Abstract: An electronic circuit includes a transistor device that can be operated in a reverse operation mode and a control circuit. The transistor device includes a source region, a drain region, a body region and a drift region, a source electrode electrically connected to the source region, a pn junction formed between the body region and the drift region, a gate electrode adjacent the body region and dielectrically insulated from the body region, and a depletion control structure adjacent the drift region. The depletion control structure has a control terminal and is configured to generate a depletion region in the drift region dependent on a drive signal received at the control terminal. The control circuit is coupled to the control terminal of the depletion control structure and configured to drive the depletion control structure to generate the depletion region when the transistor device is operated in the reverse operation mode.

Abstract: System and method for adaptively altering a power supply's dead time. A method comprises detecting a start of a dead time, detecting an ending condition of the dead time, and ending the dead time. The detecting of the ending condition is based on a first current flowing through a lower portion of the power supply or a second current flowing through a gate driver of a lower switching element in the power supply.

Abstract: A rectifier circuit includes a bridge circuit configured to receive an alternating input signal. A parallel resonant circuit is coupled between the bridge circuit and an output. The circuit could also include a capacitive storage element coupled to the output and configured to provide an output signal.

Abstract: A method for sensing an output voltage in a voltage converter includes at least one switching element and a transformer. A voltage is sampled across an auxiliary winding or a signal obtained from the voltage across an auxiliary winding in order to obtain a plurality of samples after the at least one switching element has assumed a first operation state and until the auxiliary voltage reaches a predefined threshold. The auxiliary winding is inductively coupled with the transformer. At least one sample obtained is evaluated before the auxiliary voltage reaches the predefined threshold.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for generating an oscillating signal and an oscillator circuit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a protection circuit for protecting a half-bridge circuit. The protection circuit detects an incorrect response of the half-bridge by monitoring the current of a first switch at a series resistor of a second switch. The protection circuit has a detector for detecting the voltage across the resistor and an evaluation circuit which is designed in such a manner that it evaluates an output signal from the detector after the first switch has been switched on and provides a fault signal at an output when the voltage across the resistor is greater than the threshold voltage.

Abstract: System and method for adaptively altering a power supply's dead time. A method comprises detecting a start of a dead time, detecting an ending condition of the dead time, and ending the dead time. The detecting of the ending condition is based on a first current flowing through a lower portion of the power supply or a second current flowing through a gate driver of a lower switching element in the power supply.

Abstract: A signal transmission arrangement includes a transformer with a first and a second winding. A damping circuit has an input terminal for receiving an input signal. The damping circuit is coupled to the first winding and is configured to have an electrical resistance that is dependent on the input signal. An oscillator circuit includes the second winding and is configured to provide an oscillating signal. An evaluation circuit is configured to receive the oscillating signal and to provide an output signal that is dependent on an amplitude of the oscillating signal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device arrangement including a first semiconductor device having a load path, and a plurality of second transistors, each having a load path between a first and a second load terminal and a control terminal. The second transistors have their load paths connected in series and connected in series to the load path of the first transistor, each of the second transistors has its control terminal connected to the load terminal of one of the other second transistors, and one of the second transistors has its control terminal connected to one of the load terminals of the first semiconductor device.

Abstract: A circuit for determining an average value of a quasiperiodic signal may include an integrator, a sample and hold circuit coupled to an output of the integrator, wherein the sample and hold circuit includes a sample and hold circuit output, a feedback path coupled to the sample and hold circuit output and configured to feedback the signal provided at the sample and hold circuit output as a feedback signal, a subtractor configured to form a difference signal representing the difference between the quasiperiodic signal and the feedback signal, wherein an output of the subtractor is coupled to an input of the integrator to thereby provide the difference signal to the input of the integrator.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a circuit is provided including a supply terminal, a logic circuit, an inverter and a control transistor which may include a body region, first and second source/drain regions, a gate insulating region having a layer thickness and a gate region. The first source/drain region may be coupled to the supply terminal. The logic circuit may have an internal supply terminal connected to the second source/drain region of the control transistor and a plurality of transistors each having a gate insulating region having a second layer thickness. The inverter input may be coupled to the internal supply terminal of the logic circuit and the output to the gate region of the control transistor. The inverter may include a transistor with a gate insulating region having a third layer thickness substantially equal to the first and second layer thicknesses.

