IP Library Granted Patent US 10,097,174
Granted Patent B2
US 10,097,174 · App. 15/601,425 · Granted Oct 9, 2018

Semiconductor device

Inventors: Shuangching Chen (Matsumoto, JP); Shogo Ogawa (Matsumoto, JP)
Assignee: FUJI ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
H03K17/145H03K17/567H03K17/687
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,097,174
App. No.
15/601,425
Granted
Oct 9, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device includes a switching element including a control electrode, a first main electrode, and a second main electrode: a gate driver connected between the control electrode and the first main electrode, configured to transmit a gate drive signal for driving the control electrode; a Miller voltage detector detecting a Miller voltage between the control electrode and the first main electrode when the switching element turns off; a current value detector detecting a principal current flowing through the switching element; and a temperature calculator calculating a temperature of the switching element from the detected Miller voltage and principal current.

Claims (14)

1. A semiconductor device, comprising:

a switching element including a control electrode, a first main electrode, and a second main electrode;

a gate driver connected between the control electrode and the first main electrode, configured to transmit a gate drive signal for driving the control electrode;

a Miller voltage detector detecting a Miller voltage between the control electrode and the first main electrode when the switching element turns off;

a current value detector detecting a principal current flowing through the switching element; and

a temperature calculator calculating a temperature of the switching element from the detected Miller voltage and principal current.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the Miller voltage detector includes:

a delay circuit transmitting a delay signal obtained by delaying a control signal for controlling the gate driver; and

a voltage detecting circuit detecting a value of the Miller voltage at a timing based on the delay signal.

3. The semiconductor device of claim 2 , wherein the delay time by the delay circuit is set to a sum of the delay time between the control signal and the gate drive signal, and ½ or more and ⅚ or less of a Miller period defined by a gate resistance of the switching element.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising, a determining circuit determining whether the calculated temperature of the switching element is lower than a predetermined temperature,

wherein the determining circuit transmits a first determination signal for stopping driving of the switching element when the temperature is determined to be equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, and

the determining circuit transmits a second determination signal for continuing to drive the switching element when the temperature is determined to be lower than the predetermined temperature.

5. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the Miller voltage detector detects a change in a gate current when the switching element turns off, obtains a capacitance from an integral value of the change in the gate current, and detects the Miller voltage from the capacitance.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 24, 2017
From: CHEN, SHUANGCHING; OGAWA, SHOGO
To: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 042486/0762 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2016-140157 · Jul 15, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180019744A1 · Jan 18, 2018