GB2234112A - Semiconductor switch with overtemperature protection - Google Patents
Semiconductor switch with overtemperature protection Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2234112A GB2234112A GB9011928A GB9011928A GB2234112A GB 2234112 A GB2234112 A GB 2234112A GB 9011928 A GB9011928 A GB 9011928A GB 9011928 A GB9011928 A GB 9011928A GB 2234112 A GB2234112 A GB 2234112A
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- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- semiconductor
- power
- control
- transistor
- switching element
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
- H03K—PULSE TECHNIQUE
- H03K17/00—Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking
- H03K17/08—Modifications for protecting switching circuit against overcurrent or overvoltage
- H03K17/082—Modifications for protecting switching circuit against overcurrent or overvoltage by feedback from the output to the control circuit
- H03K17/0826—Modifications for protecting switching circuit against overcurrent or overvoltage by feedback from the output to the control circuit in bipolar transistor switches
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L27/00—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate
- H01L27/02—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including semiconductor components specially adapted for rectifying, oscillating, amplifying or switching and having at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier; including integrated passive circuit elements with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier
- H01L27/0203—Particular design considerations for integrated circuits
- H01L27/0248—Particular design considerations for integrated circuits for electrical or thermal protection, e.g. electrostatic discharge [ESD] protection
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L27/00—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate
- H01L27/02—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including semiconductor components specially adapted for rectifying, oscillating, amplifying or switching and having at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier; including integrated passive circuit elements with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier
- H01L27/04—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including semiconductor components specially adapted for rectifying, oscillating, amplifying or switching and having at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier; including integrated passive circuit elements with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier the substrate being a semiconductor body
- H01L27/06—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including semiconductor components specially adapted for rectifying, oscillating, amplifying or switching and having at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier; including integrated passive circuit elements with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier the substrate being a semiconductor body including a plurality of individual components in a non-repetitive configuration
- H01L27/07—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including semiconductor components specially adapted for rectifying, oscillating, amplifying or switching and having at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier; including integrated passive circuit elements with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier the substrate being a semiconductor body including a plurality of individual components in a non-repetitive configuration the components having an active region in common
- H01L27/0744—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including semiconductor components specially adapted for rectifying, oscillating, amplifying or switching and having at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier; including integrated passive circuit elements with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier the substrate being a semiconductor body including a plurality of individual components in a non-repetitive configuration the components having an active region in common without components of the field effect type
- H01L27/075—Bipolar transistors in combination with diodes, or capacitors, or resistors, e.g. lateral bipolar transistor, and vertical bipolar transistor and resistor
- H01L27/0755—Vertical bipolar transistor in combination with diodes, or capacitors, or resistors
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
- H03K—PULSE TECHNIQUE
- H03K17/00—Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking
- H03K17/08—Modifications for protecting switching circuit against overcurrent or overvoltage
- H03K17/081—Modifications for protecting switching circuit against overcurrent or overvoltage without feedback from the output circuit to the control circuit
- H03K17/0812—Modifications for protecting switching circuit against overcurrent or overvoltage without feedback from the output circuit to the control circuit by measures taken in the control circuit
- H03K17/08126—Modifications for protecting switching circuit against overcurrent or overvoltage without feedback from the output circuit to the control circuit by measures taken in the control circuit in bipolar transitor switches
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
- H03K—PULSE TECHNIQUE
- H03K17/00—Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking
- H03K17/08—Modifications for protecting switching circuit against overcurrent or overvoltage
- H03K2017/0806—Modifications for protecting switching circuit against overcurrent or overvoltage against excessive temperature
Abstract
A semiconductor switch contains a power bipolar switch element (T1) for control of the energisation of a load or a bridge of such elements. The switch elements, which may be transistors or darlington multiple transistors, have voltage dropping means (R1) connected in the leads to their control bases, which voltage dropping means may be a series resistor (R1) or a constant current circuit. The switch has temperature sensitive means, such as a diode (D1), for diverting current from the control base of the or each switching element to terminate its conduction if the temperature of the element becomes too high. The switch device is used in a switching system for a motor vehicle, for example, where central control is required of a plurality of loads at various locations. <IMAGE>
Description
Semiconductor switch
This invention relates t semiconductor switches.
