Patent ID: 6191640
Filing Date: 2001-02-20
Classification: H03K

Abstract:
A driving method for turning a turn-off thyristor having at least a gate terminal and a cathode terminal on and off, comprising the following steps:(a) generating a turn-off current for turning off the turn-off thyristor with the aid of a capacitive first energy store which is arranged between the gate terminal and the cathode terminal of the turn-off thyristor;(b) generating a turn-on current for turning on the turn-off thyristor;(c) generating a holding current for maintaining a turned-on state of the turn-off thyristor;wherein(d) the step of generating the turn-on current includes converting voltage pulses from the capacitive first energy store into a current with the aid of at least one second energy store and the step of generating the holding current includes converting a sequence of said voltage pulses having a variable repetition frequency f1 into a current with the aid of the at least one second energy store.