Apparatus and method for controlling driving of switching device for power converter

1. An apparatus for controlling a switching device for a power converter where the switching device is turned on by a voltage applied to a gate terminal of the switching device, the apparatus comprising:

a gate driver configured to:

apply a first driving voltage and a second driving voltage to the gate

terminal based on one turn-on of the switching device, wherein the first driving

voltage and the second driving voltage have different values; and

turn on the switching device; and

a controller configured to control the gate driver such that the gate driver applies the second driving voltage to the gate terminal after the first driving voltage is applied to the gate terminal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second driving voltage is greater than the first driving voltage by a predetermined value.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gate driver comprises:

a first switch connected between a first gate power source and the gate terminal and configured to apply the first driving voltage to the gate terminal when the first switch is turned on; and

a second switch connected between a second gate power source and the gate terminal and configured to apply the second driving voltage to the gate terminal when the second switch is turned on.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to:

turn on the first switch; and

turn on the second switch after a predetermined amount of time when the first switch is turned on.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein, when the switching device is turned on, a voltage applied between the gate terminal and an emitter terminal is maintained at the first driving voltage for the predetermined amount of time and the voltage is increased to the second driving voltage.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second driving voltage is input to the gate terminal when the switching device is turned on by the first driving voltage.

7. A method for controlling a switching device for a power converter where the switching device is turned on by a voltage applied to a gate terminal of the switching device, the method comprising:

applying, by a gate driver, a first driving voltage to the gate terminal to turn on the switching device;

when the switching device is turned on, applying, by the gate driver, a second driving voltage to the gate terminal, wherein the first driving voltage and the second driving voltage have different values; and

changing a voltage at the gate terminal to the second driving voltage.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second driving voltage is greater than the first driving voltage by a predetermined value.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:

applying, by a first switch, the first driving voltage to the gate terminal when the first switch is turned on, wherein the first switch is connected between a first gate power source and the gate terminal; and

applying, by a second switch, the second driving voltage to the gate terminal when the second switch is turned on, wherein the second switch is connected between a second gate power source and the gate terminal.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:

turning on, by a controller, the first switch; and

turning on, by the controller, the second switch after a predetermined amount of time when the first switch is turned on.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises:

when the switching device is turned on, maintaining a voltage applied between the gate terminal and an emitter terminal at the first driving voltage for the predetermined amount of time; and

increasing the voltage to the second driving voltage.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:

when the switching device is turned on by the first driving voltage, inputting the second driving voltage to the gate terminal.