Abstract:
A method controls a power MOS transistor having a control terminal and a load path, the load path connected in series with a load between voltage supply terminals, wherein a power supply voltage between the voltage supply terminals imposes a load voltage across the load and a load path voltage across the load path of the power MOS transistor. The method includes generating a control current for the control terminal during a switching process when the power MOS transistor changes switching states. The control current is dependent on the power supply voltage and on at least one of the group consisting of the load path voltage and the load voltage.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a method and a driver circuit for controlling a power MOS transistor. 
     BACKGROUND 
     It is known to employ power MOS transistors, especially power MOSFETs or power IGBTs, as controllable switches for switching of electrical loads. 
       FIG. 1  shows a circuit arrangement with a power MOS transistor M, configured as a MOSFET, which is employed as a switch, and whose load path(drain-source section) is connected in series with a load Z between terminals for a first and second supply potential Vs, GND. The MOSFET is connected here as a low-side switch, i.e., the load path is connected between the load and the negative power supply potential or reference potential GND. 
     A fundamental goal in the controlling of a power MOS transistor is to achieve smooth switching slopes, after the MOS transistor is turned on or off, for the current flowing through the load or the voltages imposed across the load and the transistor, so that temporary changes in the load current, and thus an electromagnetic interference radiation, will be reduced. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the time curves of the load current IL and the drain-source potential of the MOSFET M for a resistive load Z and with the MOSFET M controlled by a driver circuit  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 . This driver circuit, responding to a control signal S 1 , after a switch-on time t 1 , charges the internal gate-source capacitance Cgs of the MOSFET M, likewise shown in the figure, across a first current source  12  with a constant charging current I 12  up to a maximum value Vgs_max, to trigger the MOSFET M into the conducting condition. After a switch-off time t 4 , the driver circuit  10  discharges the gate-source capacitance Cgs across a second current source  13  with a constant discharge current I 13  down to zero, in order to block the MOSFET M. 
     In this type of driving, the curve of the gate-source potential Vgs between times t 2  and t 3  after the switch-on time t 1  or between times t 5 , t 6  after the switch-off time t 4  has regions with very slight gradients, known as “Miller plateaus”, being caused by charging effects of the gate-drain capacitance (not shown). The gate-source potential Vgs in the region of the Miller plateau lies in the region of the threshold voltage of the MOSFET. 
     The time curve of the load current Iz across the MOSFET M and the time curve of the drain-source potential Vds shows that these curves have comparatively steep edges at the beginning and at the end of the Miller plateaus. 
     To reduce the EMI radiation when switching a power MOSFET, DE 198 55 604 C1 describes how to charge and discharge the gate-source capacitance of the MOSFET during the switching on and off process with different charging and discharging currents, each of them having a constant amplitude. 
     DE 102 40 167 A1 describes a method whereby the gate charging current for conductive triggering and the gate discharging current for blocking of a MOSFET is increased as the voltage across the load decreases. 
     WO 00/27032 describes a circuit arrangement for controlling a power MOSFET, which lowers by stages the gate discharging current during the switch-off process with decreasing voltage across a load connected in series with the power transistor (see  FIG. 4 ). 
     DE 198 36 577 C1 describes a method for controlling a low-side switch, configured as a MOSFET, in a bridge circuit. In this method, a difference between the maximum voltage present across the low-side switch, which corresponds to a power supply voltage, and a voltage which is momentarily present across the low-side switch is determined. Then the ratio of this difference and the power supply voltage is formed, and the gate-source voltage of the MOSFET is adjusted in this method as a function of this ratio. 
     SUMMARY 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling a power MOS transistor that provides a control process with reduced EMI radiation, and to provide a driver circuit ensuring a controlling of the MOSFET with reduced EMI radiation. 
     This object is achieved by a method according and by a driver circuit according to embodiments of the invention. 
     A first embodiment is a method that controls a power MOS transistor having a control terminal and a load path, the load path connected in series with a load between voltage supply terminals, wherein a power supply voltage between the voltage supply terminals imposes a load voltage across the load and a load path voltage across the load path of the power MOS transistor. The method includes generating a control current for the control terminal during a switching process when the power MOS transistor changes switching states. The control current is dependent on the power supply voltage and on at least one of the group consisting of the load path voltage and the load voltage. 
     The power MOS transistor may suitably be a power IGBT or a power MOSFET. 
     By using the power supply voltage when generating the control current in the method according to the above-described embodiment, one substantially minimizes the influence of changes in the power supply voltage on the steepness of the switching slopes of the load current, the voltage of the load path, and the load voltage. Such switching slopes are created when the transistor is switched on, i.e., when passing from the blocking to the conducting state, and when it is switched off, i.e., when passing from the conducting to the blocking state. 
     The control current in the method according to the invention is preferably generated such that it depends during a switching process at least temporarily on a ratio of the load path voltage and the power supply voltage or on a ratio of the load voltage and the power supply voltage. 
     In one embodiment of the method, a first and a second control current are generated, at least one of which is dependent on the power supply voltage, preferably the ratio of the voltage of the load path or the load voltage and the power supply voltage. One of these first and second control currents is chosen as the control current for the power MOS transistor, and is chosen as a function of the value of the ratio of the load voltage and the power supply voltage, or the value of the ratio of the load path voltage and the power supply voltage. One of these two first and second control currents can be constant, while the other can increase at least for a given interval of the load path voltage with decreasing load path voltage, or it can decrease for a given interval of the load path voltage with decreasing load path voltage. 
