Patent ID: 8605408

Claim:
A power semiconductor device for an igniter comprising: a first semiconductor switching device causing a current to flow through a primary side of an ignition coil or shutting off the current flowing through the primary side of the ignition coil; and an integrated circuit driving and controlling the first semiconductor switching device, wherein the integrated circuit includes: a second semiconductor switching device connected in parallel with the first semiconductor switching device and having a smaller current capacity than a current capacity of the first semiconductor switching device; a delay circuit delaying a first control input signal to generate a second control input signal; a first drive circuit driving the first semiconductor switching device according to the second control input signal; a second drive circuit driving the second semiconductor switching device according to the first control input signal; a third semiconductor switching device including a thyristor structure having a main terminal connected to a high voltage side main terminal of the second semiconductor switching device, the thyristor structure being made conductive by a part of a main current flowing through the energized second semiconductor switching device; a first excess voltage detection circuit monitoring voltage on the high voltage side main terminal of the second semiconductor switching device by monitoring conduction of the third semiconductor switching device and controlling the first drive circuit to stop the first semiconductor switching device without stopping the second semiconductor switching device when the voltage is equal to or more than a predetermined voltage.