Traditionally the feeding of electrical power to ancillary devices of a motor vehicle such as lamps for marking the boundaries of the vehicle, lighting the road ahead or indicating an intention to move to the left or to the right, or electric motors for driving a windscreen wiper, fans, fluid pumps or raising and lowering windows, for example, has been controlled by switches near the steer--ng wheel connected to the devices by individual wires of sufficient thickness to carry the currents involved. The cost 0 such wiring and switches is a magor coronent n .. triC overall cost of the vehicle and their total sit is considerable.
Moreover the mechanical switches can ce unreliable because of contact fouling and arosion.
The need for a loom of ires and switches capable of carrying tne currents can be avoided by the use of relays local to the devices but a complex wiring loom Is still required for the operating signals for the relays and the relays are still subject to wear, such as contact erosion.
In order to eliminate the need for the wiring loom and to improve the reliability of the system it has recently been propcsed to provide perhaps only one current carrying conductor for all the ancillary devices; which are connected to the conductor through individual local switches and to multiplex control signals for these switches on to a signalling conductor. The switches have decoding circuits for detecting the control signals addressed to them and power switches for implementing the control required.Although relays could be used in such multiplexed control systems for switching the power to the loads, it is preferable to use semiconductor switches because not only are they more reliable but also they enable the functioning of the system and the load itself to be monitored. Additionally the elimination of mechanical contacts means that the system is safer because no sparks are produced.
proposaqls for a semiconductor switch fcr such an application ae seen made. Circuits composed c ciscrete cervices have been too expensive for wide accep farce. circuits in a single semiconductor die, h still expensive, would be cheaper in volume proon but have suffered from the disadvantage, arising from the use of a DMOS output stage, that they cannot achieve the low voltage drop when on, required with currents up to or instance 6 amps with a heat sink temperature of up to 110 C.
it is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductoer switch suitable for a multiplex wiring system for a motor vehicle in which the above disadvantages are overcome. Although the invention is of particular value in the moter vehicle application it can also be used in a wide range of other industrial and consumer application.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided
a semiconductor switch device reponsive to å control signal selectively to pass current to a load and to block the passage of current to the load and including
a first semiconductor component containing one or more power bipolar semiconductor switching elements each of ::ertical construction having a controlled current path extending from one major face to the other of a semicenductor bod and arranged for connection in series
With the load across a power supply, and control input means connected to the control base of the or each power bipolar serIconductor switching element, and a second semiconductor component containlnc means responsive to the control signal selectively to proo'oe are signals which are applied to the control input means of the first semiconductor component for cauls t no- the power bipolar semiconductor switching element or elements to conduct,
wherein the control input means includes voltage dropping means formed in the control base region of the or each power bipolar semiconductor switching element.
The power bipolar semiconductor switching element may be a transistor or a darlington multiple and ray made in different current handling capacities to suit different loads.
The first semiconductor component may include
a single power bipolar semiconductor switching element which is connected in series with the load to switch on and off the electric current through the load.
Alternatively, the first semiconductor component may include a bridge circuit of power bipolar semiconductor switching elements with the power supply and the load connected so that not only can the electric current feed to the load be switched on and off but also its polarity can be reversed. The drive signals produced by the second semiconductor component are arranged to provide the polarity of energisation of the load inoicatec by the control signals. The four switching elements sac with its own voltage dropping means may os separate semicenductor bedies or in pa@rs on two semiconductor bodies.If all four switching elements are formed on a single semiconductor body steps must ce taken to isolate the collectors of one pair of elements from the collectors of the other pair.
The voltage dropping means mav consist o^ a series connected resistor or constant current circuit in the base lead of the or each power bipolar semi- conductor switching element.
The second semiconductor component may e an integrated circuit of relatIvely smal current handlinc capacity dissipating relatively little heat since the drive signal for the power bipolar semiconductor switching element can be derived from the power supply through a transistor or transistors in very low or very high resistance states only, because the voltage dropping means for determining the drive current of the power switching element is provided in the first semiconductor component.
