阅读说明：本技术 转换电路 (Switching circuit ) 是由 赵韦翔 庄博钦 于 2020-04-01 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种转换电路,包含功率装置、电压控制电路及触发电路。功率装置包含控制端。电压控制电路包含输出端及控制端。电压控制电路的输出端电性连接于功率装置的控制端。电压控制电路用以输出具有第一电压准位的驱动信号。触发电路包含输出端及感测端。触发电路的输出端电性连接于电压控制电路的控制端,触发电路的感测端电性连接于功率装置。(A conversion circuit comprises a power device, a voltage control circuit and a trigger circuit. The power device includes a control terminal. The voltage control circuit comprises an output end and a control end. The output end of the voltage control circuit is electrically connected to the control end of the power device. The voltage control circuit is used for outputting a driving signal with a first voltage level. The trigger circuit comprises an output end and a sensing end. The output end of the trigger circuit is electrically connected to the control end of the voltage control circuit, and the sensing end of the trigger circuit is electrically connected to the power device.)

1. A conversion circuit, comprising:

a power device including a control terminal;

a voltage control circuit, including an output terminal and a control terminal, the output terminal of the voltage control circuit being electrically connected to the control terminal of the power device, wherein the voltage control circuit is used for outputting a driving signal having a first voltage level; and

and the trigger circuit comprises an output end and a sensing end, wherein the output end of the trigger circuit is electrically connected to the control end of the voltage control circuit, and the sensing end of the trigger circuit is electrically connected to the power device.

2. The conversion circuit of claim 1, wherein the sensing terminal of the trigger circuit is electrically connected to the control terminal of the power device, and when the power device is configured to perform power conversion according to the driving signal, the trigger circuit is configured to be turned on in response to a voltage level of the control terminal of the power device to adjust a voltage level of the control terminal of the voltage control circuit, such that the voltage control circuit is configured to output the driving signal, and the driving signal has a second voltage level.

3. The conversion circuit of claim 1, wherein the trigger circuit further comprises:

a first capacitor electrically connected to the control terminal of the power device; and

the first switch element is electrically connected between the control end of the voltage control circuit and a reference end, and a control end of the first switch element is electrically connected to the first capacitor.

4. The conversion circuit of claim 1, wherein the power device further comprises a first terminal electrically connected to the sensing terminal of the trigger circuit, the voltage control circuit is configured to output the driving signal having the first voltage level to the power device when the first terminal of the power device has a predetermined voltage level, and the power device is configured to perform power conversion according to the first voltage level of the driving signal; when the first terminal of the power device has an operating voltage level different from the preset voltage level, the trigger circuit is used for responding to the operating voltage level of the first terminal and conducting so as to adjust a voltage level of the control terminal of the voltage control circuit, and the driving signal output by the voltage control circuit has a second voltage level.

5. The conversion circuit of claim 4, wherein the power device further comprises a second terminal electrically connected to a reference terminal, and the triggering circuit further comprises:

a second switch element electrically connected between the first end of the power device and the reference end, a control end of the second switch element being electrically connected to the output end of the voltage control circuit; and

and a third switching element electrically connected between the control end of the voltage control circuit and the reference end, wherein a control end of the third switching element is electrically connected to the second switching element.

6. The conversion circuit of claim 4, wherein the trigger circuit further comprises:

and a rectifier element electrically connected between the first end of the power device and the control end of the trigger circuit, wherein the rectifier element is conducted when the voltage difference on the rectifier element is greater than a forward voltage.

7. The conversion circuit of claim 1, wherein the drive signal is generated by the voltage control circuit in response to a voltage difference on the control terminal of the voltage control circuit.

8. The conversion circuit of claim 7, wherein the voltage control circuit further comprises:

a voltage controlled switch, comprising:

a drain electrode electrically connected to an input end of the voltage control circuit;

a source electrode electrically connected to the output end of the voltage control circuit;

a grid electrode which is electrically connected with the control end of the voltage control circuit; and

a clamping circuit, comprising:

a first end electrically connected to the gate of the voltage control switch; and

and a second terminal electrically connected to a reference terminal, wherein the voltage across the first terminal and the second terminal of the clamping circuit is clamped at a predetermined level.

