Patents by Inventor Mark-Matthias Bakran
Mark-Matthias Bakran has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 12088283Abstract: A gate driver system includes a gate driver circuit coupled to a gate terminal of a transistor and configured to control a gate voltage to generate an on-current during a plurality of turn-on switching events to turn on the transistor. The gate driver circuit includes a first driver configured to source a first portion of the on-current to the gate terminal to charge a first portion of the gate voltage, and a second driver configured to, during a boost interval, source a second portion of the on-current to the gate terminal to charge a second portion of the gate voltage. A control circuit measures a transistor parameter representative of a reverse recovery current of the transistor for a turn-on switching event during which the transistor is transitioned to an on state and controls the first driver and controls the second driver based on the measured transistor parameter.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2023Date of Patent: September 10, 2024Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Zheming Li, Mark-Matthias Bakran, Daniel Domes, Robert Maier, Franz-Josef Niedernostheide
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Publication number: 20240088890Abstract: A method of driving a transistor between switching states includes controlling a transition of a gate voltage at a gate terminal of a transistor during each of a plurality of turn-off switching events to turn off the transistor, wherein the transistor is configured to be turned off according to a desaturation time during each of the plurality of turn-off switching events; measuring a transistor parameter indicative of a voltage slew rate of the transistor for a first turn-off switching event during which the transistor is transitioned from an on state to an off state; and regulating a duration of the desaturation time for a next turn-off switching event based on the measured transistor parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2023Publication date: March 14, 2024Inventors: Guang ZENG, Franz-Josef NIEDERNOSTHEIDE, Mark-Matthias BAKRAN, Zheming LI
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Publication number: 20240039526Abstract: A method of driving a transistor between switching states includes controlling a transition of a gate voltage at a gate terminal of a transistor during each of a plurality of turn-off switching events to turn off the transistor, wherein the transistor is configured to be turned off according to a desaturation time during each of the plurality of turn-off switching events; measuring a transistor parameter indicative of a voltage slew rate of the transistor for a first turn-off switching event during which the transistor is transitioned from an on state to an off state; and regulating a duration of the desaturation time for a next turn-off switching event based on the measured transistor parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2022Publication date: February 1, 2024Applicant: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Guang ZENG, Franz-Josef NIEDERNOSTHEIDE, Mark-Matthias BAKRAN, Zheming LI
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Patent number: 11876509Abstract: A method of driving a transistor between switching states includes controlling a transition of a gate voltage at a gate terminal of a transistor during each of a plurality of turn-off switching events to turn off the transistor, wherein the transistor is configured to be turned off according to a desaturation time during each of the plurality of turn-off switching events; measuring a transistor parameter indicative of a voltage slew rate of the transistor for a first turn-off switching event during which the transistor is transitioned from an on state to an off state; and regulating a duration of the desaturation time for a next turn-off switching event based on the measured transistor parameter.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2022Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Guang Zeng, Franz-Josef Niedernostheide, Mark-Matthias Bakran, Zheming Li
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Patent number: 11843368Abstract: A method is provided for driving a half bridge circuit that includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The method includes generating an off-current during a plurality of turn-off switching events to control a gate voltage of the second transistor; measuring a transistor parameter of the second transistor during a first turn-off switching event during which the second transistor is transitioned to an off state, wherein the transistor parameter is indicative of an oscillation at the first transistor during a corresponding turn-on switching event during which the first transistor is transitioned to an on state; and activating a portion of the off-current for the second turn-off switching event, including regulating an interval length of the second portion for the second turn-off switching event based on the measured transistor parameter measured during the first turn-off switching event.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2022Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Zheming Li, Mark-Matthias Bakran, Daniel Domes, Robert Maier, Franz-Josef Niedernostheide
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Publication number: 20230353135Abstract: A gate driver system includes a gate driver circuit coupled to a gate terminal of a transistor and configured to control a gate voltage to generate an on-current during a plurality of turn-on switching events to turn on the transistor. The gate driver circuit includes a first driver configured to source a first portion of the on-current to the gate terminal to charge a first portion of the gate voltage, and a second driver configured to, during a boost interval, source a second portion of the on-current to the gate terminal to charge a second portion of the gate voltage. A control circuit measures a transistor parameter representative of a reverse recovery current of the transistor for a turn-on switching event during which the transistor is transitioned to an on state and controls the first driver and controls the second driver based on the measured transistor parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2023Publication date: November 2, 2023Inventors: Zheming LI, Mark-Matthias BAKRAN, Daniel DOMES, Robert MAIER, Franz-Josef NIEDERNOSTHEIDE
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Patent number: 11777420Abstract: A submodule for a modular multilevel converter has nine semiconductor switches that can be switched off, four capacitors, six network nodes, and two terminals. The components are mounted such that different voltages are generated between the terminals of the submodule by controlling the semiconductor switches. This arrangement of components substantially improves the behavior of the converter and of the submodule in the event of a fault.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2021Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Viktor Hofmann, Mark-Matthias Bakran, Sebastian Semmler
