Pulsed gate driver

摘要

A gate driver includes a control input receiving a control signal, an output to provide an amplified output signal to the gate, and controller. The controller produces an adaptive pulse train varying with the control signal. An adaptive incrementer produces a sequence of numbers that set a slew rate of the switch, and a look-up table is fed with the sequence of numbers, and associates the numbers produced by the adaptive incrementer with values representing the duty cycle of the output signal to control the slew rate of the switch. The switch can be driven at various intermediate levels, and allows gate drive conditions to adapted to abnormal system states by varying the control input signal. The adaptive response allows the slew rate to vary without replacing any gate driver circuit components. Because the gate current is provided adaptively, the delivery of gate current results in low power dissipation.

主权项

1. A gate driver for driving a gate of a switch, the gate driver comprising:
a control input which is adapted to receive a control signal; an output which is adapted to provide an amplified output signal to be fed to the gate of the switch for driving the switch; and a controller comprising an adaptive incrementer and a look-up table, wherein the controller is connected between the control input and the output, and is adapted to produce an adaptive pulse train that varies depending on a characteristic of the control signal, wherein the adaptive incrementer is adapted to produce a sequence of numbers, the values of which allow a slew rate of the switch to be set, and wherein the look-up table is adapted to be fed with the sequence of numbers, and to associate the numbers produced by the adaptive incrementer with values representing the duty cycle of the output signal so as to control the slew rate of the switch.