CURRENT PROTECTION CIRCUIT FOR INTELLIGENT POWER SWITCH

Abstract

An intelligent power switch (IPS) circuit providing current protection for a power switch, a gate terminal of the power switch being controlled by a first control signal generated by a gate driver. The IPS circuit includes a first circuit to measure a current in the power switch, determine a first difference between a first voltage and a first reference voltage, and reduce the first control signal if the first difference exceeds a first predetermined limit; and a second circuit to measure the current in the power switch and determine a second difference between the first voltage and a second reference voltage, wherein if the second difference exceeds a second predetermined limit the first control signal is set to turn OFF the power switch.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a part of an intelligent power switch of the prior art;

FIG. 1 a is a diagram showing voltage and current acting on the power device of the circuit of FIG. 1 during a short circuit;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a part of an intelligent power switch of the present invention;

FIG. 2 a is a diagram showing voltage and current acting on the power device of the circuit of FIG. 2 during a short circuit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 2 illustrates a circuit that presents a solution to the above-stated problem. The IPS of the present invention may be used for protecting both high- and low-side switches, e.g., MOSFET, of a switching stage connected at a switching node for driving a power load in cases of overcurrent, overtemperature, or other overloads.

An additional short circuit block, comprising a second comparator COMP2 that monitors the voltage across the resistance R3, compares that voltage to a second reference voltage REF2 and depending on the result resets a latch LATCH that enables a second additional transistor circuit 30 after a predetermined delay, is provided. The latch can be a monostable or a one-shot device.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the short circuit block provides a second reference current limit I_REF2 or I_shutdown, that is above the current limit I_LIMIT provided by the comparator COMP1. For example, the second reference current limit I_REF2 or I_shutdown may be 70 amps whereas the current limit I_REF1 or I_LIMIT equals 50 amps.

In the case where the power device 10 turns “ON” on a short circuit condition, the current will increase slowly as the gate-source voltage V_gs increases to a level where the current becomes equal to the current limit I_LIMIT. If the loop is made to have no overshoot, the current does not exceed the current limit I_LIMIT and will never reach a shutdown current I_shutdown. Thus, in this case, the circuit of FIG. 2 will behave as the prior art circuit of FIG. 1.

In the case where the short circuit occurs after the power device 10 is turned ON, as in FIG. 2A, and the current exceeds the limit set by a second reference voltage REF2, the output of the second comparator COMP2 will then set a latch which will turn on a transistor 30 which will set the gate to 0 volts and turn the transistor 20 and the power device 10 OFF. This is illustrated in FIG. 2A by the short circuit created when a load current I_load reaches the current limit I_REF2 or I_shutdown set by the second reference voltage REF2 and the power switch shuts down with the current going to 0.

The shutdown may be very fast since no oscillation can be expected since it is not a closed loop system. A 20-microsecond turnoff time is possible. When the power switch is fully off, the IPS can restart as shown in FIG. 2A. The restart process is identical to that where the IPS is starting with a short circuit condition if the short circuit is still present. Accordingly, no overshoot is possible and the current still proceeds and is limited by the current limit I_LIMIT set by the reference current I_REF1.

This allows keeping the slow turn ON and slow turn OFF in normal operation to ensure low electromagnetic interference (EMI) generation. It also ensures no large peak currents in the case of sudden short circuits greater than the die area determined by RDSON and not by minimum area to stand the peak current, for example, using trench technologies. Large peaks of currents also create problems since such large peaks may collapse the battery supply. The invention allows using a very slow, stable loop for current limitation.

Another advantage of the present invention is that depending on the design, current limiting blocks may not operate below a certain drain-source voltage V_DS and in any case, if the short circuit protection operates at lower a voltage V_DS, the current in the circuit of FIG. 2 would be lower than the short circuit current I_SC. Otherwise, the current in the circuit of FIG. 2 would only be limited by (V_ds min I_LIMIT)/RDSON. In a realistic example this may be 1V/10 mOhm=100 A, i.e., twice the wanted current limitation level 50 A. The circuit of FIG. 2 would trigger at trigger current of, e.g., 70 A, and the second additional transistor circuit 30 would restart and limit the circuit of FIG. 2 at the wanted current limitation level of 50 A. There is no such limitation in the prior art short circuit limitation circuit of FIG. 1.

Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention not be limited by the specific disclosure herein.

Claims

1. An intelligent power switch (IPS) circuit providing current protection for a power switch, a gate terminal of the power switch being controlled by a first control signal generated by a gate driver, the circuit comprising: a first circuit to measure a current in the power switch, determine a first difference between a first voltage and a first reference voltage, and reduce the first control signal if the first difference exceeds a first predetermined limit; anda second circuit to measure the current in the power switch and determine a second difference between the first voltage and a second reference voltage,wherein if the second difference exceeds a second predetermined limit the first control signal is set to turn OFF the power switch.

2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the second reference voltage is above the first reference voltage.

3. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the power switch is turned OFF in at least one case selected from overcurrent, overtemperature, and other overloads.

4. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the first circuit further comprises a first current measuring circuit to measure the current in the power switch, the first current measuring circuit being selected from at least one of a first switch parallel connected to the power switch, an external shunt in series with the power switch, a resistor in series with the power switch.

5. The circuit of claim 4, wherein if the first switch is selected, the first switch passing a small fraction of a current flowing through the power switch, the first circuit further comprises a resistor connected between source terminals of the first and power switches for sensing the current and determining the amount of current going to a load.

6. The circuit of claim 5, wherein the load is selected from at least one of resistive and reactive components.

7. The circuit of claim 4, wherein the first current measuring circuit is selected from at least one of components integral with and separate from the power switch.

8. The circuit of claim 4, wherein the second circuit further comprises a second current measuring circuit to measure the current in the power switch, the second current measuring circuit being a second switch having a gate terminal connected to the gate terminal of the power switch and a second terminal connected to a main terminal of the power switch, wherein when the second switch is turned ON the power switch turns OFF.

9. The circuit of claim 8, wherein the first circuit further comprises a first comparator to determine the first difference and the second circuit further comprises a second comparator to determine the second difference.

10. The circuit of claim 9, wherein the second circuit further comprises a setting device connected to the second comparator to receive control signals and to a gate of the second switch, wherein after receiving a SET control signal from the second comparator the latch turns ON the second switch thereby turning OFF the power switch.

11. The circuit of claim 10, wherein the setting device is selected from at least one of a latch having a reset input, a monostable, and a one-shot.

12. The circuit of claim 10, wherein a slow turn ON and turn OFF of the power switch in normal operation ensure low electromagnetic interference (EMI) generation.