US 12,149,233 B2
Power switch with normally on transistor
David Shapiro, Rishion LeZion (IL); Shmuel Ben-Yaacov, Tel Yitzhak (IL); and Dmitry Novo, Kibbutz Beit-Govrin (IL)
Assigned to VISIC TECHNOLOGIES LTD, Nes Ziona (IL)
Appl. No. 18/703,343
Filed by VISIC TECHNOLOGIES LTD., Ness Ziona (IL)
PCT Filed Oct. 29, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IL2021/051284
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 21, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/073682, PCT Pub. Date May 4, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0339997 A1, Oct. 10, 2024
Int. Cl. H03K 17/08 (2006.01)
CPC H03K 17/08 (2013.01) 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A power switch comprising:
a cascode having a normally ON transistor connected in series with a normally OFF transistor at a cascode node;
a first diode connected between a gate (G31) of the normally ON transistor and a first ground (G1) common to the cascode and the diode; and
a controller comprising:
a gate driver having a gate driver output connected to the gate of the normally ON transistor;
a controller power supply (CPS) having positive and negative outputs that provide positive and negative rail voltages respectively to the gate driver and wherein the positive output of the controller power supply is connected to the cascode node and the negative output the controller power supply to a second ground (G2) that is floating relative to the first ground; and
a DC isolator having positive and negative isolator inputs connected respectively to the positive and negative outputs of the power supply and a first isolator output connected to the gate of the normally OFF transistor and a second isolator output connected to the first ground, and wherein when the controller power supply is turned ON, the DC isolator generates a DC voltage at the first voltage output that turns and maintains ON the normally OFF transistor.