Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a split-gate transistor connected between a drain electrode (output electrode OUT) and a ground electrode and having a plurality of individually controllable channel regions; an active clamp circuit configured to limit the output voltage VOUT appearing at the output electrode to a clamp voltage or below; and a gate control circuit configured to raise the ON resistance of the split-gate transistor gently (or stepwise) after the split-gate transistor is switched from the ON state to the OFF state before the active clamp circuit limits the output voltage VOUT.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a well, formed in the semiconductor substrate; an output terminal, electrically connected to the semiconductor substrate; a ground terminal, configured to receive a ground voltage; a detection signal generating circuit, configured to generate a negative current detection signal when an output voltage present at the output terminal is detected to be less than the ground voltage; and a control circuit, configured to apply the ground voltage or the output voltage to the well in response to the negative current detection signal. The detection signal generating circuit includes: a comparator, configured to generate the negative current detection signal by comparing an output detection voltage with the ground voltage or the threshold voltage; a bias circuit, configured to switch between applying the output voltage or a bias voltage as the output detection voltage; and a clamp circuit.

Abstract: In order both to accommodate instantaneous current as well as overcurrent protection in accordance with the load, an overcurrent protection circuit has: a threshold value generation unit that, in accordance with a threshold value control signal, switches between setting an overcurrent detection threshold value to a first set value (?Iref) and a second set value (?Iset) lower than the first set value; an overcurrent detection unit that compares a sense signal in accordance with the current being monitored and the overcurrent detection value and generates an overcurrent protection signal; a reference value generation unit that generates a reference value (?Iset) in accordance with the seconds set value; a comparison unit that compares the sense signal and the reference value, and generates a comparison signal; and a threshold value control unit that monitors the comparison signal, and generates a threshold value control signal.

Abstract: An overcurrent protection circuit that limits a current to be monitored based on a current limit signal includes: a first transistor and a second transistor configured to form an amplifier input stage that receives input of a detection signal according to the current to be monitored; a third transistor configured to generate a current output signal according to a difference between the detection signal and a reference signal, and configured to form an amplifier output stage that inputs the current output signal as a negative feedback to the amplifier input stage; and a current mirror circuit configured to generate the current limit signal by replicating a signal based on the current output signal.

Abstract: An example switch device includes a switching element to connect/disconnect a current path from a power supply terminal to a ground terminal via a load, and an overcurrent protection circuit to limit output current flowing in the switching element to be an overcurrent limit value or less. When an output short circuit of the load is detected, the overcurrent protection circuit decreases the overcurrent limit value to be lower as a power supply voltage is higher. The overcurrent protection circuit includes a reference current generation portion that includes: a differential amplifier portion, an upper side current generation portion arranged to generate a predetermined an upper side current, a lower side current generation portion arranged to generate a lower side current, and a difference current generation portion arranged to output a difference current based on the lower side current and the upper side current, as the reference current.

Abstract: Disclosed is a gate control circuit that generates a gate control signal of an output transistor connected between an application end of a power supply voltage and an application end of an output voltage. The gate control circuit includes a first current source connected between the application end of the power supply voltage and the application end of the output voltage, a second current source connected between an application end of a booster voltage and an application end of a reference voltage, the booster voltage being raised to a voltage value higher than the power supply voltage in a steady state, an output stage that uses at least one of the first and second current sources to generate a gate charge current for charging a gate of the output transistor, and a controller that uses at least one of the first and second current sources according to the output voltage.

Abstract: In order both to accommodate instantaneous current as well as overcurrent protection in accordance with the load, an overcurrent protection circuit has: a threshold value generation unit that, in accordance with a threshold value control signal, switches between setting an overcurrent detection threshold value to a first set value (? Iref) and a second set value (? Iset) lower than the first set value; an overcurrent detection unit that compares a sense signal in accordance with the current being monitored and the overcurrent detection value and generates an overcurrent protection signal; a reference value generation unit that generates a reference value (? Iset) in accordance with the seconds set value; a comparison unit that compares the sense signal and the reference value, and generates a comparison signal; and a threshold value control unit that monitors the comparison signal, and generates a threshold value control signal.

Abstract: An overcurrent protection circuit, for example, comprises: an overcurrent detection unit configured to compare monitoring target current and an overcurrent detection threshold value; a current interruption unit configured to interrupt the monitoring target current when the monitoring target current reaches the overcurrent detection threshold value; an interruption cancellation unit configured to cancel the interruption of the monitoring target current at the elapse of a first time after the monitoring target current has reached the overcurrent detection threshold value; and a threshold control unit configured to lower the overcurrent detection threshold value at the elapse of the first time after the monitoring target current has reached the overcurrent detection threshold value.

Abstract: An overcurrent protection circuit includes a hiccup controller which is configured to hiccup-drive a switching element such that an on-period and an off-period alternate. The hiccup controller controls at least one of the on- and off-period according to a temperature sense signal. The temperature sense signal can be generated by detecting at least one of temperature of the switching element and a difference in temperature between the switching element and another element. When at least one of temperature of the switching element and the difference in temperature between the switching element and the other element is higher than a predetermined threshold value, the hiccup controller can reduce the on-period ton and increase the off-period.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an overcurrent protection circuit configured to, upon detection of an output current that flows through a switch element reaching a first overcurrent limit value, reduce an overcurrent limit value for the output current from the first overcurrent limit value to a second overcurrent limit value smaller than the first overcurrent limit value.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an overcurrent protection circuit configured to, upon detection of an output current that flows through a switch element reaching a first overcurrent limit value, reduce an overcurrent limit value for the output current from the first overcurrent limit value to a second overcurrent limit value smaller than the first overcurrent limit value.

