US009035689B2

(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 9,035,689 B2

Bhangu et al. (45) Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
(54) THERMAL CONTROLLER FOR (56) References Cited
SEMCONDUCTOR SWITCHING POWER
DEVICES U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
6,967,519 B2 * 1 1/2005 Nakayama et al. ........... 327/380
(71) Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC, London (GB) 7,254,000 B1* 8/2007 Smith et al. ..................... 361.56
2004/O120090 A1 6/2004 Galli et al.
2007,0004.054 A1 1, 2007 Orr
(72) Inventors: Bikramjit Bhangu, Singapore (SG); 2008/0238520 A1 10/2008 de Rooijet al.
Mohamed Halick Mohamed Sathik, 2009/005.1307 A1 2/2009 Katsuyama et al.
Singapore (SG); Sivakumar Nadarajan, 2010, 0046123 A1 2/2010 Fukami
2010, 0080024 A1 4/2010 Wei et al.
Singapore (SG); Chandana Jayampathi 2011/0050324 A1* 3/2011 Jacobson ...................... 327,513
Gajanayake, Singapore (SG) 2012fO248864 A1 10/2012 Ioannidis et al.

(73) Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc, London (GB) FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

GB 2315172 A 1, 1998
(*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this WO WO 2012/042324 A1 4/2012
patent is extended or adjusted under 35 OTHER PUBLICATIONS
U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
Jul. 24, 2013 Search Report issued in United Kingdom Patent Appli
(21) Appl. No.: 14/167,088 cation No. GB1302407.0.
Mar. 27, 2014 Search Report issued in United Kingdom Patent Appli
cation No. GB1317490.9.
(22) Filed: Jan. 29, 2014
* cited by examiner
(65) Prior Publication Data
Primary Examiner — Kenneth Wells
US 2014/O225659 A1 Aug. 14, 2014 (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Oliff PLC
(30) Foreign Application Priority Data (57) ABSTRACT
A thermal controller for driving a gate control unit of a gate
Feb. 12, 2013 (GB) ................................... 13024O7.O driven semiconductor Switching device, the thermal control
Oct. 3, 2013 (GB) ................................... 1317490.9 ler comprising a junction temperature estimation module for
generating an estimated junction temperature for the Switch
ing device, a gate Voltage control module for modifying a gate
(51) Int. Cl. Voltage of the Switching device, a Switching frequency con
HO3K 7/4 (2006.01) trol module for modifying a Switching frequency of the
GOIK 700 (2006.01) Switching device, and a duty cycle control module for modi
(52) U.S. Cl. fying the duty cycle of the Switching device. In use, the
CPC ...... H03K 17/145 (2013.01); HOIL 2924/0002 thermal controller is adapted to activate one of the gate volt
(2013.01) age control module, Switching frequency control module and
(58) Field of Classification Search duty cycle control module dependent upon the estimated
CPC ...................... H03K 17/145; H01L 2924/0002
junction temperature in order to maintain the actual junction
temperature below a pre-determined limit.
USPC ................................... 327/378,513; 374/178
See application file for complete search history. 2 Claims, 10 Drawing Sheets
U.S. Patent May 19, 2015 Sheet 1 of 10 US 9,035,689 B2

ShUtdown mode

Over temperature mode

Normal operating mode

30

Time (s)
F.G. 1
U.S. Patent May 19, 2015 Sheet 2 of 10 US 9,035,689 B2

Case
temperature
Junction
temperature of
the IGBT
POWer OSS Thermal
across GBT impedance

FIG 2
U.S. Patent May 19, 2015 Sheet 3 of 10 US 9,035,689 B2

Tc,
WC, Estimate of junction temperature of
ic, the IGBT is given by ATF Zh. PT

<G>'s y8S yes

No change at gate 1 If TJEst> Tref
input parameter (>5°C) activate loop 1

End
2. If TJEst> Tref
(>10°C) activate loop 2
3. if TEst> Tref
(>15°C)-activate loop 3
in r n - - - - - - ) is n m a. m. m . - - - - - -- - -- rw r- - - -- -- -