9. The conversion circuit of claim 1, wherein the voltage control circuit comprises a clamp circuit.

10. The conversion circuit of claim 9, wherein the clamping circuit comprises a plurality of clamping elements connected in series, and the trigger circuit is electrically connected between two of the clamping elements.

11. The conversion circuit of claim 1, wherein the voltage control circuit comprises:

a buffer electrically connected to the control terminal of the power device; and

and the adjusting circuit is electrically connected to the buffer, wherein a control end of the adjusting circuit is electrically connected to the trigger circuit.

12. The conversion circuit of claim 11, wherein the regulation circuit is configured to output a control voltage to the buffer to control a voltage level of the driving signal, and the voltage level of the control voltage is adjusted in response to the voltage level of the control terminal of the regulation circuit.

13. The conversion circuit of claim 1, wherein the power device comprises a gallium nitride switching device, a MOSFET switching device, an insulated gate bipolar transistor switching device, a silicon carbide switching device, a relay switching device, or combinations thereof.

14. The conversion circuit of claim 1, wherein the voltage control circuit, the power device, and the trigger circuit are integrated or packaged together with a system-in-package, a system-on-a-chip, or a 3D integrated circuit.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a power supply device, and more particularly, to a conversion circuit in a power supply device.

Background

For the conversion circuits currently used in power converters, the supply voltage is designed according to the rated voltage at which the semiconductor device can be driven. Accordingly, one or more additional voltage regulators are needed to regulate the system supply power to meet the voltage requirements of the conversion circuits and semiconductor devices.

Disclosure of Invention

Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a conversion circuit including a power device, a voltage control circuit, and a trigger circuit. The power device includes a control terminal. The voltage control circuit comprises an output end and a control end. The output end of the voltage control circuit is electrically connected to the control end of the power device. The voltage control circuit is used for outputting a driving signal with a first voltage level. The trigger circuit comprises an output end and a sensing end. The output end of the trigger circuit is electrically connected to the control end of the voltage control circuit, and the sensing end of the trigger circuit is electrically connected to the power device

The following general description and the following detailed description are to be understood as exemplary and are intended to provide further explanation of the disclosure as claimed in the presently disclosed patent application.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conversion circuit shown in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 is a voltage waveform diagram of a control terminal of a power device shown in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3A is a schematic diagram of a conversion circuit shown in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3B is a schematic diagram of a conversion circuit shown in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a conversion circuit shown in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 5A is a schematic diagram of a conversion circuit shown in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 5B is a schematic diagram of a conversion circuit shown in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic diagrams illustrating the integration of a voltage controlled switch, a power device, and a trigger circuit according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; and

fig. 7A and 7B are schematic diagrams illustrating integration of a logic circuit, a driver buffer, and a voltage control circuit according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

Wherein the reference numerals are as follows:

100 switching circuit

120 driving signal generator

122 logic circuit

124 drive buffer

140 voltage control circuit

140a input terminal

140b output terminal

140c control terminal

141 voltage control switch

142 clamp circuit

142a first end

142b second end

160 power device

160a first end

160b second end

160c control terminal

180 trigger circuit

180a output terminal

180b sensing terminal

240 voltage control circuit

240a input terminal

240b output terminal

240c control terminal

340 voltage control circuit

340a input terminal

340b output terminal

340c control terminal

600a chip

600b chip

610a substrate

610b substrate

700a chip

700b chip

710a substrate

710b substrate

Nr reference terminal

PWM pulse width modulation signal

ST1 Schmitt trigger

DSx signal

PS1 protection signals

AND1 AND gate

UVLO1 undervoltage locking circuit

Da Zener diode

Db Zener diode

T1 first switch element

T2 second switch element

T3 third switch element

T4 fourth switch element

R1 first resistor

R2 second resistor

C1 first capacitor

V1 first voltage level

V2 second voltage level

P1 first Charge cycle

P2 second Charge cycle

S0 original signal

S1 drive signal

Sc control voltage

VDD input voltage

Detailed Description

In the following description, numerous implementation details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that these implementation details are not to be interpreted as limiting the invention. That is, in some embodiments of the invention, such implementation details are not necessary. In addition, some conventional structures and elements are shown in the drawings in a simple schematic manner for the sake of simplifying the drawings.