Abstract: Provided is an overcurrent protection circuit including an overcurrent detection unit configured to compare an output current flowing through a switch element and a predetermined overcurrent detection value to generate an overcurrent detection signal, an output activation detection unit configured to compare an output voltage and a predetermined threshold voltage to generate an output activation detection signal, a logic unit configured to combine the overcurrent detection signal and the output activation detection signal to generate a logic operation signal, and a diagnostic output unit configured to provide diagnostic output, the logic unit shifting the logic operation signal to a logic level of abnormal state when the overcurrent detection signal is shifted to a logic level of overcurrent detection state and holding the logic operation signal at that logic level, unless the output activation detection signal is shifted to a logic level of output activation state.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is configured to increase energy absorbed by an active clamp. The semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor element, a sealing resin, and a coating member. The semiconductor element includes a first electrode. The sealing resin covers the semiconductor element. The coating member is interposed between the first electrode and the sealing resin. The coating member contains a material with higher thermal conductivity than the sealing resin.

Abstract: An example switch device includes a switching element to connect/disconnect a current path from a power supply terminal to a ground terminal via a load, and an overcurrent protection circuit to limit output current flowing in the switching element to be an overcurrent limit value or less. When an output short circuit of the load is detected, the overcurrent protection circuit decreases the overcurrent limit value to be lower as a power supply voltage is higher. The overcurrent protection circuit includes a reference current generation portion that includes: a differential amplifier portion, an upper side current generation portion arranged to generate a predetermined an upper side current, a lower side current generation portion arranged to generate a lower side current, and a difference current generation portion arranged to output a difference current based on the lower side current and the upper side current, as the reference current.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor region of a first conductivity type having a main surface; a capacitor region of a second conductivity type formed in a surface layer portion of the main surface; and at least one trench structure including a trench formed in the main surface to penetrate the capacitor region, an insulating film covering a wall surface of the trench, and embedded electrodes embedded in the trench so as to form capacitive coupling with the capacitor region through the insulating film.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a first output transistor and a second output transistor configured to be connected between a first terminal and second terminal; an active clamp circuit configured to be connected to a first control terminal of the first output transistor to limit a terminal-to-terminal voltage appearing between the first and second terminals to a clamp voltage or less; a first variable resistive element provided between a node configured to be fed with a control signal and the first control terminal; a second variable resistive element provided between the node and a second control terminal of the second output transistor; and a turn-off circuit configured to be connected to a connection node between the second variable resistive element and the second control terminal so as to be able to turn the second output transistor off.

Abstract: A semiconductor device 1 includes: a split-gate transistor 9 connected between a drain electrode 11 (output electrode OUT) and a ground electrode and having a plurality of individually controllable channel regions; an active clamp circuit 26 configured to limit the output voltage VOUT appearing at the output electrode 11 to a clamp voltage or below; and a gate control circuit 25 configured to raise the ON resistance of the split-gate transistor 9 gently (or stepwise) after the split-gate transistor is switched from the ON state to the OFF state before the active clamp circuit 26 limits the output voltage VOUT.

Abstract: In order both to accommodate instantaneous current as well as overcurrent protection in accordance with the load, an overcurrent protection circuit has: a threshold value generation unit that, in accordance with a threshold value control signal, switches between setting an overcurrent detection threshold value to a first set value (? Iref) and a second set value (? Iset) lower than the first set value; an overcurrent detection unit that compares a sense signal in accordance with the current being monitored and the overcurrent detection value and generates an overcurrent protection signal; a reference value generation unit that generates a reference value (? Iset) in accordance with the seconds set value; a comparison unit that compares the sense signal and the reference value, and generates a comparison signal; and a threshold value control unit that monitors the comparison signal, and generates a threshold value control signal.

Abstract: A switch device includes a switching element that connects/disconnects a current path from a power supply terminal to a ground terminal via a load, and an overcurrent protection circuit that limits output current flowing in the switching element to be an overcurrent limit value or less. When an output short circuit of the load is detected, the overcurrent protection circuit decreases the overcurrent limit value to be lower as a power supply voltage is higher. In addition, the switch device preferably includes a switching element that connects/disconnects a current path from a power supply terminal to a ground terminal via a load, an intermittent control unit that intermittently drives the switching element when an abnormality is detected, and an output voltage monitoring portion that disables the intermittent control unit until an output voltage applied to the load reaches its target value.

Abstract: An overcurrent protection circuit includes a current control part configured to control conductance of a transistor so as to limit an output current flowing when the transistor is turned on to a predetermined upper limit or less, and a duty control part configured to forcibly turning on/off the transistor at a predetermined duty ratio when a temperature protection circuit detects a temperature abnormality in a state where the current control part limits the output current.