Patent ID: 8717068

Claim:
A drive unit for driving a voltage-driven element, the drive unit comprising: a first connector configured so as to be connected to a gate resistor of the voltage-driven element; a feedback connector configured so as to be connected to the gate resistor of the voltage-driven element; a second connector configured so as to be connected to a driving power source; a switching element having a first input-output electrode connected to the first connector and a second input-output electrode connected to the second connector; and a controller connected to a control electrode of the switching element and the feedback connector, wherein the controller is configured so as to: (1) control a voltage supplied to the gate resistor of the voltage-driven element by using a voltage at the feedback connector when an electrical connection between the feedback connector and the gate resistor of the voltage-driven element is ensured, and (2) control the voltage supplied to the gate resistor of voltage-driven element by using a voltage at the first connector when the electrical connection between the feedback connector and the gate resistor of the voltage-driven element is not ensured.