Patent ID: 7724065

Claim:
A desaturation circuit for an IGBT, comprising: a diode; a switch device with a first and a second input/output and a control signal input for turning an electrically conductive connection between the first and the second input/output on and off; wherein the diode and the switch device are connected in series and form elements of a first circuit component which is connected between a gate and a collector of the IGBT, and a cathode of the diode is directed toward the collector and an anode of the diode is directed toward the gate; the switch device being configured to be turned on prior to turn-off of the IGBT to induce desaturation of the IGBT; and wherein a desaturation current flowing from the gate of the IGBT to the collector of the IGBT is passing through the switch device and is turned on and off by the switch device, said desaturation current reducing a gate voltage of the IGBT.