^{Mah:October 13 1997: IAS_97_M.htm}

FOURTH MEETING OF THE

POWER ELECTRONIC MODULE INTERFACE (P1461)

WORKING GROUP

WHEN: 1:00pm to 4:30pm Tuesday October 7, 1997

WHERE: IAS 97 in New Orleans, LA

CHAIR: Dennis Darcy

SPONSOR: Jason Lai

VICE CHAIR and SECRETARY: Mark Harris

ATTENDANCE:

Original AGENDA:

Review the agenda

Approve the minutes

Review action items

Task leader reports

Review and generation of action items

Close with next meeting agenda

ACTIVITY:

1. Since the meetings awards luncheon was scheduled until 2:00pm the meeting was delayed until 1:30pm. At which point the Chairman opened the meeting with a greeting and a quick review of purpose and the location of the working group web site (http://stdsbbs.ieee.org/groups/1461/)
2. The Chairman reviewed the agenda.
3. Review and approval of the minutes (Jointly with Action items)
   • Mark H--web page and chat room for the group, AI-Chat room still under investigation but Arthur Kelley has set up a mailing list (P1461@eprc.ncsu.edu)
   • Dennis D--getting more module manufacturers participating in the group, AI-Still under work, Powerex had an attendee, but we did not get one from IR or other module manufacturers. AI-Yuri K asked about European manufacturers and offered to make contact with his Siemens contact.
   • Dennis D. had taken on to get some SAE standard information, but has not been able to get it yet.
     • Yuri K asked about interaction with other efforts that seem to be covering the same ground from other IEEE committee's/Societies.
     • Yuri K also asked about access to the IEEE standards database, as a working group we should have access to the electronic forms on the IEEE HQ Server. AI-Dennis D or Mark H will make inquiries.
     • Yuri K also kicked of a discussion about what we meant by power module, each industry group has a different perception, the semiconductor companies see it as a case for their chips, the custom module people see it as the switch plus other circuitry, power supply or drive manufacturers see their products as modules. (This needs to be resolved possibly in the work on the Glossary/Definitions part of the 1461 document).
     • AI-John M and Rob L are investigating a couple of related standards and will be bringing them to the group in the near future. (Of particular interest is the way they handle different implantation of a common standard).
   • Dennis D. Find someone to take charge of the thermal interface issue. Closed.
   • Jeff Fishbein had set up a panel discussion at PCIM 97 Mark H discussed. The paper and presentation will put up on the WEB page (PCIM97 Paper and PCIM97 Presentation).
   • In regards to the questions by Yuri K and others about the propriety of holding a IEEE standards group meeting at an industry/commercial exhibition/conference. Dennis D has looked at the IEEE information and there is no requirement other than the meetings be open to all, since PCIM had allowed us to hold the meeting outside the main hall so people who were not going to the conference/exhibits this did not seem to be a problem. AI-However Dennis D will ask our contact at IEEE HQ.
   • Mark H showed overviews of the Level Breakdown and the Table of Contents as on the WEB page and shown at PCIM
   • Sunil C presented his automotive spec work and information on zoning that was assigned at the last meeting. (SC Presentation)
     • Discussion seemed to go down to creating a three space of Topology, Voltage and Current, Yuri and others feel that power would be better than current as the third axis.
   • Tom J suggested that some of the discussion about definitions and to concentrate work on existing parts.

   Having reviewed all the action items etc. from the last the meeting and the Minutes Dennis D asked if there was any reason not to approve the minutes. They were approved with minor modifications.

4. Balarama M asked how we could get more input from the module manufacturers on the Automotive Requirements.
   • Jason L pointed out that what we were trying to do is reduce the problems of designing converters using off the shelf components.
   • Balarma M asked how the trade-offs of cost effectiveness will be addressed.
   • Dennis D pointed out that we had decided that we needed to review and include industry practices. These 'Standards' were driven by historical decisions not by current redesign.
   • Angelo F pointed out that while it is often perceived that there are some de-facto standards, that this is in fact not as much true as perceived. While modules may look similar they are not pin compatible.
5. John M and Rob L discussed what they had found which were some IEC and SAE standards
   • They had started to look at the termination ratings and looked at the existing parts, quickly decided that the only practical way to do this is to look at if from the performance level first. From this can be derived the necessary physical characteristics.
   • John M also suggested a power module definition as a device that uses information to process power.
6. Angelo F now gave his presentation. (AF Presentation)
   • His general conclusion was the same as John and Rob's that the performance drives the physical.
7. Jason L asked the group about sponsoring a whole session at an IEEE conference on standards etc. This would be a forum where people could present ideas on standardization, what and how.
8. There was a general discussion about the performance driving the physical, Van GodBold's information seemed to point out the same issue.
9. There was discussion of having a couple of side meeting between this meeting and the next one.
   • Yuri K and Angelo F and others will meet during the PEBB review Wilkes Barre PA, October 21-23
   • Another meeting will be arranged in Dearborne MI in late November early December.
10. Review of Action Items:
    • Dennis D-Talk to IEEE HQ to get Yuri K access to standards for review.
    • Task leaders need to arrange meetings for each task group.
    • Yuri K is to talk with European module suppliers
    • John and Rob are to get copies of SAE and IEC standards for Mark H to make available to members for review.
    • Sunil C will generate a level 0 and 1 draft spec from his automotive requirements document.
    • Mark H will formulate the zone cube for review
    • All others interested were going to generate and pass on to Mark H versions of the Zone breakdown or Classes of devices. He will put them up on the web or e-mail them. Anyone is welcome to use the list server mentioned above to send out to the members.
11. Close of meeting Dennis D asked for a move to adjourn at 4:20.

THE NEXT FORMAL MEETING WILL BE AT THE APEC98 MEETING SOMETIME BETWEEN FEBRUARY 15-19^th

Tentative Schedule of future meetings