The second semiconductor component may be arranged to monitor the current through the load and the voltage applied to it to detect, for example, open- and shortcircuit conditions of the load, and produce an output indication of such abnormal status of the load. Timing means may be provided in the second semiconductor compenent to determine the time for which an excessive current is drawn by the load, ano to terminate the drive current to the first semisonductor component If the excessive current is drawn fer more tnan a predetermined time.
The first semiconductor component may inciude temperature sensor such as a dicde or Schottky dicde integrated it the power bipolar semiconductor switching element's . The forward conduction voltage or the reverse bias leakage current of suon a lode would indicate the temperature component. The sensor may be connected to divert courrent from the base of the switching element to tend to terminate its conduction if the tem
Perature becomes too hion.
The twe semiconductor components may be assembled into separate packages or a single package. Since most of the heat dissipation will be from the first component the packaging may be arranged so that this component is attachable to a heat sink, and no particular arrangements need be made to dissipate the heat from the second component.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided
a semiconductor component having a power bipolar semiconductor switching element of vertical construction in a semiconductor body wIth a controlled current path extending from one major face to the other of the semiconduatcr body and arranged for connection in series with a @ oad across a power supply and a control input terminal connected to tne control base of tne semiconductor switoning element through voltage dropping means formed @n the control base region of the semiconductor switchin @lement.
The semiconductor switching element may be a transistor or a darlington multiple.
The voltage dropping means may be a resistor or constant current circuit connected in a series path from the control input terminal to the control semiconducter switching element.
An over-temperature sensor may be provided in the semiconductor body to detect excessive current throuo one switching element for a period of time.
The senser may be a dicde or a Schottky diode of which either the voltage across it in forward conduction or the reverse bias leakage current is monitored. The sensor may be connected to divert current from the base of the switching element to terminate its conduction if the temperature of the semiconductor body becomes too high.
According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided
a semiconductor component having a power bipolar semiconductor switching element of vertical construction in a semiconductor body with a controlled current path extending from one major face to the other of the semiconductor body and arranged for connection In series wi a load across a power supply, a control input terminal connected to the control base of the semiconductor switch- ing element through voltage dropping means and an overtemperature sensor in the semiconducter body responsive to excessive temperature of the semicondustor body to divert frive current from the control base of the switching element and terminate its conduction if tne temterature of the semiconductor body becomes too high.
The semiconductor switching element may be a transistor or a darlington multiple.
The voltage dropping means. may be a series resistor or a constant current sour circuit an a ce ormer in the control base r ecion of the semicondctor body.
The overtemperature sensor mav be either bipolar diode or a Schottky diode of which either the voltage across it in forward conduction or the reverse bias leakage current is used to control the diversion of the drive current.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided
a switching system for enabling electrical power to be applied selectively to a plurality of loads in which control signals are transmitted from a central controller to a plurality of local switches respectively connected to the loads, each local switch including
a first semiconductor component containing one or more power bipolar semiconductor switching ejements eac O vertical construction and having a controlled current path extending from one major face to another of a semiconductor body arranged for connection in series with the load across a power supply, and control Intut earns connectec to the control base of the or each power bipolar semiconductor switching element through voltage dropping means formed in the control base regions, and
a second semiconductor component containing meac responsive to the control signal selectively to produce drive signals which are applied to the control input means of the first semiconductor component for causlnc the power bipolar semiconductor switching element or elements to conduct.
The control signals, may be transmitted from the central controller to the local switches via a common control line to a plurality of local controllers each connected to one or more local switches via individual lines, the local controllers including decoding means responsive to codes contained in the control signals to detect and forward the control signals to the local switches to which they are addressed.
The local switches may be arranged to generate status signals indicating the functional states of the loads to which they are connected, the status signals being returned to the control controller where a display of if status, particularly if it is a fault, raw be Drocucec. Where n local controller is provided it may additionally or alternatively be connected to one or more local sensors no cenerate report signals indicating the sense conditions which are transmitted to the central for display or monitoring.
The switching system may be used in a vehicle suon as a motor vehicle, the central controller in arranged to respond to inputs from the river to produce control signals and to produce displays visible to him.
