Gate Drive Method Using Wireless Multiplex Transmission of Power and Signal

Wireless power transfer (WPT) has recently gained considerable attention for many power supply applications owing to its convenience and high-isolation characteristics. In this study, a gate drive method using WPT is proposed for driving power switching devices. The proposed method involves a multiplex transmission, which can simultaneously transmit not only the driving power but also the gate-timing signals for turn-on and turn-off through WPT. Printed circuit board coils are implemented for the transmitter and receiver coils with a control circuit on one board. Two gate circuits are designed using small discrete diodes and a general-purpose IC for driving a power MOSFET. The results of a switching test confirm the effectiveness of the proposed gate drive method.