     Furthermore, it is possible for the first control current to increase at least for a first interval of the load path voltage with decreasing load path voltage and for the second control current to decrease at least for a second interval of the load path voltage with decreasing load path voltage. In some embodiments, the first control current will be chosen here if the ratio of the load path voltage and the power supply voltage lies above a first threshold value. The first threshold value, at which switching occurs between the first and second control current, is preferably between 0.4 (40%) and 0.6 (60%), thus, a switching between the first and second control current occurs when the power MOS transistor has been switched on and the voltage of the load path of the MOS transistor has risen to a value that is between 40% and 60% of the power supply voltage. The first interval within which the first control current decreases with decreasing voltage of the load path preferably extends from a second threshold value, which is between 100% and 70% of the power supply voltage, for example, to the first threshold value. The second interval within which the second control current decreases with decreasing voltage of the load path extends preferably from the first threshold value to a third threshold value, where the third threshold value is, for example, between 30% of the power supply voltage and zero. 
     Additionally, in some embodiments, the first and second control current are chosen such that their values are equal for the first threshold value of the ratio of the load path voltage and the power supply voltage, and the smaller of the first and second control currents will be chosen as the control current for the power MOS transistor. 
     The above described features and advantages will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a circuit with a power MOS transistor, connected in series with a load, and with a driver circuit of the prior art, which charges the gate of the MOS transistor with a constant charging current according to a control signal, or discharges it with a constant discharging current. 
         FIG. 2  shows time curves of the control signal, the gate-source voltage, the load current across the MOS transistor, and the voltage of the load path of the MOS transistor for the circuit of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows schematically a circuit with a MOS transistor connected in series with a load and a driver circuit which generates a control current for the MOS transistor depending on a power supply voltage, according to the method according to the invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the pattern of the control current of the power MOS transistor, depending on a ratio of the voltage of the load path of the MOS transistor and the power supply voltage, for one embodiment of the method according to the invention. 
         FIG. 5  shows time curves of a control signal, the control current, the gate-source voltage, the load current, the voltage of the load section, and the time variation of the load current for a control current which, according to the curve in  FIG. 4 , is dependent on the voltage of the load path and the power supply voltage. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates the generating of the control current for a second embodiment of the method according to the invention. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates the generating of the control current for a third embodiment of the method according to the invention. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates the generating of the control current for a fourth embodiment of the method according to the invention. 
         FIG. 9  shows schematically an exemplary embodiment of a driver circuit, having a current generating arrangement and a current mirror arrangement, to furnish a control current according to the method of the invention. 
         FIG. 10  shows a first exemplary embodiment of the current generating arrangement. 
         FIG. 11  shows a second exemplary embodiment of the current generating arrangement. 
         FIG. 12  shows an exemplary embodiment for the current sources present in the current generating arrangements of  FIGS. 10 and 11 . 
         FIG. 13  shows an exemplary embodiment for a selection circuit present in the current generating arrangements of  FIGS. 10 and 11 . 
         FIG. 14  shows a further embodiment for the selection circuit. 
         FIG. 15  shows an exemplary embodiment for a current multiplier circuit present in the current generating arrangements of  FIGS. 10 and 11 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Unless otherwise specified, the same reference symbols in the figures designate the same circuit components and signals with the same meaning. 
     To illustrate the method according to the invention,  FIG. 3  shows a circuit with a power MOS transistor, configured as a power MOSFET, whose drain-source path, which forms the load path of the MOSFET, is connected in series with a load Z between one terminal for a positive power supply potential Vs and one terminal for a negative power supply potential or reference potential GND. To control the MOSFET M, a driver circuit  1  is present, which provides a control current Ig for the control terminal of the MOSFET M, formed by its gate terminal G, according to a control signal S 1 . 
     In order to charge the gate-source capacitance (not shown) of the MOSFET and the MOSFET to the conducting state, the driver circuit  1  furnishes a control current or gate current Ig, which flows in the direction indicated in  FIG. 3 . In order to discharge the gate-source capacitance of the MOSFET and drive it to the blocking state, the driver circuit  1  furnishes a control current or gate current Ig which flows opposite the direction indicated in  FIG. 3 . 
     The driver circuit  1  is configured so as to generate the control current Ig as a function of the power supply voltage imposed across the series circuit with the load Z and the MOSFET. For purposes of illustration, it will be assumed in the present case that the negative power supply potential GND is a reference potential, to which the voltages in the circuit are referred, so that the power supply voltage is equal to the positive power supply potential Vs. 
     The driver circuit  1 , furthermore, is configured to also generate the control current Ig in dependence on the voltage of the load path (drain-source voltage) imposed across the load section, i.e., the drain-source path, of the MOSFET, or in dependence on a load voltage Vz imposed across the load Z. The driver circuit  1  is connected to the terminal for the positive power supply potential Vs, in order to provide the power supply voltage to the driver circuit, and is connected to the common node of the load path of the MOSFET M and the load Z, in order to furnish to the driver circuit  1  the load path voltage Vds of the MOSFET, which is imposed against reference potential at this node, or the load voltage Vz, which is imposed against the power supply potential Vs from this node. 
     The control current Ig is preferably dependent on the ratio of the load path voltage Vds and the power supply voltage Vs, so that:
 