In order that the invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect, embodiments of it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Figure 1 is a diagram of an example of a system incorporating switches according to an example of the invention;
Figure 2 is a diagram of the switch used in
Figure 1;
Figure 3 shows the circuit of a power transistor suitable for use in the switch of Figure 2 with a resistor integrated into the base lead producing a parasitic transistor;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional diagram of the transistor shown in Figure 3;;
Figure 5 is the circuit of an alternative Dower transistor suitable for use in tne switch ci ~re 2 with a constant current source integrated into the base lead in place of the resistor shown in Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional diagram of the ransistor shown in Figure 5;
Figure 7 shcws the circuit of a power transistor with one form of over-temperature protection ;
Figure 8 shows the transistor of Figure 5 with the over-temperature protection shown in
Figure ,;; igure 9 is a cross-secftional diagram of parts of the transistor shown in Figure 8; Figure 10 is a diagram of an alternative form of switch for energising a load with currents of different polaritIes; and
inure 11 shows a modification to the switch shown in Figure 10.
The system shown in Figure 1 could be used in a motor vehicle or in an industrial or domestic installation where remote control of the energisation of a number of electrical devices is required. A central controller 1 is connected to receive inputs from a unit 2, which may, for example, comprise a keyboard or a plurality of manually operable switches, and supplies outputs to indicators and displays 3, include ing, for example, warning lamps, light-emittIng diode anà/or liquid crystal displays, and digital to analogue converters connected to meters.
The central controller 1 is connected va a bus line t to a plurality of local contrcllers of which only one is shown having the reference 5.
local controller 5 is energized via power supp conductors 6 and 7, for example connected to motor vehicle battery, and these conducters witn bus line 4 may conveniently be formed into a singl cable which is routed about the vehicle as reguired.
Alternatively the earth reture may chassis structure of the vehicle in which case the earthed conductor may be omitted. The oca controller 5 is connected via individual conductor pars 8, to local switches of which only 2 are shown hav@ the references 11 and 12. The local controller is also connected via conductors 13 to receive inputs from local sensors of which only one is shown.
Each local switch, 11 or 12, includes a linear chip 15 to which the conductor pair 8,9 is connected, a power chip 16 and a resistor 17. The power chip 16 and the resistor 17 are connected in series with each other and in series with a load 18, the energisation of which the local switch is to control, across the power supply conductors 6 and ,. The linear chip 15, which is also connected to the power supply conductors 6 and 7, is connected to control the power chip 16 via a conductor 19 and has two other leads 20 and 21 connected respectively to the end terminals of the resistor 17.
The central controller I, which may be constructed as a conventional microcomputer having a microprocessor connected by data and address buses to random access memory, read-only memory and input-output circuitry, repeatedly scans the switches in the input unit 2 and reacts whenever there is a change in the state of the switch. The status of the switches are stored in the random access memory of the controller 1, and depending on the change of state of the switches in the unit 2, the controller 1 generates coded control signals reD resenting the changes of energisation, off or on, required for the various loads 18. These coded control signals are multiplexed onto the conductor 4 and each includes a coce icentifying to which of the loads 18 the control signal is addressed.
A local controller 5, which may also include a conventiona microcomputer, detects those of the coded control signals which are addressed to loads under its cornr.anc recor cs the energisation status of those loads, changing ne status in response to the coded control signals as they are received. The local controller 5 generates an output on the conductor 9 which is connected to the local switch, say 11, controlling the energisation of the load 18 to which the change relates. In the local switch the linear chip 15 contains a multlvibrator the state of which is set or reset depending on ter or not the corresponding load 18 is to be energized or not. The linear chip 15 provides a drive sisal via the conductor 1 to switch on and off a power transistor Included in the power chip 16, there; switching the energisation of the load 18 on and off. The resistor 17 included in series with the load 18 will develop a voltage due to the current through the load, which voltage is conveyed by the conductors 20 and 21 to the linear chip 15. In addition, the voltage across the load 18 is also provided by the conductor 21.The linear chip 15 contains circuitry for detecting short and open circuit conditions of the load 18 and a signal representing these conditions is conveyed by the conductor 8 back to the local controller 5.
