Power Integrations, Inc.
External adjustment of a drive control of a switch

Abstract:

A control system to control a conductivity modulated device of a power switching array. The control system comprises a system controller to sense a power event and to output a command signal to adjust a drive characteristic of the conductivity modulated device in response to the sensed power event and a switch controller configured to receive the command signal and to control energy delivery to the load by controlling the turn on and turn off of the conductivity modulated device. The switch controller includes an adjustable drive element to control a rise time and/or fall time of a voltage across the conductivity modulated device and a drive characteristic control to receive the command signal and vary the drive characteristics by control of the adjustable drive element to adjust the rise time and/or fall time of the voltage across the conductivity modulated device in response to the command signal.