Patent ID: 7839201

Claim:
A device comprising: a controllable semiconductor device, the controllable semiconductor device associated with a first operating parameter and a second operating parameter, wherein at least the first operating parameter is a parameter that is controllable while the controllable semiconductor device is operating; a first sensor in communication with the controllable semiconductor device, the first sensor acquiring data relating to the second operating parameter of the controllable semiconductor device; and a controller in communication with the controllable semiconductor device, a storage device, and the first sensor, the controller configured to access device data associated with the controllable semiconductor and stored in the storage device, control the first operating parameter of the controllable semiconductor while the controllable semiconductor is operating, and receive data from the first sensor relating to the second operating parameter; wherein the device data comprises at least one of a default drain to source voltage (V DS ) boundary, a default power boundary (P B ), a default RMS current boundary (I DRMS ), and a default R DS(on) limited current boundary; and wherein the controller is configured to determine a first predicted value dependent on the device data, compare the data from the first sensor relating to the second operating parameter with the first predicted value, and, if a first condition is detected based on this comparison, dynamically determine a safe operating area (SOA) condition for the controllable semiconductor device based on the first condition, the device data, and on a predetermined reliability characteristic of the controllable semiconductor device and to dynamically modify the first operating parameter, while the controllable semiconductor is operating, so as to ensure that the controllable semiconductor operates in accordance with both the SOA condition and with the predetermined reliability characteristic.