Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a circuit for driving an electronic switch includes a control circuit configured to trigger a switch-on and a switch-off of the electronic switch in accordance with an input signal, wherein the control circuit is further configured to trigger the switch-off of the electronic switch in response to an under-voltage signal signaling an under-voltage state; and an under-voltage detection circuit configured to signal the under-voltage state when a supply voltage received at a supply node is below an under-voltage threshold value, wherein the under-voltage threshold value depends on a load current passing through the electronic switch.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein relate inter alia to a circuit comprising an electronic switch with a load current path, which is switched between an output node and a supply node and is designed to connect or disconnect the output node to or from the supply node in accordance with a control signal. The circuit further comprises a control circuit which is designed to generate the control signal based on an input signal, and a current monitoring circuit which is designed to receive a current measurement signal that represents the load current flowing through the load current path, and to generate a protective signal, based on the current measurement signal, which indicates whether the output node should be disconnected from the supply node. The circuit further comprises a reverse current detection circuit, which is designed to detect that the load current is flowing in the reverse direction, namely from the output node to the supply node.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement for driving a semiconductor switch includes an undervoltage detection circuit to indicate an undervoltage state when a supply voltage falls below a voltage threshold value. A temperature detection circuit indicates that a temperature of a semiconductor switch exceeds a temperature threshold value. A control circuit for driving the semiconductor switch deactivates the semiconductor switch when the undervoltage detection circuit indicates an undervoltage state, and to reactivate the semiconductor switch when the undervoltage detection circuit no longer indicates an undervoltage state. In this case, the reactivation is delayed by a defined delay time when the semiconductor switch was previously deactivated due to an undervoltage state and the temperature detection circuit indicates that the temperature of the semiconductor switch exceeds the temperature threshold value.

Abstract: A circuit includes a power transistor having a main current path between a first supply node and an output pin for connecting a load. A resistance formed by a chip metallization is arranged between the main current path of the power transistor and the output pin. The circuit includes a current measuring circuit coupled to the power transistor and including a sense transistor coupled to the power transistor. The current measuring circuit delivers a measurement current representing a load current flowing through the power transistor. An amplifier circuit generates an amplifier output signal representing the voltage across the resistance, and a control circuit outputs a signal representing the measurement current in a first mode and a signal dependent on the amplifier output signal in a second mode.

Abstract: A circuit comprises a load transistor and a current measuring circuit that is coupled to the load transistor. The load transistor has a main current path, which is connected between a first supply node and an output pin for connecting a load. The current measuring circuit has a sense transistor coupled to the load transistor. The current measuring circuit is designed to deliver a measuring current that represents a load current flowing through the load transistor. The circuit also comprises an analog-to-digital converter with a current input, and a digital-to-analog converter. The analog-to-digital converter is designed to output a digital signal representing an input current of the analog-to-digital converter. The digital-to-analog converter is designed to output an output current that depends on the digital signal. A control circuit is designed to output the measuring current.

Abstract: A driver circuit is provided. The driver circuit comprises a power transistor and a gate driver circuit arrangement. The driver circuit is integrated in a package. In addition, the driver circuit comprises a terminal for an external transistor. The external transistor and the power transistor are controlled by the gate driver circuit arrangement in a mutually corresponding manner.

Abstract: A circuit includes a monitor circuit. The monitor circuit includes a nonlinear functional unit configured to receive a current sense signal and to generate a power signal representing the power of the current sense signal. The circuit further includes a first filter configured to receive the power signal and to generate a first filtered signal and a second filter configured to receive an input signal that depends on the current sense signal and to generate a second filtered signal. A comparator circuit is configured to receive the first filtered signal and the second filtered signal and to compare the first filtered signal with a first threshold value and the second filtered signal with a second threshold value. The protection signal is indicative of whether the first filtered signal exceeds the first threshold value or the second filtered signal exceeds the second threshold value.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a circuit includes: a supply pin and an output pin for connecting a load, and a configuration pin; a semiconductor switch connected between the supply pin and the output pin and configured to establish or to block a current path between the supply pin and the output pin depending on a control signal; and a control circuit configured to generate the control signal for the semiconductor switch taking account of a first parameter, and set the first parameter depending on a component parameter of an external component connected to the configuration pin. The first parameter is set to a first standard value when the component parameter is less than a first threshold value, and the first parameter is set to a second standard value when the component parameter is greater than a second threshold value.

Abstract: An integrated circuit that may be employed as a smart switch is described herein. In accordance with one embodiment the integrated circuit includes a power transistor coupled between a supply pin and an output pin and further includes a control circuit configured to trigger a switch-on and a switch-off of the power transistor in accordance with an input signal. The control circuit is configured to trigger a switch-off of the power transistor when a load current passing through the power transistor is at or above a predetermined current and a supply voltage received at the supply pin is at or below a predetermined threshold voltage.

Abstract: An embodiment electronic circuit includes an electronic switch comprising a load path, and a control circuit configured to drive the electronic switch. The control circuit is configured to operate in one of at least two operation modes. The at least two operation modes comprise a first operation mode and a second operation mode. The control circuit, in the second operation mode, is configured to perform a set of basic functions and, in the first operation mode, is configured to perform the set of basic functions and at least one additional function. The at least one additional function comprises generating a first protection signal based on a current-time-characteristic of a load current of the electronic switch and driving the electronic switch based on the first protection signal.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a circuit for driving an electronic switch includes a control circuit configured to trigger a switch-on and a switch-off of the electronic switch in accordance with an input signal, wherein the control circuit is further configured to trigger the switch-off of the electronic switch in response to an under-voltage signal signaling an under-voltage state; and an under-voltage detection circuit configured to signal the under-voltage state when a supply voltage received at a supply node is below an under-voltage threshold value, wherein the under-voltage threshold value depends on a load current passing through the electronic switch.