 Ig=f ( Vds/Vs )   (1).
 
     Since the load voltage Vz corresponds to the difference between the power supply voltage Vs and the load path voltage Vds, and so Vz=Vs−Vds, the dependency of the control current Ig on the ratio of the load path voltage Vds and the power supply voltage Vs is tantamount to a dependency of the control current Ig on the ratio of the load voltage Vz and the power supply voltage Vs, so that:
 
 Ig=f (1− Vz/Vs )   (2).
 
     f(.) stands here for a function defining the dependency of the control current Ig on the ratio of the load path voltage Vds and the power supply voltage Vs or that of the load voltage Vz and the power supply voltage Vs. 
     In one embodiment of the method according to the invention, one generates a first control current Ig 1  and a second control current Ig 2 , each of which are dependent on the ratio of the load path voltage Vds and the power supply voltage Vs, and one selects one of these first and second control currents Ig 1 , Ig 2  in dependence on the ratio of the load path voltage Vds and the power supply voltage Vs to be the control current Ig for the MOS transistor M. Then, for example, the control current Ig is:
 
 Ig=Ig 1= I 01+ I ref1·(1− Vds/Vs )= I 01+ I ref1· Vz/Vs  for  Vds/Vs&lt;a    (3a)
 
 Ig=Ig 2 =I 02+ I ref2 ·Vds/Vs  for  Vds/Vs≦a    (3b)
 
     Ig 1  here denotes the first control current, and Ig 2  denotes the second control current, a denotes a first threshold value for the ratio of the load path voltage Vds and the power supply voltage Vs at which a switching occurs between the first and second control current Ig 1 , Ig 2 . I 01  and I 02  denote first and second constant current components of the first and second control currents Ig 1 , Ig 2  and Iref 1 , Iref 2  denote reference currents defining the influence of the ratio of the load path voltage Vds and the power supply voltage Vs on the particular control current Ig 1 , Ig 2 . For the relation between first and second current component I 01 , I 02  we have preferably:
 
I01≦I02   (4).
 
     For the relation between the first and second reference currents we have preferably:
 
Iref1&gt;Iref2   (5).
 
     The first and second reference currents are preferably chosen so that they are each proportional, through predetermined proportionality factors, to a nominal value Vs 0  of the power supply voltage. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the course of the control current Ig, resulting from the first and second control currents Ig 1 , Ig 2 , as a function of the ratio of the load path voltage Vds and the power supply voltage Vs. The control current Ig is plotted in  FIG. 4  for a decreasing voltage Vds of the load section, i.e., the course of the control current Ig from left to right in  FIG. 4  corresponds to the course of the control current Ig during a conductive driving of the MOSFET M, i.e., for a transition of the MOSFET M from the blocked to the conducting state. The MOSFET M is blocking when the load path voltage Vds corresponds to the power supply voltage Vs in the presence of a resistive load Z, i.e., when the ratio of the load path voltage Vds and power supply voltage Vs is 1. 
     For the conductive driving of the MOSFET, in the exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention illustrated by  FIG. 4 , the first control current Ig 1  is first used as the control current Ig, rising linearly from the value of the constant current component I 01  per equation 3a as a function of the ratio of the load path voltage Vds and the power supply voltage Vs. This first control current Ig charges the gate-source capacitance of the MOSFET M, so that the MOSFET M is increasingly biased into conduction and its load path voltage Vds is decreased. When the ratio of the load path voltage Vds and power supply voltage Vs reaches the first threshold value a, there is a switch from the first control current Ig 1  to the second control current Ig 2 , which further charges the gate-source capacitance and which decreases with decreasing load path voltage Vds of the MOSFET per equation 3b. Idealizing, the representation in  FIG. 4  assumes that the switch-on resistance of the MOSFET M for the fully conductive state is approximately zero, so that the ratio of load path voltage Vds and power supply voltage Vs is likewise zero for the fully conductive MOSFET M. 
     The constant current components I 01 , I 02  of the first and second control current Ig 1 , Ig 2  as well as the first and second reference currents Iref 1 , Iref 2  are preferably attuned to each other so that the first and second control current Ig 1 , Ig 2  are equal for the first threshold value a, and so:
 
 Ig 1( a )= I 01 +I ref1·(1− a )= Ig 2( a )= I 02 +I ref2· a    (6).
 
