
Sep.1998
VIII.If some IPM switches are not
used in actual application their
control power supply must still
be applied. The related signal
input terminals should be
pulled up by resistors to the
control power supply (V
D
or
V
SXR
) to keep the unused
switches safely in off-state.
IX. Unused fault outputs must be
tied high in order to avoid noise
pick up and unwanted activa-
tion of internal protection cir-
cuits. Unused fault outputs
should be connected directly to
the +15V of local isolated con-
trol power supply.
6.6.3 Example Interface Circuits
IPM (Intelligent Power Modules)
are designed to use optocoupled
transistors for control input and
fault output interfaces. In most ap-
plications optocouplers will provide
a simple and inexpensive isolated
interface to the system controller.
Figures 6.39 through 6.43 show ex-
ample interface circuits for the four
IPM power circuit configurations.
These circuits use two types of
optocoupled transistors. The con-
trol input on/off signals are trans-
ferred from the system controller
using high speed optocoupled tran-
sistors. Usually high speed optos
require a 0.1
μ
F film or ceramic
decoupling capacitor connected
near their V
CC
and GND pins. The
value of the control input pull up re-
sistor is selected low enough to
avoid noise pick up by the high im-
pedance input and high enough so
that the high speed optotransistor
with its relatively low current trans-
fer ratio can still pull the input low
enough to assure turn on. The cir-
cuits shown use a Hewlett Packard
HCPL-4504 optotransistor. This
opto was chosen mainly for its high
common mode transient immunity
of 15,000V/
μ
s. For reliable opera-
tion in IGBT power circuits
optocouplers should have a mini-
mum common mode noise immu-
nity of 10,000 V/
μ
s. Low speed
optocoupled transistors can be
used for the fault output and brake
input. Slow optos have the added
advantages of lower cost and
higher current transfer ratios. The
example interface circuits use a
Sharp PC817 low speed
optocoupled transistor for the
transfer of brake and fault signals.
Like most low speed optos the
PC817 does not have internal
shielding. Some switching noise
will be coupled through the opto.
An RC filter with a time constant of
about 10ms can be added to the
opto’s output to remove this noise.
The IPMs 1.5ms long fault output
signal will be almost unaffected by
the addition of this filter. When de-
signing interface circuits always fol-
low the interface circuit layout
guidelines given in Section 6.6.2.
Figure 6.38
Interface Circuit Layout for a V-Series IPMs
B
P
N
U
V
W
IPM
IPM
INTERFACE CIRCUIT
PCB
MITSUBISHI SEMICONDUCTORS POWER MODULES MOS
USING INTELLIGENT POWER MODULES