When an element is referred to as being "connected" or "coupled," it can be referred to as being "electrically connected" or "electrically coupled. "connected" or "coupled" may also be used to indicate that two or more elements are in mutual engagement or interaction. Moreover, although terms such as "first," "second," …, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these terms are used merely to distinguish one element or operation from another element or operation described in similar technical terms. Unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the terms do not specifically refer or imply an order or sequence nor are they intended to limit the invention.

Please refer to fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conversion circuit 100 according to an embodiment of the disclosure. As shown in fig. 1, the conversion circuit 100 includes a voltage control circuit 140, a power device 160, and a trigger circuit 180. Structurally, the power device 160 includes a first terminal 160a, a second terminal 160b, and a control terminal 160 c. The second end 160b is electrically connected to the reference end Nr. The control terminal 160c is used for receiving the driving signal S1, such that the power device 160 can be driven in response to the first voltage level of the driving signal S1. The power device 160 operates in a first state (e.g., a normal operating state) to perform power conversion. In other variations, the power device 160 may be a power conversion element applied in various power supply devices, such as: buck converter (buck converter), boost converter (boost converter), buck-boost converter (buck-boost converter) or any device with a power switch. For example, the power device 160 may include a gallium nitride switching device, a MOSFET switching device, an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) switching device, a bipolar transistor (BJT) switching device, a silicon carbide switching device, a relay switching device, or a combination thereof.

The voltage control circuit 140 is electrically connected to the power device 160 to provide the driving signal S1 to the power device 160. In some embodiments, the voltage control circuit 140 includes an input terminal 140a, an output terminal 140b, and a control terminal 140 c. The output terminal 140b is electrically connected to the control terminal 160c of the power device 160. The voltage control circuit 140 receives the original signal S0 and outputs a driving signal S1 to the power device 160 according to the original signal S0.

In some embodiments, the conversion circuit 100 further includes a driving signal generator 120 for generating the original signal S0. The driving signal generator 120 is electrically connected to the input end 140a of the voltage control circuit 140. The driving signal generator 120 includes a logic circuit 122 and a driving buffer 124, and is used for receiving an input voltage VDD from a voltage source and generating a raw signal S0. Details will be described in subsequent paragraphs.

The trigger circuit 180 is used for adjusting the voltage level of the control terminal 140c, so that the voltage level of the driving signal S1 (i.e., the voltage level of the control terminal 160 c) can be changed accordingly. For example: the voltage level of the driving signal S1 is temporarily decreased from the first voltage level to the second voltage level.

In some embodiments, the trigger circuit 180 is electrically connected between the control terminal 160c and the control terminal 140 c. The trigger circuit 180 includes an output terminal 180a and a sensing terminal 180 b. The output end 180a of the trigger circuit 180 is electrically connected to the control end 140c of the voltage control circuit 140, and the sensing end 180b of the trigger circuit 180 is electrically connected to the control end 160c of the power device 160.

In some embodiments, when the power device 160 is configured to perform power conversion according to the first voltage level of the driving signal S1, the trigger circuit 180 is configured to be turned on in response to the voltage level of the control terminal 140c to adjust the voltage level of the control terminal 140c, so that the voltage control circuit 140 is configured to output the driving signal S1 having the second voltage level. The second voltage level is less than the first voltage level.

Accordingly, when the power device 160 is turned on in response to the driving signal S1, the trigger circuit 180 is turned on in response to the voltage level of the control terminal 160c to pull down (pull low) the voltage level of the control terminal 140 c. At this time, the voltage control circuit 140 lowers the voltage level of the driving signal S1 (e.g., changes from the first voltage level to the second voltage level). Therefore, the power device 160 will perform power conversion in the second state to avoid damage (e.g., abnormally large voltage or large current) due to abnormal conditions. In other words, the trigger circuit 180 causes the driving signal S1 to change between two-phase (two-stage) voltage levels. Therefore, the present disclosure will be able to avoid the power device 160 from being damaged due to the abnormal state, so that the gate peak voltage will not affect the driving speed of the power device 160.

