately equivalent to the control input signal;
a signal output terminal from which the signal thus restored is outputted as a control output signal;
a feedback pulse transmitter circuit generating a feedback pulse signal that is synchronized with the control output signal;
a second signal transfer circuit transferring the feedback pulse signal to a stage succeeding thereto; and
a second receiver circuit receiving the control input signal and the feedback pulse signal, and then comparing a signal whose waveform is shaped based on the feedback pulse signal, with the control input signal.
16. The power semiconductor drive circuit device according to claim 15 , wherein
the transmission pulse generator circuit is provided with a edge detector detecting a rising edge and a falling edge of the control input signal, and then generating the transmission pulse signal,
the first signal transfer circuit is provided with a transformer having a primary winding thereof to which the transmission pulse signal is inputted, and a secondary winding thereof from which a pulse signal approximately equivalent to the transmission pulse signal is outputted,
the first receiver circuit is provided with a D-flipflop outputting a signal restored to the control input signal,
the feedback pulse transmitter circuit is provided with a pulse generator circuit generating, in synchronization with the control output signal, the feedback pulse signal having continuous pulses during a period when the control output signal is “High” or during a period when the control output signal is “Low,” and
the second signal transfer circuit is provided with a feedback transformer having a primary winding thereof to which the feedback pulse signal is inputted, and a secondary winding thereof from which a pulse signal approximately equivalent to the feedback pulse signal is outputted.
17. The power semiconductor drive circuit device according to claim 16 , wherein
the primary and secondary windings, each included in the transformer and the feedback transformer, are connected to ground potentials provided separately from each other.
18. The power semiconductor drive circuit device according to claim 15 , wherein
the transmission pulse signal generator is provided with: a first edge detector detecting a rising edge of the control input signal, and then generating a first transmission pulse signal; and a second edge detector detecting a falling edge of the control input signal, and then generating a second transmission pulse signal,
the first signal transfer circuit is provided with: a first transformer and a second transformer each having a primary winding thereof to which the first and the second transmission pulse signals are inputted, respectively, and a secondary winding thereof from which pulse signals approximately equivalent to the first and the second transmission pulse signals are outputted, respectively,
the first receiver circuit is provided with an RS-flipflop having a set terminal thereof and a reset terminal thereof to which the pulse signals outputted from the secondary windings of the first and the second transformers are inputted, respectively, the RS-flipflop having an output thereof transferred to the signal output terminal,
the feedback pulse transmitter circuit is provided with a pulse generator circuit generating, in synchronization with the control output signal, a feedback pulse signal having continuous pulses during a period when the control output signal is “High” or during a period when the control output signal is “Low,” and
the second signal transfer circuit is provided with a feedback transformer having a primary winding thereof to which the continuous pulses are inputted, and a secondary winding thereof from which a continuous pulse signal approximately equivalent to the continuous pulses is outputted.