Abstract: A system including circuitry to communicate data across an isolation barrier of a switch driver circuit. For switch driver circuits with galvanic isolation, the circuitry of this disclosure uses the unavoidable common mode voltages caused by the coupling capacitances of the data transfer circuit to evaluate the common mode voltage characteristics, such as the slew rate of a switching event. The switch driver circuit of this disclosure may include a common mode voltage detector to detect and measure features of the unavoidable common mode voltage during a switching event, such as voltage amplitude and slew rate. The common mode voltage detector may couple to a communication interface that provides the common mode voltage information to a controller for the switch driver circuit. In some examples, based on the received information, the controller may adjust the operation of the switching circuit.

Abstract: A circuit is provided that comprises a transformer having a first coil, which is arranged on a substrate, a second coil, which is arranged above the first coil on the substrate, and a dielectric between the first coil and the second coil. The circuit furthermore comprises a resonant circuit, which is couplable to the first coil and/or the second coil to form a resonant loop, wherein a measure of a characteristic frequency of the resonant loop and/or a measure of a power consumption of the resonant loop is able to be tapped off at an output of the resonant circuit. A corresponding method is also provided.

Abstract: Overload detection and protection for power switch circuits. For circuits with faster switching speed, fast fault detection and response to a detected overload condition may be desirable. Detection circuitry may monitor a voltage on the control terminal of one or more power switches. Based on empirical measurements, in an overload condition of a power switch circuit, e.g., a half-bridge circuit, the voltage at the control terminal may increase, and in some examples, increase to a magnitude that is greater than a supply voltage. A comparator may detect a voltage increase that exceeds a voltage magnitude threshold, output an indication to control circuitry for the power switch circuit, and the control circuitry may take action to protect the rest of the circuitry, such as reduce voltage or shut off the power switch circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes a substrate. In addition, the apparatus includes a first electrically conductive path arranged in a second layer above the substrate and forming a first connection of the apparatus, and a second electrically conductive pad arranged in the second layer and forming a second connection of the apparatus. An electrically conductive element is arranged in a first layer spaced apart from the second layer. The electrically conductive element forms a first capacitor with either the first pad or the second pad. In addition, a first coil is arranged in the first layer, the second layer, or in both layers. A first end of the first coil is connected to the second pad.

Abstract: A method may comprise: controlling ON/OFF switching of a power switch via a driver circuit; receiving a first signal on a detection pin associated with the power switch, wherein the first signal corresponds to a first point in time when current is not passing through the power switch and wherein the first signal indicates a first voltage drop over one or more other circuit elements; receiving a second signal on the detection pin, wherein the second signal, wherein the second signal corresponds to a second point in time when current is passing through the power switch and wherein the second signal indicates a voltage drop over the power elements; and determining the voltage drop over the power switch based on a difference between the first signal and the second signal.

Abstract: Circuitry to automatically compensate a differential output oscillator circuit for common mode disturbances that may affect the oscillator output. For any differential oscillator the common mode voltage excursion may reduce the oscillator output, which in some examples may negatively affect the circuitry receiving the oscillator output. The addition of feedback circuitry with an automatic gain control, e.g., to regulate the differential output voltage, may further reduce the gain of the oscillator in the presence of common mode voltage. In contrast, the feedback circuitry of the oscillator circuit of this disclosure may include gain control circuitry to increase an output voltage amplitude at the differential output terminals for a duration of the common mode disturbance.

Abstract: A circuit is provided, comprising a transformer having a first coil that is arranged on a substrate and a second coil that is arranged on the substrate above the first coil, and a dielectric between the first coil and the second coil. The circuit furthermore comprises a guard ring around the transformer. The circuit furthermore comprises a diagnostic circuit (55) that is configured so as to ground the guard ring in a normal operating mode and to measure a measurement voltage or a measurement current at a measurement impedance between the guard ring and the ground potential in a diagnostic operating mode.

Abstract: An example circuit includes a coil structure located on at least a first layer of an integrated circuit (IC); and a circuit component comprising conduction paths. The conduction paths are located on one or more layers separate from the first layer and the first layer and the one or more layers form parallel planes. The conduction paths of the circuit component are oriented to avoid eddy currents in the conduction paths caused by an electric current through the coil structure and form a patterned shield. At least some of the conduction paths define an area, and the coil structure is located within the defined area.

Abstract: An example a circuit for controlling a power converter comprises a first power domain circuit including a first control circuit and a first driver circuit, wherein the first control circuit controls the first driver circuit to drive a first semiconductor device, wherein a second power domain circuit includes a second control circuit and a second driver circuit. The first control circuit is configured to receive a control signal for controlling the second driver circuit to drive a second semiconductor device; and identify, based on the control signal, a future electrical characteristic of a second power domain output of the power converter. Additionally, the first control circuit is configured to determine, based on the future electrical characteristic of the second power domain output of the power converter, whether to adjust one or more control parameters for controlling the first driver circuit to drive the first semiconductor device.

Abstract: A drive circuit configured to apply a slew rate controlled drive signal to the control terminal of a power transistor. The drive circuit may be part of a system that includes one or more sub-circuits in which each sub-circuit includes a regulation loop, a matched replica of the power transistor and regulated voltage node. The voltage reference voltage for each sub-circuit connects to the control terminal of the power switch through a buffer circuit to apply a sequence of voltages to the control terminal of the power switch. A switching controller circuit may manage the operation of the one or more sub-circuits so that the drive circuit may output a precisely controlled voltage profile to the control terminal of the power transistor. The circuit may include a second buffer under the control of the switching controller circuit to further manage the operation of the power transistor.