In some embodiments, the trigger circuit 180 includes a first capacitor C1, a first switch element T1, and a first point resistor R1. The first capacitor C1 is electrically connected to the control terminal 160C of the power device 160. The first switch device T1 is electrically connected between the control terminal 140c of the voltage control circuit 140 and a reference terminal Nr (e.g., a ground terminal). The control terminal of the first switch element T1 is electrically connected to the first capacitor C1.

Referring to fig. 2, fig. 2 is a waveform diagram illustrating voltage level variations at the control terminal 160 c. The horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the voltage value of the control terminal 160 c. When the power device 160 is turned on in response to the first voltage level of the driving signal S1, the first capacitor starts to be charged, and the control terminal of the first switch element T1 is turned on to the control terminal 160 c. In the first charging period P1, when the voltage level between the first resistor R1 and the first capacitor C1 reaches the threshold voltage of the first switch element T1, the first switch element T1 is turned on according to the voltage level of the control terminal 160C. At this time, since the voltage level of the control terminal 140c is pulled low by the reference terminal Nr, the voltage level of the driving signal S1 outputted by the voltage control circuit 140 is controlled to be the second voltage level V2.

After the second charging period P2, the first capacitor C1 is fully charged, and the first switch element T1 is turned off. At this time, the control terminal 140c is restored to the predetermined level, and the voltage level of the driving signal S1 outputted by the voltage control circuit 140 is controlled to be the first voltage level V1. With the above features, when the voltage control circuit 140 starts outputting the output signal S1 having the first voltage level V1, the power device 160 is easily damaged due to the peak voltage of the driving signal S1. The time lengths of the first charging period P1 and the second charging period P2 are determined by the first capacitor R1 and the first capacitor C1.

The driving signal S1 generated by the voltage control circuit 140 is in response to the voltage level of the control terminal 140c of the voltage control circuit 140. The voltage control circuit 140 may use a variety of different circuit architectures. In some embodiments, the voltage control circuit 140 includes a voltage control switch 141. The voltage control switch 141 includes a drain, a source, and a gate. The drain is electrically connected to the input end 140a of the voltage control circuit 140. The source is electrically connected to the output end 140b of the voltage control circuit 140. Gate voltage control circuit 140 controls the voltage at control terminal 140c of circuit 140.

Voltage control circuit 140 is normally on in response to a zero gate-source voltage at control terminal 140 c. The voltage control switch 141 may include a depletion-mode metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) switch device to realize a normal operation in response to a zero gate-source voltage of the control terminal 140c, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the voltage controlled switch 141 may comprise other suitable semiconductor devices having similar channel current versus gate voltage characteristics to implement the voltage controlled switch 141. Alternatively, the voltage control switch 141 may include a depletion mode MOSFET switch device, an enhancement mode MOSFET switch device, or a combination thereof.

In some embodiments, the voltage control circuit 140 further comprises a clamping circuit 142. The first end 142a of the clamping circuit 142 is electrically connected to the gate of the voltage control switch 140. The second end 142b of the clamping circuit 142 is electrically connected to the reference terminal Nr. The voltage across the first terminal 142a and the second terminal 142b of the clamping circuit 142 is clamped at a predetermined level. In some embodiments, the clamping circuit 142 further comprises two zener diodes Da and Db connected in series. The control terminal 140c is located between the zener diodes Da and Db. The threshold voltage of the voltage control circuit 140 is negative, and the voltage control circuit 140 is configured to be off (off) when the gate-source voltage is less than the negative threshold voltage Vth. In some embodiments, the threshold voltage Vth is a threshold voltage of the MOSFET switching device. For example, in some embodiments, the threshold voltage of a normally-on device is between-0.1 volts and-20 volts. Therefore, in the case that the voltage level of the original signal S0 is higher than the specific value, the voltage level of the driving signal S1 is clamped by the voltage control circuit 140 in response to the threshold voltage Vth of the voltage control switch circuit 140. In addition, the voltage level of the original signal S0 is higher than the voltage level of the driving signal S1 because the voltage level of the driving signal S1 is clamped by the voltage control circuit 140.

Fig. 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams of a voltage control circuit according to some embodiments of the disclosure. In the embodiment of fig. 3A and 3B, the elements shown in fig. 1 are labeled with the same reference numerals to facilitate understanding. In addition to the required interrelationships between the elements of FIGS. 3A and 3B, the detailed operations of like elements that have been discussed at great detail above will be omitted for the sake of brevity.