Abstract: A signal transmitting device and a method for transmitting via a signal transmitting device is disclosed. In one embodiment the transmitting device comprises a first resonant circuit with a resonant circuit inductance and a resonant circuit capacitance and a second resonant circuit with a resonant circuit inductance and a resonant circuit capacitance, a coupling element which couples the first resonant circuit to the second resonant circuit, a first excitation circuit, coupled to the first resonant circuit, and at least one further excitation circuit coupled to the second resonant circuit.

Abstract: A semiconductor device arrangement includes a first semiconductor device having a load path, and a number of second transistors, each having a load path between a first and a second load terminal and a control terminal. The second transistors have their load paths connected in series and connected in series to the load path of the first transistor. Each of the second transistors has its control terminal connected to the load terminal of one of the other second transistors. One of the second transistors has its control terminal connected to one of the load terminals of the first semiconductor device.

Abstract: A method and a device for controlling gas discharge lamps using a direct current/alternating current inverter (DC/AC inverter) that is operated at a predetermined frequency and that generates an AC output voltage U for operating the gas discharge lamps from a DC input voltage which has a residual ripple. The DC/AC inverter is operated in zero voltage switching (ZVS) mode, wherein the DC input voltage is used as the control variable for the lamp current IL, wherein fluctuations in the lamp current IL caused by the residual ripple of the DC input voltage are compensated by a variation in the switch-on times and/or switch-off times of the switching elements QH, QL of the DC/AC inverter.

Abstract: A method for operating a fluorescent lamp which is connected to a series resonant circuit with a resonant circuit inductance and a resonant circuit capacitance. The method includes applying an excitation AC voltage at an excitation frequency to the series resonant circuit using a half bridge circuit, which has an output to which the series resonant circuit is coupled, and which has a first and a second switch which are alternately switched on and off on the basis of a frequency signal. A current flowing through the resonant circuit is monitored for the presence of a critical operating state. The switched-on times of the first and second switches are shortened in comparison to switched-on times which are predetermined by the frequency signal, upon detection of a critical operating state.

Abstract: Disclosed is a circuit arrangement for determining a temporal change of an output voltage of a half-bridge circuit during a dead time. In one embodiment, the circuit arrangement includes a first input for applying the output voltage. A capacitive network includes a first and a second circuit node capacitively coupled to the input, and having a terminal for a reference potential. A recharging circuit during the switched-on phase of one of a first and second switching elements, adjusts electrical potentials of the first and second nodes, the electrical potentials each being different from the reference potential. A comparator arrangement, during the dead time, determines a time difference between such times at which the electrical potentials at the first and second node each assume a given potential value, the time difference being a measure for the change with time of the output voltage.

Abstract: A signal transmitting device and a method for transmitting via a signal transmitting device is disclosed. In one embodiment the transmitting device comprises a first resonant circuit with a resonant circuit inductance and a resonant circuit capacitance and a second resonant circuit with a resonant circuit inductance and a resonant circuit capacitance, a coupling element which couples the first resonant circuit to the second resonant circuit, a first excitation circuit, coupled to the first resonant circuit, and at least one further excitation circuit coupled to the second resonant circuit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a protection circuit for protecting a half-bridge circuit. The protection circuit detects an incorrect response of the half-bridge by monitoring the current of a first switch at a series resistor of a second switch. The protection circuit has a detector for detecting the voltage across the resistor and an evaluation circuit which is designed in such a manner that it evaluates an output signal from the detector after the first switch has been switched on and provides a fault signal at an output when the voltage across the resistor is greater than the threshold voltage.

Abstract: A charge pump for transmitting energy and data has a primary side, a secondary side and a first coupling capacitance by way of which the primary side is connected to the secondary side, wherein the primary side is designed to periodically transmit energy in the form of a charge packet to the secondary side with the first coupling capacitance during a charge pump interval, the primary side being designed to impress an item of data on the charge pump interval by modulation, wherein the secondary side is designed to receive the item of data by demodulating the charge pump interval, wherein the secondary side is designed to impress an item of data on the charge pump interval by modulation, and wherein the primary side is designed to receive the item of data by demodulation of the charge pump interval.

Abstract: A signal transmission arrangement includes a transformer with a first and a second winding. A damping circuit has an input terminal for receiving an input signal. The damping circuit is coupled to the first winding and is configured to have an electrical resistance that is dependent on the input signal. An oscillator circuit includes the second winding and is configured to provide an oscillating signal. An evaluation circuit is configured to receive the oscillating signal and to provide an output signal that is dependent on an amplitude of the oscillating signal.