Patent ID: 8749279

Claim:
A driver apparatus for driving a voltage-controlled switching element, the apparatus comprising: on-state transition means for, in response to a first operation signal indicative of turn-on instruction, turning on the switching element by charging a switching control terminal of the switching element; off-state transition means for, in response to a second operation signal indicative of turn-off instruction, turning off the switching element by discharging the switching control terminal of the switching element; clamp means for clamping an absolute value of a voltage difference between a voltage at a reference terminal that is one of terminals of a current path of the switching element and a voltage at the switching control terminal of the switching element at a clamping voltage that is greater than a threshold voltage, a voltage above which applied to the switching control terminal allowing the switching element to be turned on; and voltage-drop-rate decreasing means for, when an amount of current flowing through the current path of the switching element becomes equal to or greater than a clamp threshold value after the switching element transitions from an off-state to an on-state, decreasing a voltage-drop-rate at which the absolute value of the voltage difference is decreased to the clamping voltage as compared to a voltage-drop-rate at which the absolute value of the voltage difference is decreased to the clamping voltage by the off-state transition means only.