In some embodiments, referring to fig. 3A, the voltage control circuit 240 has an input terminal 240a, an output terminal 240b and a control terminal 240c, and includes a clamp circuit. The clamp circuit includes clamp elements D1 and D2 connected in series. The trigger circuit 180 is electrically connected between the control terminal 240c (i.e., the node between the clamping devices D1 and D2). In some alternative embodiments, the clamping elements D1, D2 may be implemented by a plurality of diodes or zener diodes. In other embodiments, the clamp circuit may be implemented by a plurality of electrically connected MOSFET transistors. The gate of one of the MOSFET transistors is electrically connected to the source or the drain of the other MOSFET transistor. The number of diodes or MOSFET transistors may be adjusted according to actual requirements, and thus the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment shown in fig. 3A. The original signal S0 is clamped to the clamp circuit of the voltage control circuit 240 and forms the driving signal S1. When the trigger circuit 180 is turned on, the control terminal 160c is turned on to the reference terminal Nr, so that the voltage level of the driving signal S1 is changed accordingly.

In some embodiments, referring to fig. 3B, the voltage control circuit 340 has an input terminal 340a, an output terminal 340B and a control terminal 340c, and includes a buffer 341 and a regulating circuit 342. The buffer 341 is electrically connected to the control terminal 160 c. The adjusting circuit 342 is electrically connected to the buffer 341. The control terminal of the regulating circuit 342 is used as the control terminal 340c of the voltage control circuit 340 and is electrically connected to the trigger circuit 180. The regulating circuit 342 outputs the control voltage Sc to the positive control terminal of the buffer 341 to control the voltage level of the driving signal S1 outputted by the buffer 341. When the trigger circuit 180 is turned on, the control terminal of the regulating circuit 342 is turned on at the reference terminal Nr, so that the voltage level of the control terminal of the regulating circuit 342 is lowered. At this time, the voltage level of the control circuit Sc is adjusted in response to the voltage level of the control terminal of the regulating circuit 342. Since the operation of the regulating circuit 342 can be understood by those skilled in the art, it is not described herein.

In addition, referring to fig. 1, in some embodiments, the driving signal generator 120 includes a logic circuit 122 and a driving buffer 124, and is configured to receive an input voltage VDD from a voltage source and generate a raw signal S0. Specifically, the input voltage VDD is used to supply the power required by the logic circuit 122 and the driving buffer 124. In some embodiments, the logic circuit 122 is configured to generate the original signal S0 according to the pwm signal.

For example, as shown in fig. 1, the logic circuit 122 may include a Schmitt (Schmitt) trigger ST1, an Under-Voltage Lockout (UVLO) circuit UVLO1, AND an AND gate AND 1. The Schmitt trigger ST1 is used to receive a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal and output a signal DSx, wherein the value of the signal DSx is maintained at that value until the PWM signal PWM at the input terminal changes sufficiently enough to trigger a change.

The under-voltage lockout circuit UVLO1 is used to monitor the input voltage VDD and provide a protection signal PS1 in the event of an under-voltage condition. The AND gate AND1 is coupled to the Schmitt trigger ST1 AND the input side of the under-voltage lockout circuit UVLO1, AND performs an AND operation (AND operation) in response to the received signals to output the original signal S0 accordingly. The original signal S0 is transmitted to the driver buffer 124 coupled to the logic circuit 122, and the driver buffer 124 is used for outputting the original signal S0 via an output terminal, but the circuit structure of the driving signal generator 120 is not limited thereto.

In the above embodiment, the trigger circuit 180 is turned on in response to the voltage level of the control terminal 160 c. However, in some other embodiments, the trigger circuit 180 may be turned on in response to the voltage level of each terminal of the power device 160. Referring to fig. 4, fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a conversion circuit according to a portion of the present disclosure. In the embodiment of fig. 4, the elements shown in fig. 1 are labeled with the same reference numerals to facilitate understanding. In addition to the required interrelationships between the elements of FIG. 4, the detailed operations of like elements that have been discussed at great detail above will be omitted for the sake of brevity.

