Voltage Regulator with Virtual Remote Sensing
Granted: May 5, 2011
Application Number:
20110101937
An automatic voltage compensation circuit in a voltage regulator compensates the output voltage for a voltage drop along lines leading to a remote load. A load capacitor is connected across the load for providing a low impedance across the load during a test phase of the regulator. In one embodiment, during the test phase, the load current is changed up or down a small percentage (e.g., 10%). As a result, the regulator voltage changes due only to the line resistance since the load is…
DC/DC Converter Overcurrent Protection
Granted: March 17, 2011
Application Number:
20110063760
A DC/DC converter and a method protect a MOSFET driven by the converter from overcurrent conditions. No extra pins are required to sense the current, which saves IC package area and cost.
DC/DC CONVERTER HAVING A FAST AND ACCURATE AVERAGE CURRENT LIMIT
Granted: March 17, 2011
Application Number:
20110062932
In order to overcome the three main obstacles to obtaining a fast and accurate average current limit in a DC/DC converter, three distinct improvements are provided which can work in concert to achieve the goal. Each of the three parts comprises significant new improvements, and their use together to create an average current limit is also believed to be novel. The first improvement relates to providing a bias signal control configured to apply a variable DC bias signal to the…
FEEDBACK CONTROL OF A DC/DC POWER CONVERTER
Granted: March 17, 2011
Application Number:
20110062929
A current mode power conversion system and method are described that provide a stable output voltage and a maximum-limited output current to a load. The system comprises: a feedback control linearly operable so as to control the output voltage across the load during constant load conditions, and non-linearly operable so as to control the output voltage across the load during certain detected changes in load conditions above a predetermined threshold so as to speed up the transient…
FLEXIBLE CONTACTLESS WIRE BONDING STRUCTURE AND METHODOLOGY FOR SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE
Granted: February 24, 2011
Application Number:
20110042792
A semiconductor device such as a field-effect transistor, improved to reduce device resistance, comprises a leadframe which includes a die paddle integral with a first set of leads and a second set of leads that is electrically isolated from the first set, a semiconductor die having its lower surface positioned on, and electrically connected to, the die paddle, and a conductive layer on the upper surface of the die. At least one electrically conductive wire, preferably plural wires,…
ADJUSTABLE CURRENT LIMIT SWITCHING REGULATOR WITH CONSTANT LOOP GAIN
Granted: December 23, 2010
Application Number:
20100320974
A switching regulator is configured to provide a regulated voltage to a load while maintaining a substantially maximum output current limit, the switching regulator having a loop gain. In accordance with one aspect the switching regulator comprises: a circuit for adjusting the maximum output current limit in response to a programmable signal independently of the loop gain. In accordance with another aspect, the switching regulator comprises: a resistance sensing element for providing the…
MONOLITHIC VOLTAGE REFERENCE DEVICE WITH INTERNAL, MULTI-TEMPERATURE DRIFT DATA AND RELATED TESTING PROCEDURES
Granted: December 2, 2010
Application Number:
20100301923
A testing procedure may determine whether a monolithic voltage reference device meets a temperature drift specification. A first non-room temperature output voltage of the monolithic voltage reference device may be measured while the monolithic voltage reference device is at a first non-room temperature which is substantially different than room temperature. First non-room temperature information may be stored in a memory within the monolithic voltage reference device which is a function…
PULSE-WIDTH MODULATION (PWM) WITH INDEPENDENTLY ADJUSTABLE DUTY CYCLE AND FREQUENCY USING TWO ADJUSTABLE DELAYS
Granted: November 18, 2010
Application Number:
20100289547
A pulse width modulation circuit may generate an adjustable output signal that periodically transitions between a first and a second state with an adjustable duty cycle. A first pulse generator circuit may be configured to generate a first pulse signal that periodically transitions at an adjustable delay with respect to a periodic reference signal. A second pulse generator circuit may be configured to generate a second pulse signal that periodically transitions at an adjustable delay…
COMPLEX-ADMITTANCE DIGITAL-TO-ANALOG CONVERTER
Granted: October 28, 2010
Application Number:
20100271245
A circuit includes a digital-to-analog converter configured to produce an analog output signal (1) proportional to a reference signal and (2) as a function of a digital input signal. The converter comprises a plurality of non-trivially complex admittances configured so that each non-trivially complex admittance can be selectively switched as a function of the digital input signal so as to be coupled between a reference terminal configured to receive a reference signal and an output…
Voltage and Current Regulators with Switched Output Capacitors For Multiple Regulation States
Granted: October 21, 2010
Application Number:
20100264890
A device and method of providing any one of a plurality of desired levels of a regulated signal output to a load is described, wherein each desired level is a function of a corresponding reference signal. The device is configured and the method is designed to (1) store each desired level of the regulated signal output on a switchable storage device; and (2) selectively switch the correct storage device to the output when switching from one regulated state to another so as to establish…
