Patent ID: 8829951

Claim:
A drive circuit for a switching element which is a target to be driven and which opens and closes a current path by electronically controlling an absolute value of a potential difference between a reference end which is one end of the current path and an opening and closing control terminal, the drive circuit comprising an integrated circuit which is connected to the opening and closing control terminal, wherein the integrated circuit includes: an absolute value control circuit which controls the absolute value of the potential difference when the switching element is in an off state; a stabilization circuit which stabilizes the potential difference at a value for maintaining the switching element in an off state when the switching element is in an off state; a selection circuit which selects one of control of the absolute value of the potential difference by the absolute value control circuit and stabilization of the potential difference by the stabilization circuit; and an on-state terminal which is connected to the absolute value control circuit and the opening and closing control terminal, and the on-state terminal is connected to the stabilization circuit.