IP Library Granted Patent US 12,375,079
Granted Patent B2
US 12,375,079 · App. 18/285,783 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Semiconductor device and integrated circuit

Inventor: Takumi Masubuchi (Hitachinaka, JP)
Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
H03K17/6871H03K17/145H03K2017/0806
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,375,079
App. No.
18/285,783
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A first semiconductor relay and a second semiconductor relay connected in parallel to each other, an input switching circuit that switches a path of a signal input to the first and second semiconductor relays, an output switching circuit that switches a path of a signal output from the first and second semiconductor relays, and a monitoring unit that performs abnormality detection and warning for the first and second semiconductor relays are provided. In addition, one of a redundancy mode in which the input switching circuit is controlled such that inputs of the first and second semiconductor relays are shared in response to a first setting signal from the outside and the output switching circuit is controlled such that only one of the first and second semiconductor relays performs output and a non-redundancy mode in which the input switching circuit and the output switching circuit are controlled such that inputs and outputs of the first and second semiconductor relays are different from each other is implemented.

Claims (22)

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first semiconductor relay and a second semiconductor relay connected in parallel to each other;

an input switching circuit which switches a path of a signal input to the first and second semiconductor relays;

an output switching circuit which switches a path of a signal output from the first and second semiconductor relays;

a monitoring unit which performs abnormality detection and warning for the first and second semiconductor relays; and

a control circuit which executes one of a redundancy mode in which the input switching circuit is controlled such that inputs of the first and second semiconductor relays are shared in response to a first setting signal from an outside and the output switching circuit is controlled such that only one of the first and second semiconductor relays performs output and a non-redundancy mode in which the input switching circuit and the output switching circuit are controlled such that inputs and outputs of the first and second semiconductor relays are different from each other.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the output switching circuit is controlled by the control circuit such that, in the redundancy mode, outputs of both the first and second semiconductor relays are shared in response to a warning from the monitoring unit.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

each of the first and second semiconductor relays includes:

a switching element;

a drive circuit which drives the switching element; and

the monitoring unit, and

the switching element is blocked by the drive circuit in response to an output of the monitoring unit.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the monitoring unit includes

a temperature detector which detects temperatures of the switching elements of the first and second semiconductor relays,

a current detector which detects a current flowing through the switching elements, and

a diagnosis unit which detects an overtemperature and/or an overcurrent as an abnormality of the switching elements based on temperature information from the temperature detector and/or current information from the current detector, and warns about the overtemperature and/or the overcurrent before the switching elements reach abnormality based on the temperature information from the temperature detector and/or the current information from the current detector.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 4 , wherein the control circuit further controls the input switching circuit and the output switching circuit such that, in the redundancy mode, inputs and outputs of the first and second semiconductor relays are made into a dual system in response to a second setting signal from the outside.

6. An integrated circuit of a semiconductor device including a first semiconductor relay and a second semiconductor relay connected in parallel to each other, an input switching circuit which switches a path of a signal input to the first and second semiconductor relays, an output switching circuit which switches a path of a signal output from the first and second semiconductor relays, a monitoring unit which performs abnormality detection and warning for the first and second semiconductor relays, and a control circuit which executes one of a redundancy mode in which the input switching circuit is controlled such that inputs of the first and second semiconductor relays are shared in response to a first setting signal from an outside and the output switching circuit is controlled such that only one of the first and second semiconductor relays performs output and a non-redundancy mode in which the input switching circuit and the output switching circuit are controlled such that inputs and outputs of the first and second semiconductor relays are different from each other, wherein

the first semiconductor relay, the second semiconductor relay, the input switching circuit, the output switching circuit, and the control circuit are integrated on one SOI substrate, and

each of components to be integrated are electrically separated from each other by an element isolation film made of silicon dioxide on the SOI substrate.

7. An integrated circuit of a semiconductor device including a first semiconductor relay and a second semiconductor relay connected in parallel to each other, an input switching circuit which switches a path of a signal input to the first and second semiconductor relays, an output switching circuit which switches a path of a signal output from the first and second semiconductor relays, a monitoring unit which performs abnormality detection and warning for the first and second semiconductor relays, and a control circuit which executes one of a redundancy mode in which the input switching circuit is controlled such that inputs of the first and second semiconductor relays are shared in response to a first setting signal from an outside and the output switching circuit is controlled such that only one of the first and second semiconductor relays performs output and a non-redundancy mode in which the input switching circuit and the output switching circuit are controlled such that inputs and outputs of the first and second semiconductor relays are different from each other, wherein a first semiconductor relay chip in which the first semiconductor relay is integrated, a second semiconductor relay chip in which the second semiconductor relay is integrated, and a peripheral circuit chip in which the input switching circuit, the output switching circuit, and the control circuit are integrated are sealed in a same package.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2023
From: MASUBUCHI, TAKUMI
To: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
Reel/Frame 065366/0584 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240372547A1 · Nov 7, 2024
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