- Patent Title: Insulated gate power device with independently controlled segments
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Application No.: US17388683Application Date: 2021-07-29
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Publication No.: US11437989B2Publication Date: 2022-09-06
- Inventor: Paul M. Moore , Richard A. Blanchard , Vladimir Rodov , Gary M. Hurtz
- Applicant: Pakal Technologies, Inc.
- Applicant Address: US CA San Francisco
- Assignee: Pakal Technologies, Inc.
- Current Assignee: Pakal Technologies, Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US CA San Francisco
- Agency: Patent Law Group
- Agent Brian Ogonowsky
- Main IPC: H03K3/00
- IPC: H03K3/00 ; H03K5/08 ; H03K17/567 ; H02M3/07 ; H03K17/16 ; H01L29/06

Abstract:
A design technique is disclosed that divides up a cellular power switch into different size segments. Each segment is driven by a different driver circuit. The selection of the combination of segments is made to minimize the combined conduction and switching losses of the power switch. For example, for very light loads, switching losses dominate so only a small segment is activated for driving the load. For medium and high load currents, conduction losses become more significant, so additional segments are activated to minimize the total losses. In one embodiment, the number of cells in the segments is binary weighted, such as 1×, 2×, and 4×, so that there are seven different combinations of segments. The drivers may be configured to achieve the same or different slew rates of the segments, such as to reduce transients. The segments may all be in the same die or a plurality of dies.
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