Patent ID: 8866348

Claim:
A power system comprising: a plurality of power semiconductor devices; a control circuit structured to output a plurality of first firing signals, each of said first firing signals being for a corresponding one of said power semiconductor devices, and to output a plurality of first activation response signals, each of said first activation response signals being associated with a corresponding one of said power semiconductor devices; a first interface circuit cooperating with said control circuit to input a first serial signal and output said first firing signals, and to input said first activation response signals and output a second serial signal; a controller; and a second interface circuit cooperating with said controller to input said second serial signal, to output to said controller a plurality of second activation response signals corresponding to said first activation response signals, to input from said controller a plurality of second firing signals corresponding to said first firing signals, and to output said first serial signal, wherein said controller is structured to control said power semiconductor devices with said second firing signals; and wherein said controller is further structured to monitor said power semiconductor devices with said second activation response signals.