Gate Voltage Controller Frequency controller : Duty cycle controller is

is activated to reduce is activated to reduce activated to reduce the
the power loss the power loss avg. Current of load

No change in
load Current

- d - - - - -- w a ru a
U.S. Patent May 19, 2015 Sheet 4 of 10 US 9,035,689 B2

-
O
1.
Her
2
O
O
U.S. Patent May 19, 2015 Sheet 5 of 10 US 9,035,689 B2

,æ-–
r.-+| -++-| ,
0 |9Z870)?,

I.
au?
(s)

0 09

unp

(O) JOLe due

U.S. Patent May 19, 2015 Sheet 6 of 10 US 9,035,689 B2

20
18-- - - ---- VGE = 8V i.
- - - - VGER 9W : : - :
161----- VGE = 10V"r ty-pr; - ----
14- - - - - - - VGE = 12V-i-
12 VGE = 15W:/M.:::...i.
10

0.00 0.50 100 150 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 400 450 5.00
WCEV
FIG 6A

VIV)
FG. 6B
U.S. Patent May 19, 2015 Sheet 7 of 10 US 9,035,689 B2

FIG. 7

Fsw (Khz)
FG. 8
U.S. Patent May 19, 2015 Sheet 8 of 10 US 9,035,689 B2

FG 9

out (A)
FIG 10
U.S. Patent May 19, 2015 Sheet 9 of 10 US 9,035,689 B2

FIG 11

Time
F.G. 12
U.S. Patent May 19, 2015 Sheet 10 of 10 US 9,035,689 B2

Shutdown mode

Over temperature mode

Normal operating mode

Time (S)

