Abstract: A control circuit and method are disclosed for controlling a current sense Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT). In particular, the current sense IGBT creates voltage spikes in a sense voltage as a result of normal switching operations. The control circuit creates a blank period so that the voltage spikes are ignored and false detections of short-circuit events are avoided.

Abstract: A control circuit and method are disclosed for controlling a current sense Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT). In particular, the current sense IGBT creates voltage spikes in a sense voltage as a result of normal switching operations. The control circuit creates a blank period so that the voltage spikes are ignored and false detections of short-circuit events are avoided.

Abstract: An optical coupler having an optical transmitter and an optical receiver are disclosed. The optical transmitter receives a logic signal to be transmitted to a circuit connected to the optical receiver and a photo emitter for generating a light signal having an intensity related to the states of the logic signal. The optical receiver includes a photodetector assembly, a hold circuit, a threshold generating circuit, and a signal generator. The photodetector assembly receives the light signal and generates a photo signal having an amplitude related to that of the light signal. The hold circuit stores a potential related to the maximum amplitude of the photo signal during a preceding time period. The threshold generating circuit generates a high threshold signal related to the stored potential. The signal generator generates an output logic signal that has first and second states that change state when the photo signal crosses the high threshold.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a current source circuit having a reference resistor produces first, second and third bias currents that vary with manufacturing variances of the current compensation resistor. An input amplification stage includes a transconductance stage biased by the first bias current, a first transimpedance amplifier (TIA) biased by the second bias current, and a first feedback resistor coupled between the first TIA's input and output. The input of the first TIA is coupled to an output of the transconductance stage. An output amplification stage is biased by the third bias current and has an input coupled to an output of the first TIA. A second feedback resistor is coupled between the output of the output amplification stage and the input of the transconductance stage. The reference resistor and first and second feedback resistors are formed using a common manufacturing process.

Abstract: The transimpedance amplifier that performs signal amplification includes a first input that receives an input signal, a second input that receives a power signal, a third input that receives a control signal, and an output that generates an output signal. The transimpedance amplifier includes at least one signal amplification circuit that receives the power signal, input signal, and the control signal and that performs both signal amplification on the input signal and regulation of the power signal in response to the control signal.