Power conversion system, power module, and semiconductor device

Abstract

A power conversion system includes a high-side circuit and a low-side circuit, a controller communicating with the high-side circuit and the low-side circuit; a first coupling circuit including a wire between the controller and the high-side circuit; and a second coupling circuit including a wire between the controller and the low-side circuit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A power conversion system comprising:
 a high-side circuit and a low-side circuit;   a controller communicating with the high-side circuit and the low-side circuit;   a first coupling circuit including a wire between the controller and the high-side circuit; and   a second coupling circuit including a wire between the controller and the low-side circuit,   wherein the high-side circuit includes:
 a high-side switch coupled between a first power supply terminal to which a first power supply voltage is supplied using a reference power supply voltage as a reference and a load drive terminal, the high-side switch supplying power to a load via the load drive terminal; and 
 a high-side driver driving the high-side switch, 
   wherein the low-side circuit includes:
 a low-side switch coupled between a reference power supply terminal to which the reference power supply voltage is supplied and the load drive terminal, the low-side switch supplying power to the load via the load drive terminal; and 
 a low-side driver driving the low-side switch, and 
   wherein the first coupling circuit includes a diode having an anode coupled to the wire from the controller and a cathode coupled to the wire from the high-side circuit, and   wherein the diode transmits a signal from the controller to the high-side circuit in a period in which the high-side switch is in an OFF state and the low-side switch is in an ON state.   
     
     
         2 . The power conversion system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first coupling circuit includes a pulldown switch coupled between the cathode of the diode and the load drive terminal.   
     
     
         3 . The power conversion system according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the pulldown switch is controlled to be in an ON state for a predetermined period of time as a pre-process in transmitting the signal from the controller to the high-side circuit.   
     
     
         4 . The power conversion system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the diode does not transmit the signal from the controller to the high-side circuit in the period in which the high-side switch is in the ON state and the low-side switch is in the OFF state.   
     
     
         5 . A power conversion system comprising:
 a high-side circuit and a low-side circuit;   a controller communicating with the high-side circuit and the low-side circuit;   a first coupling circuit including a wire between the controller and the high-side circuit; and   a second coupling circuit including a wire between the controller and the low-side circuit,   wherein the high-side circuit includes:
 a high-side switch coupled between a first power supply terminal to which a first power supply voltage is supplied using a reference power supply voltage as a reference and a load drive terminal, the high-side switch supplying power to a load via the load drive terminal; and 
 a high-side driver driving the high-side switch, 
   wherein the low-side circuit includes:
 a low-side switch coupled between a reference power supply terminal to which the reference power supply voltage is supplied and the load drive terminal, the low-side switch supplying power to the load via the load drive terminal; and 
 a low-side driver driving the low-side switch, and 
   wherein the first coupling circuit includes a diode having an anode coupled to the wire from the controller and a cathode coupled to the wire from the high-side circuit, and   wherein the diode transmits a signal from the high-side circuit to the controller in a period in which the high-side switch is in an OFF state and the low-side switch is in an ON state.   
     
     
         6 . The power conversion system according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the first coupling circuit includes a current source supplied with a second power supply voltage lower than the first power supply voltage and flowing a forward current to the diode.   
     
     
         7 . The power conversion system according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the diode does not transmit the signal from the high-side circuit to the controller in the period in which the high-side switch is in the ON state and the low-side switch is in the OFF state.   
     
     
         8 . The power conversion system according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the first coupling circuit further includes a switch inserted in a wire between the controller and the diode, and   wherein the switch is controlled to be in an OFF state in a predetermined period including a timing of switching ON/OFF of the high-side switch and the low-side switch and controlled to be in an ON state in a period other than the predetermined period.   
     
     
         9 . The power conversion system according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the first coupling circuit further includes a low-pass filter inserted in a wire between the controller and the switch.   
     
     
         10 . A power module configured as a single package, the power module comprising:
 a first power supply terminal to which a first power supply voltage is supplied using a reference power supply voltage as a reference;   a reference power supply terminal to which the reference power supply voltage is supplied;   a load drive terminal;   a high-side circuit and a low-side circuit;   a first terminal transmitting or receiving a signal to or from the high-side circuit;   a second terminal transmitting or receiving a signal to or from the low-side circuit;   a first coupling circuit including a wire between the first terminal and the high-side circuit; and   a second coupling circuit including a wire between the second terminal and the low-side circuit,   wherein the high-side circuit includes:
 a high-side transistor coupled between the first power supply terminal and the load drive terminal, the high-side transistor supplying power to a load via the load drive terminal; and 
 a high-side driver driving the high-side transistor, 
   wherein the low-side circuit includes:
 a low-side transistor coupled between the reference power supply terminal and the load drive terminal, the low-side transistor supplying power to the load via the load drive terminal; and 
 a low-side driver driving the low-side transistor, 
   wherein the first coupling circuit includes a diode having an anode coupled to the wire from the first terminal and a cathode coupled to the wire from the high-side circuit, and   wherein the diode transmits a signal received at the first terminal to the high-side circuit in a period in which the high-side transistor is in an OFF state and the low-side transistor is in an ON state.   
     
     
         11 . The power module according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the high-side transistor is formed in a first semiconductor chip,   wherein the low-side transistor is formed in a second semiconductor chip, and   wherein the high-side driver, the low-side driver, and the diode are formed in a third semiconductor chip.   
     
     
         12 . The power module according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein, in the third semiconductor chip, a pulldown transistor coupled between the cathode of the diode and the load drive terminal is formed.