F.G. 13
 US 9,035,689 B2
1. 2
THERMAL CONTROLLER FOR a junction temperature estimation module for generating
SEMCONDUCTOR SWITCHING POWER an estimated junction temperature for the Switching
DEVICES device;
a Voltage control module for modifying a gate Voltage of
This invention claims the benefit of UK Patent Application the Switching device;
No. 1317490.9, filed on 3 Oct. 2013, and UK Patent Appli a Switching frequency control module for modifying a
cation No. 1302407.0 filed on 12 Feb. 2013, each of which is Switching frequency of the Switching device; and
hereby incorporated herein in its entirety. a duty cycle control module for modifying the duty cycle of
FIELD OF THE INVENTION the Switching device,
10 wherein, in use, the thermal controller is adapted to activate
The present invention relates to a controller for an electri one or more of the gate Voltage control module, Switch
cal Switching device and particularly, but not exclusively, to a ing frequency control module and duty cycle control
thermal controller for a semiconductor Switching device. module dependent upon the estimated junction tempera
ture.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 15 The thermal controller of the present invention manages
the thermal stress of the power device by actively controlling
Many electrical loads ranging from laptop to high power the device junction temperature. The solution offers
motor drives are powered by power electronic converters increased reliability and increased utilization of silicon ther
using power Switching devices such as Insulated Gate Bipolar mal capacity by providing Sustained operation, even under
Junction Transistors (IGBT) or Metal Oxide Substrate Field maximum performance limits.
Effect Transistors (MOSFET). There is an increasing require Optionally, the estimated junction temperature comprises
ment to improve the reliability and availability of such elec the Summation of a case temperature of the Switching device,
trical systems, in particular by the prevention of power and a product of a power loss parameter for the Switching
Switching device failures. device and a thermal impedance of the Switching device.
Two common causes of power Switching device failure are 25 It is known that the junction temperature is a key parameter
electrical faults and thermal stresses. Electrical faults are
typically caused by exposure of the Switching device to over for the correct operation of a gate-driven semiconductor
Voltage, over-current, high rate of change of Voltage or high Switching device. However, it is impractical to directly mea
rate of change of current conditions. Enhanced design of the Sure the junction temperature of Such a Switching device in a
gate drive circuits using de-saturation protection is generally production scenario.
employed to detect electrical stresses, with the gate drive 30 The thermal controller of the present invention uses an
circuit being arranged to rapidly reduce the gate-Voltage for algorithm to estimate the junction temperature and thus more
safe shutdown of the switching device. efficiently determine a control strategy for the Switching
Thermal stresses are generally caused by the exposure of device that ensures that the junction temperature is kept
the Switching device to high currents over extended periods, within the set limits that enable its efficient operation.
high current transient spikes and long exposure to thermal 35 This enables the thermal controller of the present invention
cycling. Many known gate drive circuits do not consider the to provide increased availability of the switching device when
temperature of the Switching device or its case as part of the operated in arduous conditions.
control strategy. Optionally, the power loss parameter comprises a function
Traditionally, the function of the gate driver is to apply the of:
correct Switching signals to the Switching device (for 40 the magnitude of the collector-emitter voltage of the
example, IGBT, MOSFET devices etc.). It also provides pro Switching device;
tective features such as the ability to shut down upon detec the magnitude of the Supply current of the Switching
tion of excessive current, Voltages or device failures. Today, device;
there are some active gate control driver topologies available the magnitude of the Supply Switching frequency of the
in the market but their focus is limited to safe shutdown and
slope control of a Switching signal to reduce the electrical
45 Switching device; and
StreSS. the magnitude of the duty ratio of the Switching device.
A known problem with existing gate drive circuits is that a Accurate power loss determination is important for deter
single point failure or the failure of single Switching device mining the junction temperature of the Switching device. The
will result in the complete shutdown of the system. This is a calculation method used to determine power loss will be
concern in safely critical applications where system shut 50 dependent upon the configuration of the power circuit.
down may be unacceptable. In such applications redundant In general terms, the power loss has two components;
systems may be employed to meet the reliability require Switching loss and conduction loss. These components them
ments. However, this generally results in a complex and selves depend on, for example, turn-on Voltage, device cur
expensive architecture, which requires additional hardware rent, turn-on resistance, Switching frequency, and duty ratio.
and control, impacting system power density. 55 Optionally, the gate Voltage of the Switching device is a
Device over sizing may offer increased margins for the gate-emitter Voltage of the Switching device.
maximum current handling but will result in the design of an Optionally, a turn-on Voltage of the Switching device is a
over sized heat sink and cooling system. Although Such a collector-emitter Voltage of the Switching device.
Solutionisable to dissipate the generated heat, the system cost Turn-on Voltage, or collector-emitter Voltage, when the
and weight will increase. 60 device is in an “ON” state may be used to determine power
loss.
