US 11,146,254 C1 (250th)
Driving device and power module
Shinji Sakai, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Supplemental Examination Request No. 96/000,421, Jan. 31, 2023.
Reexamination Certificate for Patent 11,146,254, issued Oct. 12, 2021, Appl. No. 16/265,689, Feb. 1, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-051896 (JP), filed on Mar. 20, 2018.
Ex Parte Reexamination Certificate from Reexamination Ordered under 35 U.S.C. 257 issued on Mar. 19, 2025.
Int. Cl. H03K 17/0812 (2006.01); H01L 23/00 (2006.01); H02H 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC H03K 17/08122 (2013.01) [H01L 24/49 (2013.01); H02H 1/0007 (2013.01); H03K 17/08128 (2013.01); H01L 2924/13055 (2013.01); H01L 2924/13064 (2013.01); H01L 2924/13091 (2013.01); H01L 2924/1426 (2013.01)]
OG exemplary drawing
AS A RESULT OF REEXAMINATION, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT:
Claim 4 is cancelled.
Claims 1, 3 and 9 are determined to be patentable as amended.
Claims 2 and 5-8, dependent on an amended claim, are determined to be patentable.
1. A driving device configured to drive a semiconductor switching element connecting to a load, comprising:
an overcurrent detector configured to detect whether or not a first current flowing through the load and the semiconductor switching element is abnormal and [ by detecting a filtered voltage of the semiconductor switching element] ;
a short-circuit detector including a plurality of comparators that provide respective outputs based on respective voltages at the semiconductor switching element, and a timer configured to synchronize the respective outputs of the comparators, such that the short-circuit detector is configured to detect whether or not a second current flowing not through the load and but through the semiconductor switching element is abnormal , wherein [ ; and
a driver configured to interrupt the semiconductor switching element ] based on a detection result of the overcurrent detector and a detection result of the short-circuit detector , the semiconductor switching element is interrupted [ , and
the timer is further configured to have a delay period, the delay period being shorter than a time period between the gate voltage of the semiconductor switching elements reaching a threshold value and a time point at which the overcurrent detector detects the filtered voltage] .
3. The driving device according to claim 2, wherein
the short-circuit detector is configured to detect that the second current is abnormal when a voltage based on a drain voltage of the semiconductor switching element is equal to or higher than a [ another ] threshold value at a time point at which a predetermined time elapses from a time point at which a [ the ] gate voltage of the semiconductor switching element has exceeded a [ the ] threshold value.
9. A driving device configured to drive a semiconductor switching element connecting to a load, comprising:
an overcurrent detector configured to detect whether or not a first current flowing through the load and the semiconductor switching element is abnormal [ by detecting a filtered voltage of the semiconductor switching element] ; and
a short-circuit detector configured to detect whether or not a second current flowing not through the load and but through the semiconductor switching element is abnormal [ , the short-circuit detector including a timer configured to delay an output of the short-circuit detector] , wherein
[ a driver configured to interrupt the semiconductor switching element ] based on a detection result of the overcurrent detector and a detection result of the short-circuit detector, the semiconductor switching element is interrupted, and
the short-circuit detector is configured to detect that the second current is abnormal when a voltage based on a drain voltage of the semiconductor switching element is equal to or higher than a threshold value at a time point at which noise has been removed by a filter at the drain voltage of the semiconductor switching element from a time point at which a gate voltage of the semiconductor switching element has exceeded a threshold value [ , and
the timer is further configured to have a delay period, the delay period being shorter than a time period between the gate voltage of the semiconductor switching elements reaching a threshold value and a time point at which the overcurrent detector detects the filtered voltage] .