Preferably, the signal on the conductor 8 from the linear chip 15 which represents satisfactory operation of the load is an active one so that should the local switch fail an indication of its failure will be conveyed to the local controller 5,
The status information obtained from the local switches together with data from local sensors connected to the controller 5 are stored in it and communicated to the central controller 1 between the multiplexed coded comoro signals emitted by the controller 1.Typically, a local sensor may include a variable resistor the resistance of which is controlled by the quantity being sensed, and an analogue to digital converter is used to change a voltage proportional to that resistance to a digital value which is used by the local controller 5. The indicators and displays 3 are energized by the central controller 1 to provide infortion to the driver of the quantities sensed by the vaious local sensors, the energisation of the various loads 18 and whether any of those loads has failed.
Figure 2 shows in some more detail the construction of a local switch and in this figure the reference numerals used correspond to those used in Figure 1.
As shown in Figure 2, a power chip 16 includes a PNP power transistor 25 and a resistor 26 connected in series in its base connection. It is a feature of the present invention that the local switch consists of two semiconductor dies, the linear chip 15 and the power chip 16, which may be assembled into two packages or combined into a single package. As mentioned above, the linear chip contains all the logic to communicate with the central controller via the local controller, to detect fault conditions and to control the power chip. The power chip reacts to the control signals from the linear chip and switches the current the the ^a- 18.
The PP transistor 25 in the power chip is constructed so as to be capable of handling the current required my ne load 18 with a sufficiently low voltage arop through its ce current path when on.
In a rrodificatlon the PNP transistor ::ay ke er-laced NT a darlington pair or triple.
The PNP transistor 25 has the resistor 26 connected in series in its base lead, which is integrated into the semiconductor die on which the power transistor is formed, to provide a voltage drop so that the drive signal applied to the conductor 19 by the linear ohlp is connected through low resistance switches either to the negative supply conductor 6 or the positive supply conductor 7, so that rower drive o load in the linear chip 15 arising zrom by .::r. ~ of the drove current for the transistor 25 is very low, and a major part of the heat dissipation of the switch is. from the power chip 16 rather than the linear chip 15. This means that the heat sinking requirements of the local switch as a whole can be concentrated on the power chip 16, with very relaxed assembly requirements for the linear chip 15 which can therefore be mounted in a low cost package.
The use of a PNP transistor as a switch element of the power chip provides an optimum solution for a motor vehicle environment due to its very low on-voltage capability. As mentioned above, the transistor could be replaced by a darlington multiple, such as a darlington pair, which would alve a much greater cain and allow the switching of higher load currents sing a low drive current trom the linear chip 15.
The use of a sim?'e series resistor as the voltage dropping structure connected An ne case lead of the PNP transistor has the advantage that it can be produced as part of the emitter diffusion process or by a Separate diffusion step during the fabrication of the transistor. The resistor has the disadvantage that it results in a car-s-tic transistor being formed which can bypass a fraction of the base drive current when the PNP power transistor is in saturation.Figure 3 is a circuit diagram showing the parasitic transistor as T2 connected to the power transistor
T1. The bypassing of the base drive current can be reduced by including an extra heavy base diffusion around the region forming the resistor. This extra diffusion is shown In
Figure 4, which shows a diagrammatic cross-section of the PNP power transistor and the series resistor connected in its base lead.
In Figure 4, an epitaxial layer 31 of P-type conductivity is formed on the surface of a P±conductivity substrate 30. A base region 32 of N-type conductivity is formed in the epitaxial layer 31, and an emitter region of P ±type conductivity is formed in the base region. This constitutes the PNP power transistor. The resistor is formed by a P±conduc'ivity region 34 in an extra heavy base diffusion region 35, itself within the base region 32. As mentioned above, the extra heavy base region 35 serves to reduce the gain of the parasitic inverse transistor shown as
T2 in Figure 3.
