Patent ID: 8729914

Claim:
A circuit arrangement comprising: a reverse conducting IGBT configured to allow for conducting a load current in a forward direction and in a reverse direction, the IGBT having a load current path and a gate electrode; a gate control unit connected to the gate electrode and configured to activate or deactivate the IGBT by charging or, respectively, discharging the gate electrode in accordance with a gate control signal; a gate driver unit included in the gate control unit and configured to detect whether the IGBT conducts current in the forward direction or the reverse direction by sensing a gate current caused by a change of a voltage drop across the load path due to a changing of the reverse conducting IGBT into its reverse conducting state; wherein the gate control unit is further configured to deactivate the IGBT or to prevent an activation of the IGBT via its gate electrode when the gate driver unit detects that the IGBT is in its reverse conducting state.