Statements of Invention Optionally, a device current of the switching device is a
collector-emitter current of the switching device.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is Measurement of the magnitude of the collector-emitter
provided athermal controller for driving a gate control unit of 65 Voltage and device current signals provides the thermal con
a gate-driven semiconductor Switching device, the thermal troller with data representative of the operating condition of
controller comprising: the Switching device.
 US 9,035,689 B2
3 4
Optionally, the gate Voltage of the Switching device is generating a second control signal if the calculated junc
preferably within the range of 10 to 18 volts, and more pref tion temperature of the Switching device is higher than
erably is approximately 15 volts. the second reference temperature and lower than a third
The selection of gate voltage may be made to allow for fast reference temperature; and
turn-on and turn-off of the device. generating a third control signal if the calculated junction
Optionally, the Switching frequency of the Switching temperature of the Switching device is higher than the
device is preferably within the range of 2.5 to 7.5 kHz, and third reference temperature;
more preferably is approximately 5 kHz. Optionally, the step of:
In other arrangements, the Switching frequency of the controlling the operating characteristic of the Switching
Switching device may be greater than 7.5 kHz, and may be up 10 device by modifying the drive signal in response to the
to 40 kHz or greater. control signal;
The choice of switching frequency may be determined by comprises the steps of
the specific application and the associated power level of the activating a gate Voltage controller to reduce the power loss
Switching device. In particular, increasing the Switching fre in the Switching device in response to the first control
15 signal;
quency may allow the size of passive components such as activating a frequency controller to reduce the power loss
inductor and capacitor used for filtering to be reduced. How in the Switching device in response to the second control
ever, when the device is operated at a high Switching fre signal; and
quency, the Switching losses may increase. Consequently, the activating a duty cycle controller to reduce the average
final selection of Switching frequency requires consideration current Supplied to the Switching device in response to
of a number of criteria. the third control signal.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there Other aspects of the invention provide devices, methods
is provided a method of controlling an operating characteris and systems which include and/or implement some or all of
tic of a Switching device, the method comprising the steps of the actions described herein. The illustrative aspects of the
transmitting a drive signal to the gate of the Switching 25 invention are designed to solve one or more of the problems
device to thereby operate the switching device; herein described and/or one or more other problems not dis
measuring at least one parameter that is representative of cussed.
the operating condition of the Switching device; BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
using the at least one parameter to generate a control signal; 30
and
controlling the operating characteristic of the Switching There now follows a description of an embodiment of the
device by modifying the drive signal in response to the invention, by way of non-limiting example, with reference
control signal. being made to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 shows a typical junction temperature characteristic
The method of the present invention considers identifying 35 for a gate-driven semiconductor Switching device showing
and controlling appropriate factors (controllable parameters) the three operating modes of athermal controller according to
to ease the power loss, whilst delivering the demanded output an embodiment of the invention;
power. The key controllable parameters that the invention FIG. 2 is a schematic depiction of the junction temperature
uses are gate Voltage, Switching frequency and duty ratio. estimation of the thermal controller of FIG. 1;
Optionally, the step of: 40 FIG. 3 shows a flow chart showing the operating charac
measuring at least one parameter that is representative of teristics of the thermal controller of FIG. 1;
the operating condition of the Switching device; FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the thermal controller of
comprises the step of: FIG. 1:
measuring a collector-emitter Voltage, a Supply current, a FIG. 5 shows typical estimated and measured junction
and a case temperature of the Switching device; and 45 temperatures for the thermal controller of FIG. 1;
the step of FIG. 6A shows a typical characteristic of device current
using the at least one parameter to generate a control signal; and collector-emitter Voltage at different gate-emitter Voltage
comprises the steps of which may be used to calculate part of conduction power loss
generating a calculated junction temperature for the for the thermal controller of FIG. 1;
switching device from the measured collector-emitter 50 FIG. 6B shows the relationship between gate voltage and
Voltage, Supply current, Switching frequency and case power loss for the thermal controller of FIG. 1;
temperature of the Switching device; and FIG. 7 shows a schematic arrangement of the gate Voltage
using the calculated gate junction temperature of the control module of the thermal controller of FIG. 1;
Switching device to generate a control signal. FIG. 8 shows the relationship between switching fre
In addition to collector-emitter Voltage, Supply current and
55 quency and power loss for the thermal controller of FIG. 1;
FIG. 9 shows a schematic arrangement of the switching
acse temperature of the Switching device, other parameters frequency control module of the thermal controller of FIG.1;
may be used to further refine the calculated junction tempera FIG. 10 shows the relationship between output current and
ture for the switching device. power loss for the thermal controller of FIG. 1;