     In this case, the control current Ig has a steady trend, i.e., with no abrupt changes. A control current Ig with a pattern according to  FIG. 4  can be achieved by generating first and second control currents Ig 1 , Ig 2 , each of which has a dependency on the load path voltage Vds and the power supply voltage Vs per equations 3a and 3b, and selecting each time the smaller of the first and second control currents Ig 1 , Ig 2  to be the control current Ig. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the first control current Ig 1  increases beyond the value of the second control current Ig 2  for values of the ratio Vds/Vs that are smaller than the first threshold value a. Accordingly, the second control current Ig 2  increases beyond the first control current Ig 1  for values of the ratio Vds/Vs that are larger than the first threshold value a. 
     As already explained, the control currents for the conductive and blocking control of the MOSFET have opposite signs. A blocking of the MOSFET M occurs, in regard to  FIG. 4 , when a control current Ig is furnished whose value is dependent on the ratio Vds/Vs of the curve shown in  FIG. 4 . When the MOSFET is biased into full conduction, the value of the control current begins to rise, corresponding to the pattern of the curve for the second control current Ig 2 , until the ratio Vds/Vs has dropped to the first threshold value a. After this, the value of the control current follows the curve for the first control current Ig 1 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates time curves of the gate current Ig, the gate-source voltage Vgs, the load current Iz, the load path voltage Vds, and the time change in the load current dIz/dt for a control current Ig, which according to the curve in  FIG. 4  is dependent on the ratio of the load path voltage Vds and the power supply voltage Vs.  FIG. 5  shows the time curves for the switch-on process of the MOSFET. 
     The switch-on process starts at a first time t 1 , when the control signal S 1  ( FIG. 3 ), which dictates the generating of the control current Ig, takes on a high level. The control current Ig as of this first time t 1  begins to charge the gate-source capacitance of the MOSFET M. The MOSFET M is thus biased into conduction, so that its load path voltage Vds drops, which per equation 3a leads in time to a rise in the control current Ig, which corresponds to the first control current Ig 1  at the beginning of the switch-on process. 
     The rise in this first control current Ig 1  over time is not linear, since the dependency of the load path voltage Vds on the gate-source voltage of the MOSFET M, which in turn depends on the control current Ig 1 , is also not linear. After the first time t 1 , the control current Ig remains at first approximately constant at the value of the first control component I 01 . During this period, the gate-source capacitance of the MOSFET M is being charged, but the resulting gatesource voltage Vgs still remains below the threshold voltage of the MOSFET, so that the drain-source voltage Vds does not drop at first. The drain-source voltage Vds of the MOSFET only begins to decrease when its gate-source voltage has risen to the value of the threshold voltage. Based on the “Miller effect”, the rise in the gate-source voltage Vgs flattens out when the threshold voltage of the MOSFET M is reached, although the control current Ig 1  is increasing because of the now decreasing load path voltage Vds per equation 3a. When the ratio of load path voltage Vds and power supply voltage Vs reaches the first threshold value a, there is a switch from the first control current Ig 1  to the second control current Ig 2 , which can be seen by a peak at time t 10  on the time plot of the control current Ig. The gate-source capacitance will thus be further charged, until the MOSFET M is biased into full conduction. A fully conductive biasing occurs at roughly time t 3 , after which the gate-source voltage starting from the Miller plateau rises steeply up to a value of a maximum gate-source voltage. At time t 3 , the load path voltage Vds of the MOSFET has already dropped to near zero and the load current Iz has already approximately reached its maximum value. 
     A maximum change in the load current Iz occurs at time t 10 , with the amplitude of this maximum change being critical to generating electromagnetic interference radiation during the switching process. This time t 10  corresponds roughly to the time of the turning point in the time plot of the MOSFET load path voltage Vds. This turning point occurs when the voltage Vds of the load path has dropped to 50% of the value of the power supply voltage. Preferably, the first threshold value at which there is a switch from the first to the second control current Ig 1 , Ig 2  is chosen so that it coincides with the position of this turning point Vds. The first threshold value a is preferably between 0.4 and 0.6 and ideally at 0.5. 
     The solid lines in  FIG. 5  show the time plot of the individual signals for a first value Vs 1  of the power supply voltage Vs. Shown by broken lines in  FIG. 5  is the time plot of the individual signals for a second value Vs 2 , which is larger than the first value Vs 1 . The dependency of the control current Ig on the ratio of the load path voltage Vds and the power supply voltage Vs means that the control current Ig after reaching the Miller plateau for the power supply voltage at first rises less steeply, so that the time plot of the gate-source voltage Vgs is further flattened out in the region of the Miller plateau. As a result, this means that the time for the maximum change in the load current Iz is pushed backward, but the maximum change in the load current Iz and thus the electromagnetic interference radiation occurring during the switch-on process remain the same. The overall length of the switch-on process, i.e., the time until the load current Iz has risen to its maximum value, increases somewhat with increasing power supply voltage Vs in the method according to the invention. 
       FIG. 6  shows the plot of the control current Ig as a function of the ratio Vds/Vs for another exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention. The first control current Ig 1  here takes on the constant current value I 01  for values of the ratio Vds/Vs greater than a second threshold value b, and the second control current Ig 2  takes on a constant current value I 02  for values of the ratio Vds/Vs less than a third threshold value c. The second threshold value b of the ratio Vds/Vs is preferably between 0.7 and 1 while the third threshold value c is preferably between 0 and 0.3. Within a first interval between the first and second threshold value a, b, the control current rises continuously with diminishing voltage Vds of the load section, and within a second interval between the first and third threshold value a, c the control current drops continuously with decreasing voltage Vds of the load section. The curve of the control current Ig for values of the ratio Vds/Vs between 0 and 1 is preferably steady. For the first control current Ig 1 , we have:
 