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Patent number: 11770119Abstract: A gate driver system includes a gate driver circuit coupled to a gate terminal of a transistor and configured to generate an on-current during a plurality of turn-on switching events to turn on the transistor, wherein the gate driver circuit includes a first driver configured to source a first portion of the on-current to the gate terminal to charge a first portion of the gate voltage and a second driver configured to, during a first boost interval, source a second portion of the on-current to the gate terminal to charge a second portion of the gate voltage; a measurement circuit configured to measure a transistor parameter indicative of an oscillation of a load current for a turn-on switching event; and a controller configured to receive the measured transistor parameter and regulate a length of the first boost interval based on the measured transistor parameter.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2022Date of Patent: September 26, 2023Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Zheming Li, Mark-Matthias Bakran, Daniel Domes, Robert Maier, Franz-Josef Niedernostheide
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Publication number: 20230216427Abstract: A submodule for a modular multilevel converter has nine semiconductor switches that can be switched off, four capacitors, six network nodes, and two terminals. The components are mounted such that different voltages are generated between the terminals of the submodule by controlling the semiconductor switches. This arrangement of components substantially improves the behavior of the converter and of the submodule in the event of a fault.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2021Publication date: July 6, 2023Applicant: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: VIKTOR HOFMANN, MARK-MATTHIAS BAKRAN, SEBASTIAN SEMMLER
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Publication number: 20230208315Abstract: A submodule for a modular multilevel converter has ten semiconductor switches that can be switched off, four capacitors, six network nodes, and two terminals. The components are mounted such that different voltages are generated between the terminals of the submodule by controlling the semiconductor switches. This arrangement of components substantially improves the behavior of the converter and of the submodule in the event of a fault.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2021Publication date: June 29, 2023Applicant: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: VIKTOR HOFMANN, MARK-MATTHIAS BAKRAN, SEBASTIAN SEMMLER
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Publication number: 20230088339Abstract: A method is provided for driving a half bridge circuit that includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The method includes generating an off-current during a plurality of turn-off switching events to control a gate voltage of the second transistor; measuring a transistor parameter of the second transistor during a first turn-off switching event during which the second transistor is transitioned to an off state, wherein the transistor parameter is indicative of an oscillation at the first transistor during a corresponding turn-on switching event during which the first transistor is transitioned to an on state; and activating a portion of the off-current for the second turn-off switching event, including regulating an interval length of the second portion for the second turn-off switching event based on the measured transistor parameter measured during the first turn-off switching event.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2022Publication date: March 23, 2023Inventors: Zheming LI, Mark-Matthias BAKRAN, Daniel DOMES, Robert MAIER, Franz-Josef NIEDERNOSTHEIDE
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Publication number: 20230061697Abstract: A method is provided for driving a half bridge circuit that includes a first transistor and a second transistor that are switched in a complementary manner. The method includes generating an off-current during a plurality of turn-off switching events to control a gate voltage of the second transistor; measuring a transistor parameter of the second transistor during a first turn-off switching event during which the second transistor is transitioned to an off state, wherein the transistor parameter is indicative of an oscillation at the first transistor during a corresponding turn-on switching event during which the first transistor is transitioned to an on state; and activating a portion of the off-current for the second turn-off switching event, including regulating an interval length of the second portion for the second turn-off switching event based on the measured transistor parameter measured during the first turn-off switching event.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2021Publication date: March 2, 2023Applicant: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Zheming LI, Mark-Matthias BAKRAN, Daniel DOMES, Robert MAIER, Franz-Josef NIEDERNOSTHEIDE
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Patent number: 11595035Abstract: A method is provided for driving a half bridge circuit that includes a first transistor and a second transistor that are switched in a complementary manner. The method includes generating an off-current during a plurality of turn-off switching events to control a gate voltage of the second transistor; measuring a transistor parameter of the second transistor during a first turn-off switching event during which the second transistor is transitioned to an off state, wherein the transistor parameter is indicative of an oscillation at the first transistor during a corresponding turn-on switching event during which the first transistor is transitioned to an on state; and activating a portion of the off-current for the second turn-off switching event, including regulating an interval length of the second portion for the second turn-off switching event based on the measured transistor parameter measured during the first turn-off switching event.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2021Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Zheming Li, Mark-Matthias Bakran, Daniel Domes, Robert Maier, Franz-Josef Niedernostheide