A constant current source circuit can be used instead of the siDle resistor in the base lead of the transistor switch element. Figure c shows such a circuit connected in series in ke base led of the power transistor TI and inclu-.e~ an NrN transistor T3 having its emitter lead connected through a resistor R4 to a terminal P and having its collector connected to the base of the transistor T1. A series chain of resistors R3 and two diodes D2 and D3 is also connected from the base of the transistor T1 to the terminal
A with the junction between the resistor R3 and the diode D2 being connected to the base of a transistor T3. The operation of the constant current circuit is conventional in that the forward conduction voltage of the diodes D2 and D3 provides a bias voltage for the transistor T3 to conduct just sufficient current through the resistor R4 to maintain the transistor T3 in conduction. Although the fabrication of the constant current source requires an extra diffusion step as compared with the fabrication of the simple resistor shown in
Figure 4, the use of a constant current source has the advantage that the base current of the power transistor T1 is independent of the supply voltage which in a motor vehicle can vary between 7 and 16 volts.Since the base current of the power transistor T1 is kept constant, the drive current produced by the linear chip 15 can be kept more nearly to the minimum necessary to operate the power transistor with the result that the size and cost of the linear chip can be considerably reduced.
Figure 6 is a cross-sectiona diagram of the circus; shown in Figure 5 formed in a semiconductor body. The parts of the structure which constitute the elements of the circuit shown in Figure 5 are indicated in Figure 6. The constant current source circuit also produces a parasitic transistor in a similar way to the resistor, and the effects of this parasitic transistors are reduced as described above by the provisIon of N+ regions containing the resistors and diodes of the circuit.
The power chip may be provided with internal selfprotection against excessive current through it due to shortcircuits, for example, and to excessively high temveratures which could lead to damage to the semiconductor devices. As mentioned above, the linear chip can be used to detect short circuit of the load 18 by monitoring the voitace or. tn conductor 21. Because of the nature of the loads in certain instances, for example incandescent lamps or motors, the load itself may appear as a short-circuit when first turned on and only reach its normal running resistance after a delay of a fraction of a second.It follows therefore that any protection against excessive current through the power chip must have a built-in delay before conduction is terminated to protect the semiconductor devices. To provide this delay the linear chip may be provided with a timer which prevents any protective action being taken until an appropriate delay of, say, 0.3 seconds has elapsed following the start of an apparent short-circuit.If the voltage across the load or the current through it has not reached an acceptable value within the delay period, then the linear chip would be arranged to remove the drive current from the power chip to provide a controlled shut down of t;7e circuit. The load current may alternatively be monitored by messur na the voltage across the resistor 17 connected n series with the load. This resistor need not be a discrete element or a thin or thick film deposited layer, but may simply be a section of printed circuit board conductor which is already include 1n the system.
An alternative to measuring the excessive current after a delay time, is to Integrate into the power chip an over-temperature sensor. The use of such a sensor has the advantage that the necessary time delay is automaticaily provided by tbe heat capacity of the chip itself -r,d, in addition, monitors the temperature of the chip wn1on .s a certain indicator of the likelihood of damage to the chip.
In one example of the over-temperature sensor, a forward biassed diode is provided on the power chip and receives a small current from the linear chip. The voltage drop across the diode is monitored by the linear chip to provide information to that chip relating to the temperature of the power chip. In another example, the diode on the power chip is reverse biassed and the leakage current from the diode is monitored by the linear chip to provide information about the temperature of the power chip. The sensitivity of the measurement provided by the latter example would be enhanced by the use of a Schottky diode having a higher reverse bias leakage current. A dIsadvant.ce of this arrangernent is that it reauires two additional connections from the linear chip to the power chip.
A. further example which requires no additional connections from the linear chip to the power chip involves prov ing a diode or other teimperature sensor structure on the power cnip together with necessary extra circuitry for diverting the base drive current of the power transistor away from the base so as to starve the transistor of base drive and turn it off.Figure 7 shows the circuit of an example in which the leakage current of a Schottky diode Dl fed through a resistor Rn fom the base drive circuit for the power chip is amplified by a darlington pair consisting of transistors
T4 and
The use of an over-temperature sensor obviates the need for a timer on the linear chip, thereby giving a considerable saving in die area and therefore cost.
The over-temperature sensor just described may be combined with the constant current circuit shown in Figure 5r giving the circuit shown in Figure 8. The individual circuit elements are shown in the cross-section of a semiconductor body in Figure 9. To produce the circuit of Figure 8 it is necessary to produce appropriate numbers of components required by the circuit and interconnect them as shown in the figure.