 Ig 1= I 01 for  Vds/Vs≧b    (6a)
 
 Ig 1= I 01+ I ref1·(1− Vds/Vs−b·Vds/Vs ) for  Vds/Vs&lt;b    (6b)
 
     For the second control current Ig 2 :
 
 Ig 2= I 02 for  Vds/Vs&lt;c    (7a)
 
 Ig 2= I 02+ I ref2· Vds/Vs−c·I ref2 for  Vds/Vs≧c    (7b)
 
     An option for the methods described in  FIGS. 4 and 6  is to limit the gate current Ig to a maximum value I 03  which is smaller than the values og Ig 1 ( a ) and Ig 2 ( a ). The time plot resulting from such limitation of the gate current is depicted in  FIG. 6  in dot and dash lines. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates the plot of the control current Ig as a function of the ratio Vds/Vs for a simplified method in which the first control current Ig 1  has a constant value, and in which the second control current Ig 2  decreases in segments within the interval between the first and third threshold value a, c of the ratio Vds/Vs with decreasing voltage Vds of the load section. The current value of the first control current Ig 1  is chosen such that it corresponds to the current value of the second control current Ig 2  for the first threshold value a. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates another variant of the method according to the invention, in which the second control current Ig 2  is constant and in which the first control current Ig 1  increases within the interval between the first and second threshold value a, b with decreasing load path voltage Vds. The value of the second control current Ig 2  is chosen so that it corresponds to the value of the first control current Ig 1  for the first threshold value a, in order to obtain a steady curve for the control current Ig. 
     The driving of the MOSFET in the method according to the invention occurs via the control current or gate current Ig of the MOSFET M. The dependency of the control current Ig on the ratio of the load path voltage Vds and the power supply voltage Vs is the same each time for both the switch-on process and for the switch-off process, but the signs of the control currents are different for the switch-on process and the switch-off process. 
     Preferably the gate current is also dependent on the gate source voltage Vgs in such a way that for small gate source voltages, i.e. gate source voltages much smaller than the threshold value, a constant charging current Ig 0 , which preferably is higher than Ig 1 ( a ) and Ig 2 ( a ), is provided. This charging current Ig 0  serves for fast pre-charging the gate source capacitance prior to the instance when the MOS transistor starts to change its switching state from non-conducting to conducting, and therefore serves to accelerate the overall switching process. Equivalently a constant discharging current Ig 0  is provided for high gate source voltages, i.e. gate source voltages much higher than the threshold voltage. Taking into account such constant pre-charging and pre-discharging currents, the gate current may be expressed as: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 Ig = ±Ig0 
                 for Vgs &lt; Vgs0 
                 (8a) 
               
               
                   
                 Ig = {Ig1, Ig2} 
                 for Vgs0 ≦ Vgs ≦ Vgs1 
                 (8b) 
               
               
                   
                 Ig = ±Ig0 
                 for Vgs &gt; Vgs1 
                 (8c) 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     {Ig 1 , Ig 2 } stands for the currents Ig 1 , Ig 2  obtained from one of the equations given above. +Ig 0  hereby applies for turning on the MOS transistor and −Ig 0  applies for turning off the MOS transistor. Vgs 0  denotes a voltage level lower than the threshold voltage and Vgs 1  denotes a voltage level higher than the threshold voltage. Typical values for power MOS transistors are Vgs 0  =1V and Vgs 1 =4V. A typical value for the pre-charging/discharging current is Ig 0 =±3 mA.  FIG. 9  shows one possible exemplary embodiment for a driver circuit, which optionally furnishes a control current Ig for the MOSFET M in the direction of current flow shown in  FIG. 9  or opposite the direction of current flow shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     This driver circuit has a current generating arrangement  10 , which furnishes an output current I 10  that is taken to a current mirror arrangement  20 . The current mirror arrangement  20  is configured so as to produce, from this output current I 10 , a control current Ig for the MOSFET M, which depending on the control signal S 1  flows as the “switch-on current” in the direction indicated in  FIG. 9  to the gate electrode G of the MOSFET M, or as the “switch-off current” it flows away from the gate electrode G of the MOSFET M opposite the direction indicated in  FIG. 9 . The current mirror arrangement  20  has a first current mirror  25 - 28 , which can be activated by the control signal S 1  and which is configured so as to copy, in the activated state, the output current I 10  of the current generating arrangement  10  onto a switch-on current Ion, which flows from one terminal for a power supply potential V+ of the driver circuit to the gate G of the MOSFET M. The current generating arrangement  10  furnishes the output current I 10  against the reference potential GND. 
     The first current mirror  25 - 28  has a first partial current mirror with an input transistor  25  and an output transistor  26 , whose input transistor  25  is connected between the output of the current generating arrangement  10  and reference potential. This input transistor  25  is configured as an n-channel MOSFET and is connected as a diode. A load path of the output transistor  25  of this current mirror  25 ,  26  is connected in series with the load path of an input transistor  27  of a second partial current mirror between the terminal for the internal power supply potential V+ and reference potential GND. This input transistor  27  of the second partial current mirror is configured as a p-channel MOSFET and likewise connected as a diode. An output transistor  28  of the second partial current mirror is connected between the terminal for the internal power supply potential V+ and the gate terminal G of the MOSFET M and provides the switch-on current Ion. Optionally, it is possible to scale the output current I 10  via the current mirror ratio of the second partial current mirror  27 ,  28 , or also via the current mirror ratio of the first partial current mirror  25 ,  26 . For a current mirror ratio of 1:k_on, we have for the switch-on current Ion:
 
