Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Cascode current sensor for discrete power semiconductor devices
- Patent Title (中): 用于分立功率半导体器件的串联电流传感器
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Application No.: US11890948Application Date: 2007-08-08
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Publication No.: US07960997B2Publication Date: 2011-06-14
- Inventor: Richard K. Williams
- Applicant: Richard K. Williams
- Applicant Address: US CA Santa Clara
- Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies, Inc.
- Current Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies, Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US CA Santa Clara
- Agency: Patentability Associates
- Main IPC: G01R31/26
- IPC: G01R31/26

Abstract:
A cascode current sensor includes a main MOSFET and a sense MOSFET. The drain terminal of the main MOSFET is connected to a power device whose current is to be monitored, and the source and gate terminals of the main MOSFET are connected to the source and gate terminals, respectively, of the sense MOSFET. The drain voltages of the main and sense MOSFETs are equalized, in one embodiment by using a variable current source and negative feedback. The gate width of the main MOSFET is typically larger than the gate width of the sense MOSFET. Using the size ratio of the gate widths, the current in the main MOSFET is measured by sensing the magnitude of the current in the sense MOSFET. Inserting the relatively large MOSFET in the power circuit minimizes power loss.
Public/Granted literature
- US20090039869A1 Cascode Current Sensor For Discrete Power Semiconductor Devices Public/Granted day:2009-02-12
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