Patent ID: 7034556

Claim:
A power device, comprising: a solid-state device having (a) a thermal mass and (b) reliability and performance characteristics which vary in response to the temperature of said solid-state device; means for controllably providing power to said solid-state device; control means coupled to said means for controllably providing power, for controlling said means for controllably providing power in a manner that includes pulses of selectable at least one of amplitude and duration, whereby the power produced in said solid-state device varies from time to time; a heat transfer arrangement coupled to said solid-state device for transferring heat from said solid-state device, said heat transfer arrangement including thermal masses mutually separated by thermal impedances, whereby said temperature of said solid-state device varies in response to said power, thermal mass, and thermal impedances; simulation means for generating an electrical analog of (a) said thermal masses separate by thermal impedances of said heat transfer arrangement and (b) said thermal mass of said solid-state device, where said simulation means analogizes an electrical characteristic to the temperature of said solid-state device; and limiting means coupled to said simulation means and to said control means, for monitoring said electrical characteristic, and for preventing said control means from producing power for application to said solid-state device in an amount deemed to raise said temperature of said solid-state device, as represented by said electrical characteristic, above a predetermined temperature.