Abstract: In some examples, a device includes a capacitor arranged across the galvanic isolation barrier, where the capacitor is configured to communicate a single-ended signal from a first voltage domain to a second voltage domain. The device also includes a high-pass filter arranged in the second voltage domain and configured to receive the single-ended signal from the capacitor. The device further includes a low-pass filter arranged in the second voltage domain and coupled between the high-pass filter and a low-impedance node. The high-pass filter is coupled between the capacitor, the low-pass filter, and the low-impedance node, and the low-pass filter is configured to generate a differential signal.

Abstract: Overload detection and protection for power switch circuits. For circuits with faster switching speed, fast fault detection and response to a detected overload condition may be desirable. Detection circuitry may monitor a voltage on the control terminal of one or more power switches. Based on empirical measurements, in an overload condition of a power switch circuit, e.g., a half-bridge circuit, the voltage at the control terminal may increase, and in some examples, increase to a magnitude that is greater than a supply voltage. A comparator may detect a voltage increase that exceeds a voltage magnitude threshold, output an indication to control circuitry for the power switch circuit, and the control circuitry may take action to protect the rest of the circuitry, such as reduce voltage or shut off the power switch circuit.

Abstract: An example a circuit for controlling a power converter comprises a first power domain circuit including a first control circuit and a first driver circuit, wherein the first control circuit controls the first driver circuit to drive a first semiconductor device, wherein a second power domain circuit includes a second control circuit and a second driver circuit. The first control circuit is configured to receive a control signal for controlling the second driver circuit to drive a second semiconductor device; and identify, based on the control signal, a future electrical characteristic of a second power domain output of the power converter. Additionally, the first control circuit is configured to determine, based on the future electrical characteristic of the second power domain output of the power converter, whether to adjust one or more control parameters for controlling the first driver circuit to drive the first semiconductor device.

Abstract: A driver device includes: a voltage terminal; a ground terminal; an output terminal; a first nMOS power transistor having a drain electrically connected to the voltage terminal, a source electrically connected to the output terminal, and a gate; an overvoltage protection circuit configured to limit a gate-to-source voltage of the first nMOS power transistor in a normal operating mode for the driver device; a pulldown circuit configured to force the first nMOS power transistor off in a stress test mode for the driver device; and a blocking circuit configured to block current flow from the output terminal to the ground terminal through the overvoltage protection circuit and the pulldown circuit in the stress test mode. A method of stress testing the driver device is also described.

Abstract: A driver device includes: a voltage terminal; a ground terminal; an output terminal; a first nMOS power transistor having a drain electrically connected to the voltage terminal, a source electrically connected to the output terminal, and a gate; an overvoltage protection circuit configured to limit a gate-to-source voltage of the first nMOS power transistor in a normal operating mode for the driver device; a pulldown circuit configured to force the first nMOS power transistor off in a stress test mode for the driver device; and a blocking circuit configured to block current flow from the output terminal to the ground terminal through the overvoltage protection circuit and the pulldown circuit in the stress test mode. A method of stress testing the driver device is also described.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to circuits and techniques for protecting a power switch when the power switch is turned ON. A driver circuit may detect whether the power switch is in a desaturation mode or an overcurrent state based on a signal at a detection pin, and disable the power switch in response to detecting that the power switch is in the desaturation mode or the overcurrent state. In addition, the driver circuit may detect whether the power switch is trending towards a safe operating area (SOA) limit of the power switch based on a rate of change of the signal, and disable the power switch in response to detecting that the power switch is trending towards the SOA limit.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement comprises: a primary coil and a secondary coil, which are inductively coupled, but galvanically isolated from one another; a first voltage divider which is connected between a first terminal and a second terminal of the secondary coil and which has a center tap connected to a ground node; a second voltage divider, which is connected between the first terminal and the second terminal of the secondary coil; and an active circuit, which is connected to the first terminal and the second terminal of the secondary coil, a center tap of the second voltage divider and to the ground node. The active circuit is configured to provide a current path between the first terminal of the secondary coil and the ground node and between the second terminal of the secondary coil and the ground node depending on a voltage at the center tap of the second voltage divider.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an oscillator circuit includes: a main current path coupled between a supply voltage terminal and a ground terminal, the main current path including a parallel resonant circuit, a load current path of a first transistor and a load current path of a second transistor. The parallel resonant circuit includes an inductor formed by a primary winding of a transformer, and a first capacitor; a terminal of the inductor is connected to the ground terminal; the load current path of the first transistor is coupled between the parallel resonant circuit and the load current path of the second transistor; and the parallel resonant circuit is coupled to a control electrode of the second transistor via a feedback path that includes a second capacitor.

Abstract: In some examples, a device includes a capacitor arranged across the galvanic isolation barrier, where the capacitor is configured to communicate a single-ended signal from a first voltage domain to a second voltage domain. The device also includes a high-pass filter arranged in the second voltage domain and configured to receive the single-ended signal from the capacitor. The device further includes a low-pass filter arranged in the second voltage domain and coupled between the high-pass filter and a low-impedance node. The high-pass filter is coupled between the capacitor, the low-pass filter, and the low-impedance node, and the low-pass filter is configured to generate a differential signal.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to circuits and techniques for protecting a power switch when the power switch is turned ON. A driver circuit may detect whether the power switch is in a desaturation mode or an overcurrent state based on a signal at a detection pin, and disable the power switch in response to detecting that the power switch is in the desaturation mode or the overcurrent state. In addition, the driver circuit may detect whether the power switch is trending towards a safe operating area (SOA) limit of the power switch based on a rate of change of the signal, and disable the power switch in response to detecting that the power switch is trending towards the SOA limit.