Abstract: An integrated circuit that may be employed as a smart switch is described herein. The integrated circuit may include a first power transistor coupled between a supply pin and a first output pin and a second power transistor coupled between the supply pin and a second output pin. The first and the second power transistors each having an intrinsic body diode which allows reverse conduction. The integrated circuit further includes a control circuit that is configured to trigger a switch-on and switch-off of the first and the second power transistors based on a first input signal and a second input signal, respectively. Furthermore, the integrated circuit includes a protection circuit configured to detect, for the first and the second power transistors, a transition from a reverse conducting state into a forward conducting state, and vice versa, and to generate an error signal in response to certain detections.

Abstract: A circuit includes a monitor circuit. The monitor circuit includes a nonlinear functional unit configured to receive a current sense signal and to generate a power signal representing the power of the current sense signal. The circuit further includes a first filter configured to receive the power signal and to generate a first filtered signal and a second filter configured to receive an input signal that depends on the current sense signal and to generate a second filtered signal. A comparator circuit is configured to receive the first filtered signal and the second filtered signal and to compare the first filtered signal with a first threshold value and the second filtered signal with a second threshold value. The protection signal is indicative of whether the first filtered signal exceeds the first threshold value or the second filtered signal exceeds the second threshold value.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a circuit includes: a supply pin and an output pin for connecting a load, and a configuration pin; a semiconductor switch connected between the supply pin and the output pin and configured to establish or to block a current path between the supply pin and the output pin depending on a control signal; and a control circuit configured to generate the control signal for the semiconductor switch taking account of a first parameter, and set the first parameter depending on a component parameter of an external component connected to the configuration pin. The first parameter is set to a first standard value when the component parameter is less than a first threshold value, and the first parameter is set to a second standard value when the component parameter is greater than a second threshold value.

Abstract: An integrated circuit that may be employed as a smart switch. The integrated circuit includes a first part of a semiconductor switch coupled between a supply node and an output node and configured to provide a first current path in accordance with a first drive signal. The integrated circuit further includes a second part of the semiconductor switch coupled between the supply node and the output node and configured to provide a second current path in accordance with a second drive signal. The integrated circuit includes a drive circuit configured to generate, in response to a switch-on command, the first drive signal and the second drive signal such that the first part of the semiconductor switch and the second part of the semiconductor switch are alternatingly switched on and off. During an overlap period, both the first and the second part of the semiconductor switch are in an on-state.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method includes operating a transistor device by a drive circuit in one of a first operating mode and a second operating mode based on an operating mode signal received by the drive circuit. Operating the transistor device in each of the first operating mode and the second operating mode includes switching on the transistor device based on a drive signal received by the drive circuit; monitoring at least one operating parameter of the transistor device; and switching off the transistor device independent of the drive signal when the at least one operating parameter reaches a respective predefined off-threshold. Switching on the transistor device in the second operating mode includes switching on the transistor with a second slew rate that is smaller than a first slew rate in the first operating mode.

Abstract: A method includes monitoring a load path voltage and an operating parameter of the transistor device; operating the transistor device in a normal mode when the operating parameter is below a threshold associated with the operating parameter, where operating the transistor device in the normal mode includes operating the transistor device in one of an on-state or an off-state based on a drive signal; and operating the transistor device in a fault mode upon detecting a fault based on comparing the operating parameter with the threshold. Operating the transistor device in the fault mode includes switching off the transistor device, operating the transistor device in the on-state includes adjusting the threshold in accordance with a first characteristic curve dependent on the load path voltage, and operating the transistor device in the off-state includes adjusting the threshold according to a second characteristic curve different from the first characteristic curve.

Abstract: A driver circuit is provided. The driver circuit comprises a power transistor and a gate driver circuit arrangement. The driver circuit is integrated in a package. In addition, the driver circuit comprises a terminal for an external transistor. The external transistor and the power transistor are controlled by the gate driver circuit arrangement in a mutually corresponding manner.

Abstract: An embodiment electronic circuit includes an electronic switch comprising a load path, and a control circuit configured to drive the electronic switch and configured to operate in one of a first operation mode and a test mode. The control circuit comprises a test mode input and is configured to operate in the test mode based on a test signal received at the test mode input. The control circuit in the first operation mode is configured to generate a first protection signal based on a current-time-characteristic of a load current of the electronic switch and drive the electronic switch based on the first protection signal.

Abstract: An integrated circuit that may be employed as a smart switch. The integrated circuit includes a first part of a semiconductor switch coupled between a supply node and an output node and configured to provide a first current path in accordance with a first drive signal. The integrated circuit further includes a second part of the semiconductor switch coupled between the supply node and the output node and configured to provide a second current path in accordance with a second drive signal. The integrated circuit includes a drive circuit configured to generate, in response to a switch-on command, the first drive signal and the second drive signal such that the first part of the semiconductor switch and the second part of the semiconductor switch are alternatingly switched on and off. During an overlap period, both the first and the second part of the semiconductor switch are in an on-state.