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Publication number: 20220393675Abstract: A gate driver system includes a gate driver circuit coupled to a gate terminal of a transistor and configured to generate an on-current during a plurality of turn-on switching events to turn on the transistor, wherein the gate driver circuit includes a first driver configured to source a first portion of the on-current to the gate terminal to charge a first portion of the gate voltage and a second driver configured to, during a first boost interval, source a second portion of the on-current to the gate terminal to charge a second portion of the gate voltage; a measurement circuit configured to measure a transistor parameter indicative of an oscillation of a load current for a turn-on switching event; and a controller configured to receive the measured transistor parameter and regulate a length of the first boost interval based on the measured transistor parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2022Publication date: December 8, 2022Applicant: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Zheming LI, Mark-Matthias BAKRAN, Daniel DOMES, Robert MAIER, Franz-Josef NIEDERNOSTHEIDE
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Patent number: 11480605Abstract: A method for detecting the aging of a power electronic device that comprises at least one semiconductor component including a step of providing of an excitation signal, which is designed to trigger a flow of an at least approximately semi-sinusoidal excitation current through the semiconductor component in order to introduce a power loss into the semiconductor component, a step of uploading a temperature signal, which represents the temporal course of the temperature of the semiconductor component, and a step of determining of an aging value that represents the aging of the power electronic device by using the temperature signal.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2016Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Marco Denk, Mark-Matthias Bakran
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Patent number: 11444613Abstract: A gate driver system includes a gate driver circuit coupled to a gate terminal of a transistor and configured to generate an on-current during a plurality of turn-on switching events to turn on the transistor, wherein the gate driver circuit includes a first driver configured to source a first portion of the on-current to the gate terminal to charge a first portion of the gate voltage and a second driver configured to, during a first boost interval, source a second portion of the on-current to the gate terminal to charge a second portion of the gate voltage; a measurement circuit configured to measure a transistor parameter indicative of an oscillation of a load current for a turn-on switching event; and a controller configured to receive the measured transistor parameter and regulate a length of the first boost interval based on the measured transistor parameter.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2021Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Inventors: Zheming Li, Mark-Matthias Bakran, Daniel Domes, Robert Maier, Franz-Josef Niedernostheide
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Patent number: 11424688Abstract: A modular power converter with wide-bandgap semiconductors, in particular SiC semiconductors. The modular power converter has at least two base units. The base units are connected together on the input side, and each base unit has an input circuit on the input side and an output circuit on the output side. The input circuit and the output circuit are each formed by the wide-bandgap semiconductors arranged in a B6-bridge circuit. An intermediate circuit capacitor is connected in parallel with the input circuit and the output circuit forming an intermediate circuit. The input circuits of the base units or a sub-quantity of the base units are arranged in a series circuit. At least one inductor is arranged between each pair of input circuits.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2019Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Mark-Matthias Bakran, Jürgen Böhmer, Martin Helsper, Eberhard Ulrich Krafft, Bernd Laska, Andreas Nagel, Stefan Hans Werner Schönewolf, Jan Weigel
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Patent number: 11411511Abstract: A switchable longitudinal voltage source has a first feed connection for feeding in a first current, a first output connection for outputting the first current, a second feed connection for feeding in a second current, and a second output connection for outputting the second current. An electrical energy store has a first connection and a second connection coupled to the output connections. The switchable longitudinal voltage source further has a center terminal of a first series circuit which directly forms the first output connection or terminal and a center terminal of a second series circuit which directly forms the second output connection or terminal.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2018Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Mark-Matthias Bakran, Viktor Hofmann, Andre Schoen
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Publication number: 20220182050Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an actuation assembly (3) for actuating a MOSFET (1), in particular a MOSFET (1) based on a semiconductor with a wide band gap. According to the invention, a characteristic block is generated in which a change (?U1, ?U2, ?R1, ?R2) in at least one actuation variable (U1, U2, R1, R2) for actuating the MOSFET (1) with respect to a reference actuation value of the actuation variable (U1, U2, R1, R2) is stored on the basis of at least one operating characteristic variable (U, T) which influences the switching behavior of the MOSFET (1), said change counteracting a change in the switching behavior as a result of the at least one operating characteristic variable (U, T).Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2019Publication date: June 9, 2022Applicant: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: MARK-MATTHIAS BAKRAN, JÜRGEN BÖHMER, MARTIN HELSPER, EBERHARD ULRICH KRAFFT, BERND LASKA, ANDREAS NAGEL, STEFAN HANS WERNER SCHÖNEWOLF, JAN WEIGEL
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Patent number: 11290102Abstract: In a method for protecting a field-effect transistor, which is operated in a switching mode, against an overload current in a switched-on switching state, an electric drain-source voltage between a drain connection and a source connection of the field-effect transistor is detected. The drain-source voltage is compared with a predefined voltage comparison value, and the field-effect transistor is switched into a switched-off switching state in the event that the drain-source voltage is greater than the voltage comparison value. For the purpose of providing a temperature compensation of the protection, the temperature of the field-effect transistor is detected; and the voltage comparison value is adjusted depending on the temperature. The voltage comparison value is, in addition, also dependent on time during the switched-on switching state.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2018Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Andreas März, Mark-Matthias Bakran