BUCK-MODE BOOST CONVERTER WITH REGULATED OUTPUT CURRENT
Granted: October 14, 2010
Application Number:
20100259192
An LED driver circuit that includes a buck-mode boost converter that provides a regulated output current and that requires only a single connection to each channel of LEDs. The buck-mode boost controller may include a current regulator that includes an integrator. The current regulator may be configured to integrate a difference between a reference signal that is representative of the desired level of the average current through the electronic power switch and a detected signal that is…
AVERAGE INDUCTOR CURRENT MODE SWITCHING CONVERTERS
Granted: September 30, 2010
Application Number:
20100244793
An average current mode switching converter is described for providing a regulated output current independent of load conditions, and a regulated output voltage as a function of the load connected to the converter. The converter comprises: an inductor; a modulator configured to provide a regulated current through the inductor; a feed back loop coupled between the inductor and the modulator for regulating the current through the inductor; and a precharger configured and arranged so as to…
INRUSH CURRENT CONTROL SYSTEM WITH SOFT START CIRCUIT AND METHOD
Granted: September 9, 2010
Application Number:
20100225294
A method of and system for controlling the inrush current generated in a MOSFET of an inrush current control system, wherein the MOSFET includes a source, gate and drain. The dV/dt at the drain of the MOSFET is controlled so as to set the inrush current level as a function of dV/dt, independent of current limit without requiring a separate capacitor connected between the gate and drain of the MOSFET so that the MOSFET can turn on and off more quickly.
SWITCHING MODE CONVERTERS
Granted: July 8, 2010
Application Number:
20100171475
A switch mode converter is configured to convert an input DC voltage applied at one level at the converter input to an output DC voltage at a second level at the converter output. The converter comprises: a switch configured to switch the input DC voltage on and off during each cycle of a plurality of cycles; energy storage configured to temporarily store energy from the input source voltage when the switch is on, and release energy when the switch is off during each cycle, wherein the…
Bootstrap Transistor Circuit
Granted: July 1, 2010
Application Number:
20100164597
A switch circuit is described, where a switch to be controlled is formed of two NMOS transistors having their source terminals connected together and their gate terminals connected together. Their drain terminals are the input and output terminals of the switch. A driver circuit controls a bootstrap circuit that is formed of a latching circuit and a capacitor. When the switch is in an off state, the driver circuit connects the capacitor to a charging voltage source for charging the…
LINEARITY IN LED DIMMER CONTROL
Granted: June 10, 2010
Application Number:
20100141173
A flyback controller may generate a switching signal for controlling the delivery of input current into a primary winding of a transformer in a flyback converter that has a secondary winding in the transformer and that is driven by AC output from a dimmer control that is chopped at a phase angle based on a setting of the dimmer control. The flyback controller may include a tracking input configured to receive a dimmer output tracking signal that is representative of the instantaneous…
CURRENT RIPPLE REDUCTION CIRCUIT FOR LEDS
Granted: June 10, 2010
Application Number:
20100141174
A powered LED circuit may include a power supply configured to generate and deliver an output current at a controllable average value with a substantial ripple component, one or more LEDs connected together, and a ripple reduction circuit connected to the power supply and to the one or more LEDs. The ripple reduction circuit may have a current regulator connected in series with the one or more LEDs which is configured to substantially reduce fluctuations in the current which flows…
DIMMER-CONTROLLED LEDS USING FLYBACK CONVERTER WITH HIGH POWER FACTOR
Granted: June 10, 2010
Application Number:
20100141177
A flyback controller generates a switching signal for controlling delivery of current into a primary winding of a transformer in a flyback converter. The controller may include an output current monitoring circuit configured to generate a signal representative of an average output current in a secondary winding of the transformer based on a peak input current in the primary winding and a duty cycle of current in the secondary winding. The flyback controller may generate a switching…
DIMMER CONTROL LEAKAGE PULL DOWN USING MAIN POWER DEVICE IN FLYBACK CONVERTER
Granted: June 10, 2010
Application Number:
20100141178
A flyback controller-may include a dimmer input configured to receive a chopped and rectified AC voltage. Each cycle of the signal may have an off period which is substantially attenuated but not always zero due to leakage of a dimmer control from which the chopped AC voltage originates, and an on period which substantially tracks the AC voltage. The ratio of the off period to the on period may be dependent upon a setting of the dimmer control. The flyback controller may include a…
POWER MEASUREMENT CIRCUIT
Granted: May 27, 2010
Application Number:
20100127754
A power measurement circuit comprises: a transconductance rectifier arrangement including an input and configured to receive a sinusoidal input voltage signal; and an averaging filter for producing a time averaged DC output signal proportional to the mean square of the voltage at the input of the transconductance rectifier arrangement and representative of the average power of the input voltage signal within a range of voltages at the input.