As shown in fig. 4, the conversion circuit 100 structurally includes a driving signal generator 120, a power device 160, a voltage control circuit 140, and a trigger circuit 280. The trigger circuit 280 is electrically connected between the first terminal 160a of the power device 160 and the control terminal 140c of the voltage control circuit 140. In some embodiments, the trigger circuit 280 includes an output terminal 280a and a sensing terminal 280 b. The output end 280a of the trigger circuit 280 is electrically connected to the control end 140c of the voltage control circuit 140, and the sensing end 280b of the trigger circuit 180 is electrically connected to the first end of the power device 160.

When the power device 160 operates in the first state and the first terminal 160a has the predetermined voltage level, the voltage control circuit 140 is configured to output the driving signal S1 having the first voltage level to the power device 160. The power device is used for performing power conversion according to the first voltage level of the driving signal S1. On the other hand, when the first terminal 160a of the power device 160 has an operating voltage level different from the predetermined voltage level (for example, the operating voltage level is much larger than the predetermined voltage level, or a large current flows through the power device 160), at this time, the trigger circuit 280 is configured to be turned on in response to the operating voltage level of the first terminal 160a to adjust the voltage level of the control terminal 140c, so that the voltage control circuit 140 is configured to output the driving signal S1 having the second voltage level. The second voltage level is less than the first voltage level.

Accordingly, if a large current exceeding the limit range passes through the power device 160 while the power device 160 is operating in the first state and performing power conversion, the trigger circuit 280 will be turned on in response to the voltage level of the first terminal 160a to pull down the voltage level of the control terminal 140 c. At this time, the voltage control circuit 140 lowers the voltage level of the driving signal S1 (e.g., changes from the first voltage level to the second voltage level). Therefore, the power device 160 will perform power conversion in the second state to avoid damage caused by a large voltage (spike) or an abnormal large current at the gate moment. As in the previous embodiment, the trigger circuit 280 enables the voltage level of the driving signal S1 to be controlled to change between two phases. Accordingly, the voltage level of the driving signal S1 is maintained at the second voltage level until the first terminal 160a recovers to the predetermined voltage level, and the trigger circuit 280 is turned off accordingly.

Referring to fig. 4, in some embodiments, the trigger circuit 280 includes a second switch device T2, a third switch device T3, and a second resistor R2. The second switch element T2 is electrically connected between the first terminal 160a and the reference terminal Nr. The control terminal of the second switch device T2 is electrically connected to the output terminal 140 b. The third switching element T3 is electrically connected between the control terminal of the voltage control circuit 140c and the reference terminal Nr. The control terminal of the third switch element T3 is electrically connected to the second switch element T2. In some embodiments, the second switch element T2 is further electrically connected to the reference terminal Nr through the second resistor R2, and the control terminal of the third switch element T3 is electrically connected to the reference terminal through the second resistor R2.

Since the voltage across the second switching element T2 is equal to the voltage across the power device 160, the power device 160 and the second switching element T2 can be turned on or off synchronously. When the first terminal 160a has an operating voltage level different from the predetermined voltage level, the third switching element T3 is turned on to decrease the voltage level of the control terminal 140c of the voltage control circuit 140. Then, the voltage level of the driving signal S1 can be adjusted to the second voltage level, so as to prevent the power device 160 from being damaged due to the abnormal large current.

In fig. 5A to 5B, similar components related to the embodiment of fig. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals for easy understanding, and the specific principles of the similar components have been described in detail in the previous paragraphs, which are not repeated herein unless necessary for introduction due to the cooperative operation relationship between the components of fig. 5A to 5B. Referring to FIG. 5A, in some embodiments, the trigger circuit 380 includes an output terminal 380a and a sensing terminal 380 b. The output terminal 380a of the trigger circuit 380 is electrically connected to the control terminal 240c of the voltage control circuit 240, and the sensing terminal 380b of the trigger circuit 380 is electrically connected to the first terminal 160a of the power device 160.

