Toshiba releases gate driver for vehicle body systems

Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation has begun offering engineering samples of the TB9104FTG, a gate driver integrated circuit for bridge circuits designed to control high-current brushed DC motors in automotive body system applications, including power back doors, power sliding doors, power windows, and power seats. The component addresses growing demand for compact motor drive solutions as the electrification of movable vehicle components continues to increase the number of motors required in modern cars.

The TB9104FTG uses a VQFN32 package measuring 5.0mm×5.0mm, with an exposed thermal pad to enhance heat dissipation. When combined with external MOSFETs, this enables compact drive circuits for high-current applications.

A serial peripheral interface (SPI) allows connection to microcontrollers, providing configuration options and status monitoring. Multiple gate drivers can share wiring through the SPI bus, helping reduce wire harness complexity. The built-in pulse width modulation (PWM) drive circuit enables continuous motor operation from a single rotation command, reducing microcontroller workload.

For safety, the device integrates a high-precision current sense amplifier to monitor motor drive current, enabling drive-stop control when abnormal current is detected. The TB9104FTG is scheduled for AEC-Q100 Grade 1 qualification.

Source: Toshiba