Patent ID: 7679425

Claim:
A gate controlled switch configuration comprising: a gate-controlled switch and a gate driver system connected to a gate of the gate controlled switch, the gate driver system including a controller adapted to output control signals, the gate driver system has a first functional state and a second functional state, in its first functional state the gate driver system is configured to change the amount of charge in the gate of the gate-controlled switch to provide a normal turn-off functionality for the gate-controlled switch and in its second functional state the gate driver system is configured to maintain the amount of charge in the gate of the gate-controlled switch substantially constant, the gate driver system adopts its first or second functional state based on control signals of the controller, wherein the controller is configured to produce a soft turn-off functionality during which the gate driver system adopts the first functional state a plural number of times, and between the subsequent first functional states the gate driver system is in its second functional state, wherein the controller is configured to change the ratio of the durations of the first functional states to the durations of the second functional states during the soft turn-off functionality by altering the duration of individual first functional states and/or by changing their number per time unit.