MAGNETIC SATURATION DETECTOR WITH SINGLE AND MULTIPLE TRANSVERSE WINDINGS
Granted: September 29, 2022
Application Number:
20220308094
Magnetic saturation detectors for power converters are presented herein. An energy transfer element has an input power winding wrapped around a center post. Single or multiple transverse windings are positioned perpendicular to the input power winding and coupled to receive a transverse current that provides a transverse magnetic flux density within the energy transfer element. The transverse magnetic flux density produces a transverse voltage waveform. A voltage detection circuit is…
INDUCTIVE CHARGING CIRCUIT TO PROVIDE OPERATING POWER FOR A CONTROLLER
Granted: March 31, 2022
Application Number:
20220103084
An inductive charging circuit coupled to a winding of a power converter and a supply terminal of a controller of the power converter. The inductive charging circuit comprising an input coupled to the winding, the input coupled to receive a switching voltage generated by the power converter, an inductor coupled to the input to provide an inductor current in response to the switching voltage, a first diode coupled to the inductor to enable the inductor current to flow from the input of the…
PROTECTIVE INSULATOR FOR HFET DEVICES
Granted: January 13, 2022
Application Number:
20220013660
An HFET includes a first and second semiconductor material. A first composite passivation layer includes a first insulation layer and a first passivation layer, and the first passivation layer is disposed between the first insulation layer and the second semiconductor material. The HFET includes a second passivation layer, where the first insulation layer is disposed between the first passivation layer and the second passivation layer. A gate dielectric is disposed between the second…
APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLABLE NETWORKS TO VARY INTER-STAGE POWER TRANSFER IN A MULTI-STAGE POWER CONVERSION SYSTEM
Granted: December 23, 2021
Application Number:
20210399620
Apparatus and methods for controllable networks to vary inter-stage power transfer in a multi-stage power conversion system are disclosed herein. By using controllable networks (111-113) within the first power converter stage (102), intermediate power delivered to a subsequent or second power converter stage (104) can be varied so that the multi-stage power conversion system (100) may respond to a full load step while offering improved light load power conversion efficiency. A power…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS CONDUCTION MODE OPERATION OF A MULTI-OUTPUT POWER CONVERTER
Granted: November 11, 2021
Application Number:
20210351711
Methods and apparatus for continuous conduction mode operation in multi-output power converters are described herein. During a switching cycle, secondary current may be delivered via a diode to a secondary output. Prior to beginning a subsequent switching cycle, a diverting current may be provided to a lower voltage secondary output on a parallel path. In this way diode current may be reduced to substantially zero prior to the subsequent switching cycle.
CONTROLLER WITH FREQUENCY REQUEST CIRCUIT
Granted: November 11, 2021
Application Number:
20210351685
A controller comprising a regulation circuit and a frequency request circuit. The regulation circuit configured to receive a signal representative of an output and a reference representative of a desired value of the output, the regulation circuit configured to output a regulation signal in response to a difference between the signal and the reference. The frequency request circuit configured to receive the regulation signal and outputs an increment signal representative of a request to…
MODULATING JITTER FREQUENCY AS SWITCHING FREQUENCY APPROACHES JITTER FREQUENCY
Granted: October 28, 2021
Application Number:
20210333811
A method for providing a jitter signal for modulating a switching frequency of a power switch for a power converter. The method comprising receiving a drive signal representative of the switching frequency of the power switch, detecting the switching frequency from the drive signal, determining if the switching frequency is less than a first threshold frequency, and modulating a frequency of the jitter signal in response to determining if the switching frequency is less than the first…
OUTPUT-SIDE CONTROLLER WITH SWITCHING REQUEST AT RELAXATION RING EXTREMUM
Granted: October 21, 2021
Application Number:
20210328516
A control circuit comprising an output controller coupled to an output side of a power converter. The output controller comprises a switch control signal generator to receive a feedback signal representative of an output of the power controller and to communicate a control signal to an input controller coupled to an input side to control a turn ON of a power switch. The control signal is generated in response to the feedback signal and is communicated in response to an enable signal. The…
INDUCTIVE CHARGING CIRCUIT TO PROVIDE OPERATIVE POWER FOR A CONTROLLER
Granted: August 19, 2021
Application Number:
20210257923
An inductive charging circuit coupled to a winding of a power converter and a supply terminal of a controller of the power converter. The inductive charging circuit comprising an input coupled to the winding, the input coupled to receive a switching voltage generated by the power converter, an inductor coupled to the input to provide an inductor current in response to the switching voltage, a first diode coupled to the inductor to enable the inductor current to flow from the input of the…
PROCESS AND STRUCTURE FOR A SUPERJUNCTION DEVICE
Granted: August 5, 2021
Application Number:
20210242338
A superjunction device comprising a drain contact, a substrate layer above the drain contact, an epitaxial layer above the substrate layer, a P+ layer above the epitaxial layer formed by P-type implantation to a bottom of the superjunction device, a trench with a sloped angle formed by use of a hard mask layer. The trench is filled with an insulating material. A first vertical column is formed adjacent to the trench. A second vertical column is formed adjacent to the first vertical…