 I on= I 10· k _on   (9).
 
     The current mirror factor k_on, in particular, can be set equal to one. 
     The current mirror arrangement  20  has a second current mirror  23 ,  24  which can be activated by the control signal S 1 , which in the activated state is configured so as to generate a switch-off current Ioff between the gate terminal G of the MOSFET M and reference potential GND, whose value is proportional to the output current I 10  of the current generating arrangement. The second current mirror  23 ,  24  has an input transistor  23 , which is connected as a diode and which in the activated state of the current mirror  23 ,  24  has the output current I 10  flowing through it. One output transistor  24  of this second current mirror is connected between the gate terminal G and reference potential GND. Optionally, it is possible to scale the switch-off current Ioff via the current mirror ratio 1:k_off of the second current mirror  23 ,  24 . For the value of the switch-off current Ioff we have:
 
 I off= I 10· k _off   (10).
 
     The current mirror factor k_off, in particular, can be equal to one. 
     The two current mirrors  25 - 28  and  23 ,  24  of the current mirror arrangement  10  can be activated by switches  21 ,  22 , being triggered in a fashion complementary to each other by the control signal S 1 . A first switch  21  is connected between the output of the current generating arrangement  10  and the input transistor  25  of the first partial current mirror  25 ,  26 . A second switch  23  is connected between the output of the current generating arrangement  10  and the input transistor  23  of the second current mirror. The first switch  21  is biased into conduction by the control signal S 1  when the MOSFET M is supposed to be biased into conduction. In this case, a switch-on current Ion flows from the terminal for the internal power supply potential V+ to the gate G of the MOSFET M. Accordingly, the second switch  22  is biased into conduction when the MOSFET M is supposed to be biased into blocking. In this case, a switch-off current Ioff flows between the gate G of the MOSFET M and reference potential GND. 
     The internal power supply potential V+ of the driver circuit  1  determines the maximum value of the gate-source voltage Vgs of the MOSFET M in the depicted driver circuit. 
     The current generating arrangement  10  produces the output current I 10  in dependence on the power supply voltage Vs and the load path voltage Vds or load voltage Vz. The time plot of this output current I 10  corresponds to the desired time curve for the control current Ig, while the magnitude of the control current Ig may differ from the magnitude of the output current I 10  by the current mirror factors k_on, k_off. These current mirror factors k_on, k_off may be different especially in order to scale differently the control current Ig for the conducting biasing or the blocking biasing of the MOSFET M. 
     The output current I 10  of the current generating arrangement  10  can in particular be made dependent, in the manner illustrated by  FIGS. 4 and 6  to  8 , on the ratio of the load path voltage Vds and the power supply voltage Vs. The curve shown in these figures for the gate current Ig as a function of the ratio Vds/Vs also corresponds to the curve of the output current I 10 , which can also differ by the scaling factors k_on, k_off from the curves shown in these figures for the gate current Ig. 
       FIG. 10  shows a first exemplary embodiment for the current generating arrangement  10 . This driver circuit furnishes an output current I 10 , which according to the equations 6a and 6b, is dependent on the ratio of the load path voltage Vds and the power supply voltage Vs, if one replaces the control current Ig with the output current I 10  in these equations. 
     This current generating arrangement  10  has a first and a second current source circuit  11 ,  12 , which produce a first and a second output current I 11 , I 12 . These output currents I 11 , I 12  are taken to a selector circuit  13 , which selects each time the smaller of these two output currents I 11  I 12  and presents it as the output current I 10 . The first and second output currents I 11 , I 12  correspond to the first and second control currents Ig 1 , Ig 2  of equations 6a, 6b. 
     The two current source circuits  11 ,  12  each have a current multiplier circuit  111 ,  121 , which has four terminals A, B, C, D. The inputs A, B, C of these current multiplier circuits  111 ,  121  each receive an input current IA, IB, IC. At the fourth terminal D of the current multiplier circuits  111 ,  121 , an output current ID is present. For the ratio of these currents IA-ID of the current multiplier circuits  111 ,  121  we have:
 
| ID|=IA·IB/IC  for  IA, IB, IC&gt; 0   (11).
 
