Patent ID: 9689754
Date: 2017-06-27
CPC Classifications: F03D,G01K,H01L

Claim:
1. Method for estimating the temperature of a semiconductor chip accommodated in a power semiconductor device in operation, the method comprising the steps of while the power semiconductor device is in operation, by means of a measuring circuit, determining a voltage drop over the semiconductor chip for a value of applied load current and estimating the temperature of the semiconductor chip by evaluating the relationship between the determined voltage drop and the value of applied load current on the basis of a temperature model, wherein the temperature model comprises parameters for the relationship between the determined voltage drop and the determined applied load current, established by establishing a temperature of the power semiconductor device when the power semiconductor device is not in operation, and determining a voltage drop over the semiconductor chip for at least one predetermined current applied, wherein at least one parameter of the temperature model is established a plurality of times during the lifetime of the power semiconductor device.