The trigger circuit 380 includes a rectifying element T4. The rectifying device T4 is electrically connected to the first terminal 160a of the power device 160 and the control terminal 240c of the voltage control circuit 240. When the voltage across the rectifying device T4 is greater than the forward voltage, the rectifying device T4 is turned on. For example: in the case that the power device 160 is turned on reversely, if the first terminal 160a has an operating voltage level different from the predetermined voltage level by the power device 160 becoming larger, the rectifying device T4 will be turned on to adjust (e.g., decrease) the voltage level of the control terminal 240 c. The rectifying element T4 may be a diode, a rectifying element, or a unidirectional switch, but is not limited thereto.

Referring to fig. 5B, the trigger circuit 380 can be applied to the voltage control circuit 340. Similarly, in the embodiments shown in fig. 4 and fig. 5A to 5B, the trigger circuits 280 and 380 can be applied to the o-voltage control circuit 140, the voltage control circuit 240 or the voltage control circuit 340. In other words, the voltage control circuit 140 shown in fig. 4 (the voltage control circuits 240 and 340 shown in fig. 5A to 5B) is only one embodiment of the disclosure, and is not used to limit the circuit architecture of the voltage control circuit. The voltage control circuit in the conversion circuit may be implemented in other circuit architectures, such as the voltage control circuits 140, 240, 340 shown in fig. 4-5B.

Referring to fig. 6A and 6B, fig. 6A and 6B are schematic diagrams illustrating a voltage control circuit 140, a power device 160, and a trigger circuit 180 according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

Corresponding to the embodiment of fig. 1, as shown in fig. 6A, in some embodiments, the normally-on voltage control switch 141, the power device 160, and the trigger circuit 180 are integrated or packaged together with a System on Chip (SoC) on a substrate 610a to form a Chip 600 a. As shown in fig. 6B, in some embodiments, the normally-on voltage-controlled switch 141, the power device 160 and the trigger circuit 180 are integrated or packaged together with a System In Package (SiP) on a substrate 610B to form a chip 600B. In various embodiments, the system and package dies may be stacked vertically or tiled horizontally and interconnected by wires that are fixed to the package.

In other words, in various embodiments, the voltage control circuit 140, the power device 160, and the trigger circuit 180 may be integrated or packaged together with a system-in-package, a system-on-a-chip, a 3D integrated circuit, and the like.

Please refer to fig. 7A and 7B. Fig. 7A and 7B are schematic diagrams illustrating integration of the driving signal generator 120 and the voltage control circuit 140 according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Corresponding to the embodiment in fig. 1, as shown in fig. 7A, in some embodiments, the logic circuit 122, the driver buffer 124, and the voltage control circuit 140 are integrated or packaged together with a system-on-a-chip on a substrate 710a to form a chip 700 a. As shown in fig. 7B, in some embodiments, the logic circuit 122, the driver buffer 124, and the voltage control circuit 140 are integrated or packaged together with a System In Package (SiP) on a substrate 710B to form a chip 700B.

In other words, in some embodiments, the driving signal generator 120 and the voltage control circuit 140 can be integrated or packaged with a system-in-package, a system-on-a-chip, a 3D integrated circuit, etc., similar to the application of the voltage control circuit 140 and the power device 160.

In some embodiments, the driving signal generator 120, the voltage control circuit 140, the power device 160 and the trigger circuit 180 may be integrated or packaged together with a system-in-package, a system-on-a-chip, a 3D integrated circuit, etc., and for the sake of brevity, further explanation is omitted here.

In addition, the elements in the above embodiments may be implemented by various digital or analog circuits, or may be implemented by different integrated circuit chips. Each of the components may also be integrated into a single chip. It should be noted that in practical applications, the circuit may be implemented as a Micro Controller Unit (MCU), or implemented in different manners, such as a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The switches and transistors may be implemented by suitable electronic components. For example: the switch may use power semiconductor devices including, but not limited to: insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs), Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs), silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET transistors, or mechanical switches, such as various types of relays. The normally-on switching device may be a gallium nitride transistor or a semiconductor device having similar IV characteristics. The transformer, the diode, the resistor, the capacitor unit and/or the inductor unit may be implemented by suitable electronic components. The above list is exemplary only and is not meant to be a limitation of the present disclosure.

Various elements, method steps or technical features of the foregoing embodiments may be combined with each other, and are not limited by the order of description or the order of presentation of the figures in the present disclosure.

Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and therefore, the scope of the present disclosure is to be defined by the appended claims.