Optionally, the step of: 60 FIG. 11 shows a schematic arrangement of the duty cycle
using the calculated junction temperature of the Switching control module of the thermal controller of FIG. 1;
device to generate a control signal; FIG. 12 shows a typical gate voltage characteristic for the
comprises the steps of thermal controller of FIG. 1 when operating in a shutdown
generating a first control signal if the calculated junction mode; and
temperature of the Switching device is higher than a first 65 FIG.13 shows a typical junction temperature characteristic
reference temperature and lower than a second reference for the thermal controller of FIG. 1 when operating in a
temperature; shutdown mode.
 US 9,035,689 B2
5 6
It is noted that the drawings may not be to scale. The gate driver 160 is designed to softly shutdown the power
drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of the device, by decreasing the gate Voltage.
invention, and therefore should not be considered as limiting The proposed thermal controller 100 is activated once the
the scope of the invention. In the drawings, like numbering junction temperature enters the over temperature region. FIG.
represents like elements between the drawings. 5 3 shows a flow chart of the thermal controller 100, in which
the estimated junction temperature to select activation of
DETAILED DESCRIPTION appropriate control. A block diagram of the complete thermal
controller 100 is shown in FIG. 4. For simplicity, the selection
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a thermal controller according to of the control activation follows a hierarchy process by first
10
a first embodiment of the invention is designated generally by initiating gate Voltage control, followed by Switching fre
the reference numeral 100. quency control and finally the duty cycle control for mini
This thermal controller 100 comprises a junction tempera mum impact on system performance.
ture estimation module 110, a gate Voltage control module When the gate Voltage is increased, there is a correspond
120, a switching frequency control module 130 and a duty 15 ing decrease in the voltage across the switching device 150
cycle control module 140. when conducting (see FIG. 6A). This leads to a reduction in
The thermal controller 100 receives signal inputs from the conduction power loss, as shown in FIG. 6B. Thus the
sensors (not shown) that measure various operational param thermal controller 100 uses the gate voltage for primary con
eters relating to the operation of the semiconductor Switching trol of the conduction power loss and thereby the estimated
device 150. These parameters include the case temperature of junction temperature.
the switching device 150, the switching device collector In the present embodiment, the gate Voltage control mod
emitter Voltage, the Switching device Supply current, and the ule 120 uses a closed loop controller using a simple propor
switching frequency of the switching device 150. tional-integral (PI) arrangement to control the error between
The thermal controller 100 transmits a control signal to a the reference junction temperature and the estimated junction
gate control unit 160. The gate control unit 160 then transmits 25 temperature, as shown in FIG. 7. If the estimated junction
a drive signal to the switching device 150. temperature enters into the over temperature region, the ther
The control strategy of the thermal controller 100 is reliant mal controller 100 will first activate the gate voltage control
on the availability of the junction temperature of the switch module 120 as shown in the control flow diagram in FIG. 3.
ing device 150. Since the junction temperature is not a readily This action results in minimum impact on the system perfor
measurable parameter, the junction temperature estimation 30 aCC.
module 110 estimates the junction temperature using a Generally, the gate voltage can be safely varied between 10
dynamic thermal model, as shown in FIG. 2. and 18 volts. As a standard practice a value of 15 volts is used.
The junction temperature estimation module 110 receives During the Voltage change, the device current is kept con
measured values of Voltage and current, together with data Stant.
sheet information of the switching device 150, to calculate the 35 The thermal controller 100 uses the switching frequency of
power loss (conduction loss, and Switching loss) within the the switching device 150 as a secondary control of the switch
switching device 150 at each sampling interval. The esti ing power loss and thereby the estimated junction tempera
mated power loss and case temperature of the Switching ture. As shown in FIG. 8 it is seen that power loss increases
device 150 are used as inputs to the dynamic thermal model of with an increase in the Switching frequency. It is also known
switching device 150 from which the junction temperature is 40 that such Switching loss is a frequency dependent component.
estimated. Hence, when designing the power converter, the Switching
The performance of the dynamic thermal model has been frequency is set to an optimum value to minimise the Switch
experimentally verified by installing a calibrated thermo ing ripple and minimise the power loss, from which the filter
couple to the gate junction of a typical Switching device 150. inductors and heat sink are appropriately sized.
FIG. 5 shows the correlation between the estimated and mea 45 The thermal controller 100 actively reduces the switching
Sured gate junction temperatures under both steady state and frequency when the switching device 150 enters the over
dynamic load profile. temperature mode of operation (see FIG.1). This reduction in
In use, the operational mode of the thermal controller 100 the switching frequency will reduce the power loss in the
of the invention is determined by the estimated junction tem switching device 150 which in turn leads to a reduction in
perature, as shown in FIG. 2. When the estimated junction 50 junction temperature.
temperature is less than T, the thermal controller 100 allows In the present embodiment, the Switching frequency con
the switching device 150 to operate as normal. trol module 130 uses a closed loop controller (as shown in
