US 12,074,209 B2
Sensor-less overcurrent fault detection using high electron mobility transistors
Xiaoqing Song, Apex, NC (US); Utkarsh Raheja, Raleigh, NC (US); Pietro Cairoli, Cary, NC (US); and Jing Xu, Cary, NC (US)
Assigned to ABB SCHWEIZ AG, Baden (CH)
Filed by ABB Schweiz AG, Baden (CH)
Filed on Sep. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/468,831.
Prior Publication US 2023/0074777 A1, Mar. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. H02M 1/32 (2007.01); H01L 29/20 (2006.01); H01L 29/66 (2006.01); H01L 29/778 (2006.01); H02H 3/08 (2006.01); H03K 17/0812 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 29/66462 (2013.01) [H01L 29/2003 (2013.01); H01L 29/778 (2013.01); H02H 3/08 (2013.01); H02M 1/32 (2013.01); H03K 17/08122 (2013.01); H03K 2217/0027 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An overcurrent fault detector using a High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) operated by a gate driver, the overcurrent fault detector comprising:
a band-pass filter configured to:
receive gate-to-source voltage (VGS) signals of the HEMT, wherein the HEMT generates an oscillation in the VGS signals at a characteristic frequency in response to a thermal overload at the HEMT during an overcurrent fault condition; and
filter the VGS signals to generate a band-limited version of the VGS signals that suppresses signals outside of the characteristic frequency; and
a control circuit configured to:
measure a value of the band-limited version of the VGS signals;
determine if the value is greater than a threshold value; and
generate a fault signal that disables the gate driver and terminates the overcurrent fault condition in response to determining that the value is greater than the threshold value.