Patent ID: 8643406

Claim:
A semiconductor device comprising: a power transistor; a gate resistor connected between a gate of the power transistor and a connecting point in a drive circuit of the power transistor, a switchable element monolithically integrated into the power transistor, the switchable element connected between the connecting point and a source of the power transistor, and the switchable element being configured such that when the power transistor is in a turn-on state, a voltage value of the connecting point is high, a voltage value at the gate is low and the switchable element is off, in an on-state, the voltage value of the connecting point is high, the voltage value at the gate is high and the switchable element is off, in a turn-off state, the voltage value of the connecting point is low, the voltage value at the gate is high and the switchable element is on, and in an off-state, the voltage value of the connecting point is low, the voltage value at the gate is low and the switchable element is on.