MULTIPLE STAGE GATE DRIVE FOR CASCODE CURRENT SENSING
Granted: July 8, 2021
Application Number:
20210211065
A power converter comprising an energy transfer element is coupled between an input of the power converter and an output of the power converter. A cascode circuit generates a first sense signal and a second sense signal. A controller controls the switching of the cascode circuit to transfer energy from the input of the power converter to the output of the power converter. The controller comprising a current sense circuit generates a current limit signal and an overcurrent signal in…
AUXILIARY CONVERTER TO PROVIDE OPERATING POWER FOR A CONTROLLER
Granted: July 1, 2021
Application Number:
20210203235
An auxiliary converter coupled to an output of a main power converter comprising an auxiliary switch, a timing circuit, and an energy transfer element. The auxiliary switch coupled to the output of the main power converter. A timing circuit coupled to receive a control signal from a controller of the main power converter, wherein the controller regulates the output of the main power converter, the timing circuit configured to output an auxiliary drive signal to control switching of the…
MODE OPERATION DETECTION FOR CONTROL OF A POWER CONVERTER WITH AN ACTIVE CLAMP SWITCH
Granted: June 24, 2021
Application Number:
20210194378
A primary controller configured for use in a power converter comprising a control circuit configured to determine a mode of operation of the power converter in response to a drive signal of a power switch. The control circuit further configured to generate a control signal in response to a signal representative of the mode of operation of the power converter, wherein the control signal represents a delay time to enable a turn on of the power switch after a turn off of a clamp switch. The…
EXTREMUM LOCATOR WITH MEASUREMENT ENABLE CIRCUIT
Granted: June 17, 2021
Application Number:
20210184556
A controller for use in a power converter for transferring energy between an input and an output, the controller comprising a second controller to generate a request event and a request signal in response to a feedback signal and a switching window signal, the second controller to transmit the request event during a switching window of the switching window signal. The second controller comprising an extremum locator switching window generator to generate the switching window…
EXTERNAL ADJUSTMENT OF A DRIVE CONTROL OF A SWITCH
Granted: June 10, 2021
Application Number:
20210175834
A control system configured to control a transistor configured to control energy delivery to a load. The control system comprises a system controller to sense an event in the control system and to assert a command signal in response to the sensed event and a switch controller configured to receive the command signal. The switch controller is configured to control the turn on and the turn off of the transistor, wherein the system controller controls the turn on or the turn off, or control…
ACTIVE CLAMP CIRCUIT WITH STEERING NETWORK
Granted: June 10, 2021
Application Number:
20210175810
A power converter, comprising an energy transfer element, an output of the power converter, a power switch, an active clamp circuit, and a first controller. The active clamp circuit comprising a capacitance, a steering diode network coupled to the capacitance and configured to transfer a charge to the capacitance, a clamp switch coupled to the capacitance and configured to transfer the charge stored in the capacitance to the energy transfer element, and an offset element coupled to the…
INPUT LINE VOLTAGE OPERATION FOR A POWER CONVERTER
Granted: June 3, 2021
Application Number:
20210167680
A controller configured for use in a power converter. The controller comprises a control circuit coupled to receive an input line voltage sense signal representative of an input voltage of the power converter. The control circuit is configured to generate a control signal in response to a request signal representative of an output of the power converter. The control signal represents a delay time to turn on a power switch after a turn on of a clamp switch in response to the input line…
CONTROLLER FOR MULTI-OUTPUT SINGLE MAGNETIC COMPONENT CONVERTER WITH INDEPENDENT REGULATION OF CONSTANT CURRENT AND CONSTANT VOLTAGE OUTPUTS
Granted: May 20, 2021
Application Number:
20210152093
A power converter includes a primary winding and multiple output windings to provide multiple independently controlled and regulated outputs with a common return line. The outputs are coupled to independently regulate constant current, constant voltage, or both constant current and constant voltage outputs. A secondary control block is coupled to control a synchronous rectifier switch coupled to the common return line to synchronize switching with a primary side power switch to provide…
RESERVOIR CAPACITOR FOR BOOST CONVERTERS
Granted: May 20, 2021
Application Number:
20210152087
A power supply comprising a first-stage capacitor configured to provide energy to a second stage power converter. An energy transfer element coupled to the first-stage capacitor. A reservoir capacitor coupled to the energy transfer element. The reservoir capacitor is configured to receive charge from the energy transfer element. A power switch configured to control a transfer of energy from an input of the power supply to the first-stage capacitor. A controller coupled to the power…
MAGNET WITH MULTIPLE DISCS
Granted: April 15, 2021
Application Number:
20210110966
A magnet comprising a center disc having a center disposed as a center of the magnet, a face of the center disc is substantially perpendicular to a central axis of the magnet. The magnet further comprises a first plurality of outer discs disposed around the center disc in a bundled rod construction, a face of each of the first plurality of outer discs substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the magnet, wherein the center disc and each disc of the first plurality of outer discs…