     For generating the input currents IA, IB, IC of the current multiplier circuits  111 ,  121  of the two current source circuits  11 ,  12 , a number of current sources  112 - 115  and  122 - 125  are provided. A first input current IA of the first current multiplier  111  is generated by a first current source  112 , which produces a current Is proportional to the power supply voltage Vs, and by a second current source  113 , which produces a current (1+b)·Ids proportional to the load path voltage Vds. The first current source  112  is connected between a terminal for the internal power supply potential V+ and the first input A and the second current source  113  is connected between the first input A and reference potential GND. A third current source  114  connected to the second input B of the current multiplier  111  furnishes the first reference current Iref 1 , being the second input current IB of the current multiplier  111 . To the third input of the current multiplier  111  is connected a fourth current source  115 , which provides a current Is proportional to the power supply voltage Vs as the third input current Ic. For the input currents IA, IB, IC of the first current multiplier  111  in the circuit of  FIG. 10  we have:
 
 IA=Ids−b·Is    (12a)
 
IB=Iref1   (12b)
 
IC=Is   (12c)
 
     To the output current ID of the current multiplier there is added a current by a fifth current source  116 , corresponding to the first constant current component I 01 . Taking equation 10 into account, we get for the current I 11  present at the output of the first current source circuit  11 :
 
 I 11= I 01+ I ref1·( Is− (1 +b ) Ids )/ Is=I 01+ I ref1·(1− Ids/Is )− b·Ids/Is    (13).
 
     Assuming that the current Ids is proportional to the load path voltage Vds and the current Is is proportional to the power supply voltage Vs and that the proportionality factors are each equal, so that Ids/Is=Vds/Vs, the curve of the first output current I 11  will correspond to that of the first control current Ig 1  per equation 6a. 
     To the first input A of the second current multiplier  121  are connected a sixth and seventh current source  122 ,  123 . The sixth current source  122  is connected between the terminal for the internal power supply potential V+ and the first input A of the second current multiplier  121  and furnishes a current Is proportional to the load path voltage Vds. The seventh current source  123  is connected between the first input A of the current multiplier  121  and reference potential GND and furnishes a current c·Is proportional to the power supply voltage Vs and the third threshold value c. A second input current Ib of the second current multiplier  121  corresponds to the second reference current Iref 2 , which is generated by an eighth current source  124 . The third input current I 10  of the second current multiplier  121  is a current Is proportional to the power supply voltage Vs that is generated by a ninth current source  125 . 
     To the output current Id of the second current multiplier  121  is added another current I 02  by a tenth current source  126 , corresponding to the constant second current component. Taking account of equation 10, we have for the second output current I 12  of the second current source circuit  12 :
 
 I 12= I 02+ I ref2·( Ids−c·Is )/ Is=I 02+ I ref2· Ids/Is−c·I ref2   (14).
 