As described above, the local switches are suitable for single ended loads with one terminal grounded. Many electric motors in motor vehicles, however, require switching of the direction of the current flow to reverse the motor.
An example of this is the use of a motor to open and close the windows of the vehicle. Reversal of the current flow could We achieved by the use of four semiconductor switching elements, such as transistors each with additional circuit components as described above, connected in a bridge configuration with the power supply connected across one diagonal of the bridge and the load connected across the other diagonal. Obviously, the linear chip controlling such a power chip or chips would have to be able to turn on diagonally opposite pairs of transistors depending on the direction of current flow required through the load. Figure 10 is a diagram of a suitable circuit for such a local switch. the transistors together with their base series resistors or other circuits may be formed on separate chips or combined on one or two chips.
Figure 11 shows a modification of Figure 10 in which two transistors are connected to be driven directly from the linear chip and the other two transistors are driven by the output currents of the first two transistors. This arrangement has the advantage of reducing the dissipation from the linear chip and also simplifying it.
Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples concerned with the particular problems encountered in motor vehicles, it will be appreciated that the same techniques would be applicable to the energisation of a plurality of remotely located loads from a central control position both in domestic and industrial environments.
Claims (6)
1. A semiconductor component having a power bipolar semiconductor switching element of vertical construction in a semiconductor body with a controlled current path extending from one major face to the other of the semiconductor body and arranged for connection in series with a load across a power supply, a control input terminal connected to the control base of the semiconductor switching element through voltage dropping means and an over-temperature sensor in the semiconductor body responsive to excessive temperature of the semiconductor body to divert drive current from the control base of the switching element and terminate its conduction if the temperature of the semiconductor body becomes too high.
2. A component according to claim 1 wherein the power bipolar semiconductor switching element is a transistor or a darlington multiple transistor.
3. A component according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the voltage dropping means includes a resistor formed in the control base region of the semiconductor body.
4. A component according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the voltage dropping means includes a constant current source circuit formed in the control base region of the semiconductor body.
5. A component according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the over-temperature sensor includes a bipolar diode or a Schottky diode of which either the forward conduction voltage or the reverse bias leakage current is connected to control the diversion of the drive current.
6. A semiconductor component according to claim 1 and substantially as described herein and as illustrated by
Figure 7, 8 or 9 of the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9011928A GB2234112B (en) | 1987-03-06 | 1990-05-29 | Semiconductor component |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8705328A GB2204445B (en) | 1987-03-06 | 1987-03-06 | Semiconductor switch |
| GB9011928A GB2234112B (en) | 1987-03-06 | 1990-05-29 | Semiconductor component |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9011928D0 GB9011928D0 (en) | 1990-07-18 |
| GB2234112A true GB2234112A (en) | 1991-01-23 |
| GB2234112B GB2234112B (en) | 1991-04-24 |
Family
ID=10613473
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8705328A Expired - Lifetime GB2204445B (en) | 1987-03-06 | 1987-03-06 | Semiconductor switch |
| GB9011928A Expired - Lifetime GB2234112B (en) | 1987-03-06 | 1990-05-29 | Semiconductor component |
Family Applications Before (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8705328A Expired - Lifetime GB2204445B (en) | 1987-03-06 | 1987-03-06 | Semiconductor switch |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (2) | US4977476A (en) |
| JP (1) | JPS63308379A (en) |
| GB (2) | GB2204445B (en) |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0744770A2 (en) * | 1995-05-23 | 1996-11-27 | Fuji Electric Co. Ltd. | Semiconductor apparatus |