When the estimated gate junction temperature exceeds T. FIG. 9), where the reference junction temperature is com
but is less than an over-temperature limit T, the thermal pared with an estimated junction temperature. The Switching
controller 100 is activated and operates in an over-tempera 55 frequency control module 130 is activated once the threshold
ture mode. In this mode, the thermal controller 100 operates reference is reached as shown by the flow chart in FIG. 3.
to reduce the estimated junction temperature by modifying In addition to gate Voltage and Switching frequency, the
the gate Voltage, frequency and the duty cycle to actively conduction power loss is also dependent upon the duty cycle
control the estimated junction temperature. of the switching device, as shown in FIG. 10, which shows
If the estimated junction temperature continues to increase 60 that power loss is reduced when the duty cycle is reduced.
and exceeds a shutdown temperature limit T (typically Furthermore, reducing the duty cycle will also reduce the
approximately 150° C.), the thermal controller 100 enters a device current drawn by the load which results in a reduction
shutdown mode which causes the switching device 150 to in the overall power losses of the system.
switch off. The shutdown mode is included to protect the In a similar manner to that described above for the gate
switching device 150 from excessive over temperature should 65 Voltage and the Switching frequency, the duty cycle control
the thermal controller 100 fail to control the switching device module 140 operates by first comparing the reference junc
gate junction temperature. Under Such circumstances, the tion temperature with the estimated junction temperature.
 US 9,035,689 B2
7 8
Provided the estimated junction temperature is greater than What is claimed is:
T and less than T. and the gate Voltage control module 120 1. A method of controlling an operating characteristic of a
and switching frequency control module 130 have been Switching device, the method comprising the steps of
unable to reduce the estimated junction temperature, the duty transmitting a drive signal to a gate of the Switching device
cycle control module 140 is enabled. to thereby operate the switching device:
The duty cycle control module 140 uses a simple propor measuring at least one parameter that is representative of
an operating condition of the Switching device, wherein
tional (PI) controller to control the duty cycle, as shown in the measuring comprises measuring a collector-emitter
FIG. 11. In the present embodiment, the duty cycle control Voltage, a Supply current, a Switching frequency and a
module 140 uses junction temperature control as an inner 10
case temperature of the Switching device;
control loop, which provides for a rapid response time. It is using the at least one parameter to generate at least one
noted that such a control architecture may disturb the control control signal, wherein the using comprises
and stability of the high level controller. To prevent this sce generating a calculated junction temperature for the
nario, the high level control references are delayed to prevent switching device from the measured collector-emitter
hunting or fighting between the control modules. The duty Voltage, Supply current, Switching frequency and case
cycle control module 140 will activate only once the switch
15 temperature of the Switching device, and
ing frequency control module 130 is saturated and when the generating a first control signal if the calculated junction
temperature of the Switching device is higher than a
estimated junction temperature reaches the T temperature, as first reference temperature and lower than a second
described in flow chart given by FIG. 3. reference temperature; generating a second control
There may be circumstances, for example due to a compo signal if the calculated junction temperature of the
nent failure, in which the thermal controller 100 saturates and Switching device is higher than the second reference
the junction temperature of the switching device 150 cannot temperature and lower thana third reference tempera
be controlled to a required pre-determined limit and so con ture; and generating a third control signal if the cal
tinues to increase. In Such circumstances a safe shutdown of culated junction temperature of the Switching device
the power module is required. 25 is higher than the third reference temperature; and
In the present embodiment, the thermal controller 100 is controlling the operating characteristic of the Switching
able to safely shutdown the power module by controlling the device by modifying the drive signal in response to the at
least one control signal.
gate Voltage. Such a technique results in minimal electrical 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
stress to the power module in terms of the rate of change of 30
controlling the operating characteristic of the Switching
Voltage and rate of change of current. FIG. 12 shows an device by modifying the drive signal in response to the at
example of the variation in the gate Voltage resulting from least one control signal comprises:
Such a shutdown procedure, with a typical temperature profile activating a gate Voltage controller to reduce the power
being shown in FIG. 13. loss in the Switching device in response to the first
The foregoing description of various aspects of the inven 35
control signal;
tion has been presented for purposes of illustration and activating a frequency controller to reduce the power
description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the loss in the Switching device in response to the second
invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously, many control signal; and
modifications and variations are possible. Such modifications activating a duty cycle controller to reduce the average
and variations that may be apparent to a person of skill in the 40
current Supplied to the Switching device in response to
art are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the third control signal.
the accompanying claims. k k k k k