     The curve of this second output current I 12  thus corresponds to the curve of the second control current Ig 2  per equation  6   b , if the current Is is proportional to the power supply voltage Vs and the current Ids is likewise proportional to the load path voltage Vds. 
       FIG. 11  shows a modification of the current generating arrangement depicted in  FIG. 10 . The second current I 12  that is taken to the selector circuit  13  is here a constant current, which is chosen so that its value corresponds to the value of the first current I 11  for Vds/Vs=Ids/Is=a. The output current I 10  of the current generating arrangement, corresponding each time to the smaller of the first and second currents I 11 , I 12 , then follows the curve of the control current Ig as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     The current sources previously illustrated by  FIGS. 10 and 11  that produce a current Is or Ids proportional to the power supply voltage Vs or the load path voltage Vds can be realized in simple manner, with reference to  FIG. 12 , by using a measuring resistor  211  and a current mirror. V_ in  FIG. 12  denotes the power supply voltage Vs or the load path voltage Vds, I_ denotes either the current Is proportional to the power supply voltage Vs or the current Ids proportional to the load path voltage Vds. 
     To generate the current I_proportional to the voltage V_ there is present a measuring resistor  211 , which is connected in series with an input transistor  202  of a first current mirror  202 ,  203 . Assuming that the voltage drop across the input transistor  202  is very small in relation to the voltage V_, a current will flow through the measuring resistor  201  that is proportional to the imposed voltage V_. The current flowing against reference potential GND for the input transistor  202  is copied by the output transistor  203  and another current mirror  204 ,  205 , realized by p-channel MOSFET, onto the output current I_ furnished by the current source circuit, which is proportional to the imposed voltage V_. 
       FIG. 13  shows an exemplary circuitry embodiment for the selector circuit  13 , which provides each time the smaller of the two first and second currents I 11 , I 12  as the output current. This selector circuit  13  has two input resistors  131 ,  132 , which are connected in series with the inputs of the selector circuit  13  and through which one of the two currents I 11 , I 12  flows each time. The two resistors  131 ,  132  are each connected in series to n-channel transistors  134 ,  135 , each of them connected as diodes, which function as input transistors of a current mirror. This current mirror has an output transistor  136 , to which is connected one of the two input transistors  134 ,  135 , depending on an output signal of a comparator  133 . For the connecting of the input transistors  134 ,  135  to the output transistor  136 , switches  137 ,  138  are present, being triggered complementary to each other and depending on an output signal of the comparator  133 . The comparator  133  compares the voltages across the series circuits of the resistors  131 ,  132  and the input transistors  134 ,  135  and connects via the switches  137 ,  138  that one of the two input transistors  134 ,  135  through which the smaller current is flowing, to the output transistor  136 . For example, if the voltage drop across the first resistor  131  is larger than the voltage drop across the second resistor  132 , a high level will be present at the output of the comparator  133 , which closes the second switch  138 , so as to connect the input transistor  135  through which the second current I 12  is flowing to the output transistor  136 , forming a current mirror, whereupon a current corresponding to the second current I 12  will flow through the output transistor  136  with a current mirror ratio of 1:1. The current flowing through the output transistor  136  is copied by another current mirror  139 ,  140 , realized for example by p-transistors, onto the output current I 12 . On the other hand, the first switch  137  is closed in order to connect the first input transistor  134  and the output transistor  136  into a current mirror if the voltage drop across the second resistor  132  is greater than the voltage drop across the first resistor  131 . It should be noted that the two switches  137 ,  138  in  FIG. 13  are driven complementary using an inverter  141  which is connected between the output of the comparator  133  and the first switch  137  while the second switch is controlled by the comparator output signal directly. The second switch  138  is closed at a high level of the output signal of the comparator  133 , while the first switch  137  is opened, and vice versa. 
       FIG. 14  shows a further embodiment for the selector circuit. The selector circuit comprises a comparator, the output signal of which controls the two switches  137 ,  138 . These switches  137 ,  138  depending on the comparator signal connect one of the two input transistors  134 ,  135 , each of them being connected as a diode, and the output transistor  136  to form a current mirror. The comparator circuit comprises two current sources  144 ,  145  being connected in series between the terminals for internal power supply potential V+ and reference potential. The output of the comparator is the node common to the two current sources  144 ,  145 . 
     The first current source  144  is formed as a p-channel MOSFET, and is the output transistor of a current mirror  134 ,  142 ,  144  having the first input transistor  134  of the selector circuit as an input transistor. The first current source  144  therefore provides a current being proportional to the first input current I 11 . The second current source  145  is formed as a n-channel MOSFET, and is the output transistor of a current mirror  135 ,  145  having the second input transistor  135  of the selector circuit as an input transistor. The second current source  145  therefore provides a current being proportional to the second input current I 12 . 
     The comparator output takes on a high level if the first input current I 11  is larger than the second input current I 12 . Via buffer  146  connected to the output of the controller the first switch  137  is closed, thereby connecting the first input transistor  134  and the output transistor  136  to form a current mirror. The output current of the selector circuit is then proportional to the first input current I 11 . 
     The comparator output takes on a low level if the second input current I 12  is larger than the first input current I 11 . Via buffer  146  and inverter  141  the second switch  138  is closed, thereby connecting the second input transistor  135  and the output transistor  136  to form a current mirror. The output current of the selector circuit is then proportional to the second input current I 12 . 
       FIG. 15  shows an exemplary circuitry embodiment for the current multiplier  111 ,  121  according to  FIG. 10 . This current multiplier has four bipolar transistors  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44  and two current mirrors. A first current mirror, having an input transistor  45  connected as a diode and an output transistor  46 , receives the second input current IB. This current mirror copies this input current IB onto the emitter current of a first bipolar transistor  41 , whose base-emitter section is connected in series with the output transistor  46  of the first current mirror between the terminal for the internal power supply potential V+ and reference potential GND. A second current mirror with an input transistor  47  connected as a diode and an output transistor  48  receives the third input current IC. This second current mirror  47 ,  48  copies this third current IC onto the emitter current of a second bipolar transistor  42 , whose base-emitter section is connected in series with the output transistor of the second current mirror  48  between the terminal for the internal power supply potential V+ and reference potential GND. A third bipolar transistor  43 , whose base is connected to the emitter of the first bipolar transistor  41 , has the first input current IA flowing through it. The collector terminal  42  of this third bipolar transistor  43  is coupled to the base of the first bipolar transistor  41 , in order to make sure each time that the third bipolar transistor  43  is biased so much across the first bipolar transistor  41  that the collector current of the third bipolar transistor  43  can correspond to the first input current IA. 
     The circuit arrangement has a fourth bipolar transistor  44 , whose base is connected to the emitter of the second bipolar transistor  42 . This fourth bipolar transistor  44  in this circuit has a current ID automatically flowing through it, the value of which per equation  10  bears a relation to the first through third currents IA-IC. This current ID flowing through the fourth bipolar transistor  44  can be copied by a current mirror, not shown in greater detail, onto a current flowing against reference potential.