Patent ID: 8027183

Claim:
A 3-phase inverter integrated circuit comprising: first and second U-phase switching elements connected in series to each other to constitute a U-phase inverter, each switching element comprising a control terminal; first and second V-phase switching elements connected in series to each other to constitute a V-phase inverter, each switching element comprising a control terminal; first and second W-phase switching elements connected in series to each other to constitute a W-phase inverter, each switching element comprising a control terminal; a single U-phase high voltage integrated circuit for generating respective control signals applied to the control terminals of and for controlling both the first and second U-phase switching elements of the U-phase inverter according to a received U-phase input signal, the U-phase high voltage integrated circuit having a fault-out terminal for the U-phase; a single V-phase high voltage integrated circuit for generating respective control signals applied to the control terminals of and for controlling both the first and second V-phase switching elements of the V-phase inverter according to a received V-phase input signal, the V-phase high voltage integrated circuit having a fault-out terminal for the V-phase; and a single W-phase high voltage integrated circuit for generating respective control signals applied to the control terminals of and for controlling both the first and second W-phase switching elements of the W-phase inverter according to a received W-phase input signal, the W-phase high voltage integrated circuit having a fault-out terminal for the W-phase.