| US6028470A (en) * | 1995-05-27 | 2000-02-22 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Integrated circuit for current control of a power transistor |
| EP2449645A1 (en) * | 2009-06-30 | 2012-05-09 | Bayview Ventures Licensing LLC | Transition-rate control for phase-controlled ac power delivery system |
| GB2549934A (en) * | 2016-04-28 | 2017-11-08 | Reinhausen Maschf Scheubeck | Junction temperature and current sensing |
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| GB2204445B (en) * | 1987-03-06 | 1991-04-24 | Texas Instruments Ltd | Semiconductor switch |
| IT1236797B (en) * | 1989-11-17 | 1993-04-02 | St Microelectronics Srl | VERTICAL-TYPE MONOLITHIC SEMICONDUCTOR POWER DEVICE WITH PROTECTION AGAINST PARASITE CURRENTS. |
| US5204991A (en) * | 1991-07-22 | 1993-04-20 | Law Ignace K | Automotive on/off circuit for automatic control of the power supply to electric automotive accessories |
| US5624380A (en) * | 1992-03-12 | 1997-04-29 | Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. | Multi-degree of freedom manipulator |
| GB9406625D0 (en) * | 1994-04-05 | 1994-05-25 | Smiths Industries Plc | Electrical systems and connectors |
| US5693986A (en) * | 1995-06-12 | 1997-12-02 | Chrysler Corporation | Method and device for disconnecting loads from a motor vehicle body |
| JP3552800B2 (en) * | 1995-08-02 | 2004-08-11 | 矢崎総業株式会社 | Vehicle load control system |
| US5808371A (en) * | 1995-09-05 | 1998-09-15 | Hitachi, Ltd. | Apparatus for driving electrical loads provided at a vehicle |
| JPH09118183A (en) * | 1995-10-25 | 1997-05-06 | Yazaki Corp | Electronic unit for automobile |
| US5828140A (en) * | 1995-11-03 | 1998-10-27 | Shih; Steven | Redundant power controller |
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| US6564173B1 (en) | 2000-10-17 | 2003-05-13 | Daimlerchrysler Corporation | Remote multiplexed diagnostic circuitry and a method of detecting faults in sequentially driven loads |
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| DE102006033970A1 (en) * | 2006-07-22 | 2008-01-24 | Braun Gmbh | Temperature protection circuit for e.g. power transistor, has schottky diode connected using electronic circuit, which controls power transistor based on current, which flows in reverse direction through schottky diode |
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| JP6705726B2 (en) * | 2016-09-14 | 2020-06-03 | ルネサスエレクトロニクス株式会社 | Semiconductor device |
| EP3382357B1 (en) * | 2017-03-31 | 2021-03-24 | Mitsubishi Electric R & D Centre Europe B.V. | Device and a method for controlling the temperature of a multi-die power module |
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-
1987
- 1987-03-06 GB GB8705328A patent/GB2204445B/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1988
- 1988-03-04 JP JP63051461A patent/JPS63308379A/en active Pending
- 1988-03-04 US US07/164,366 patent/US4977476A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
1990
- 1990-05-29 GB GB9011928A patent/GB2234112B/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1990-07-27 US US07/558,908 patent/US5289043A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Cited By (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0744770A2 (en) * | 1995-05-23 | 1996-11-27 | Fuji Electric Co. Ltd. | Semiconductor apparatus |
| EP0744770A3 (en) * | 1995-05-23 | 1997-10-22 | Fuji Electric Co Ltd | Semiconductor apparatus |
| US6028470A (en) * | 1995-05-27 | 2000-02-22 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Integrated circuit for current control of a power transistor |
| EP0829136B1 (en) * | 1995-05-27 | 2000-07-05 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Integrated circuit with thermal control |
| EP2449645A1 (en) * | 2009-06-30 | 2012-05-09 | Bayview Ventures Licensing LLC | Transition-rate control for phase-controlled ac power delivery system |
| EP2449645A4 (en) * | 2009-06-30 | 2013-06-26 | Bayview Ventures Licensing Llc | Transition-rate control for phase-controlled ac power delivery system |
| GB2549934A (en) * | 2016-04-28 | 2017-11-08 | Reinhausen Maschf Scheubeck | Junction temperature and current sensing |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9011928D0 (en) | 1990-07-18 |
| US4977476A (en) | 1990-12-11 |
| GB2234112B (en) | 1991-04-24 |
| GB8705328D0 (en) | 1987-04-08 |
| GB2204445A (en) | 1988-11-09 |
| JPS63308379A (en) | 1988-12-15 |
| US5289043A (en) | 1994-02-22 |
| GB2204445B (en) | 1991-04-24 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE20 | Patent expired after termination of 20 years |
Effective date: 20070305 |