Monolithic Power Systems Patent Grants

Timing circuits and driving circuits used in lighting systems

Granted: August 16, 2016
Patent Number: 9420648
A timing circuit used in lighting systems includes a first logic circuit, a first counter, a latching circuit and a judging circuit. The first logic circuit generates a first logic signal and a second logic signal based on a falling edge of a detecting signal. The first counter generates a first counting signal and a second counting signal based on the second logic signal, wherein the counting period of the first counting signal is longer than that of the second counting signal. The…

Semiconductor device and associated method for manufacturing

Granted: August 16, 2016
Patent Number: 9418983
A semiconductor device having an ESD protection structure and a method for forming the semiconductor device. The ESD protection structure is formed atop a termination area of the substrate and is electrically coupled between a source metal and a gate metal of the semiconductor device. The ESD protection structure has a first portion adjacent to the source metal, a second portion adjacent to the gate metal and a middle portion between and connecting the first portion and the second…

Light driver and the controller and driving method thereof

Granted: August 2, 2016
Patent Number: 9408272
A light driver and the controller and the driving method thereof are disclosed. The controller has a reference generating circuit which has a dimming signal converting circuit, a thermal signal converting circuit and a selecting circuit. The dimming signal converting circuit converts a dimming signal into a converted dimming signal and the thermal signal converting circuit converts the thermal signal into a converted thermal signal. The selecting circuit selects the smaller one of the…

Isolated switching converter with secondary side modulation and control method

Granted: August 2, 2016
Patent Number: 9407155
A controller of an isolated switching converter includes an error amplifying circuit, a modulation signal generator, a first comparison circuit, a primary off detection circuit, a secondary logic circuit, an isolation circuit and a primary logic circuit. The error amplifying circuit generates a compensation signal based on the difference between a reference signal and a feedback signal. The first comparison circuit compares the compensation signal with a modulation signal generated by…

Flyback converter with current controlled low power mode

Granted: August 2, 2016
Patent Number: 9407151
An isolated switching converter includes a transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding and an auxiliary winding, a primary switch coupled to the primary winding, a secondary switch coupled to the secondary winding, and a feedback circuit coupled to the auxiliary winding to generate a feedback signal indicative of the output voltage. Under normal operation, the primary switch is controlled based on the feedback signal and the secondary switch is controlled based on the…

Multi-phase SMPS with loop phase clocks and control method thereof

Granted: August 2, 2016
Patent Number: 9407148
A multi-phase SMPS has N switching circuits; a setting signal generator generating a setting signal based on an output signal of the SMPS; a clock signal generator generating a system clock signal; and a controller receiving the setting signal and the system clock signal, the controller generating N shifted phase clock signals according to the system clock signal, and the N shifted phase clock signals forming loop phase clocks, and the controller further generates N switching control…

High voltage analog switch

Granted: July 26, 2016
Patent Number: 9401659
A high voltage analog switch can be used in medical ultrasound applications. The high voltage analog switch can pass high voltage transducer excitation signals without necessarily having any high voltage power supplies. The high voltage analog switch can include three output switches, with one of the output switches having a clamp circuit for ensuring that transistors of an output switch on an input end of the high voltage analog switch remain OFF when the high voltage analog switch is…

Current limit module and control module for power converters and associated method

Granted: July 26, 2016
Patent Number: 9401648
A power converter having a current limit module and a method for controlling the power converter. The power converter converts an input voltage to an output voltage based at least on driving a main switch to switch on and off and regulates the output voltage through regulating a duty cycle of the main switch. The current limit module is configured to compensate a first current limit threshold indicative of a maximum allowable value of a peak value of a switching current of the main…

Switching mode power supply and the control method thereof

Granted: July 26, 2016
Patent Number: 9401647
A switching mode power supply, having: a power switch; an energy storage component coupled to the power switch; a current sense resistor configured to generate a current sense signal; a mode select resistor configured to generate a mode select resistor; a ZCD (Zero Cross Detecting) circuit configured to generate a ZCD signal; and a control circuit configured to provide a switch control signal to control the on and off of the power switch, the control circuit having a multi-function pin…

LED driver, the control circuit and the LED driving method

Granted: July 19, 2016
Patent Number: 9398653
The present invention discloses a LED driver including a power stage, an inductor, an error amplifier, a set comparator, a first timer, a logical AND circuit, a reset comparator, a second timer a logical OR circuit, a RS flip flop and a driving circuit. The LED driver provides sufficient latching current for the TRIAC dimmer with no large RC circuit, so as to optimize the dimming and reduce system size.

Switching mode power supplies with primary side regulation and associated methods of control

Granted: July 19, 2016
Patent Number: 9397577
A switching mode power supply (SMPS) includes a transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding for providing an output voltage and an auxiliary winding, a primary switch coupled to the primary winding, a secondary rectifying diode coupled to the secondary winding and a secondary switch connected in parallel with the secondary rectifying diode. A control method used in the SMPS includes: comparing a voltage across the secondary switch with a first secondary threshold and a…

Switching charger, the control circuit and the control method thereof

Granted: July 12, 2016
Patent Number: 9391516
A switching charger having a control circuit configured to provide a control signal; a power stage turned ON and OFF by the control signal; an inductor coupled between the power stage and a load; and an output capacitor coupled in parallel with the load; wherein the control circuit limits a current flowing through the inductor in a hysteretic window, and wherein the hysteretic window is adjusted according to an ON time of the control signal.

SMPS with output ripple reduction control and method thereof

Granted: July 5, 2016
Patent Number: 9385601
A SMPS has a switch, an inductor, a zero current detection circuit for detecting the current flowing through the inductor, a load judgment circuit and a control signal generating circuit. The load judgment circuit is coupled to the zero current detection circuit and provides a plurality of status signals based on a zero current duration of the inductor current. The control signal generating circuit generates a control signal which transits from a first state to a second state when a…

Control circuit for a synchronous rectification circuit, LLC resonant converter and associated method

Granted: June 28, 2016
Patent Number: 9379630
A control circuit for a synchronous rectification circuit, a LLC resonant converter and a control method. The control circuit has a first comparing circuit, a second comparing circuit, a blanking circuit, a first logic circuit and a second logic circuit. The blanking circuit is configured to provide a first blanking signal and a second blanking signal to avoid one or more repeated conduction of a first synchronous rectifier and a second synchronous rectifier respectively, and the first…

Switch mode power supply, control circuit and associated control method

Granted: June 7, 2016
Patent Number: 9362830
A switch mode power supply having an output terminal configured to provide an output voltage, the switch mode power supply has a first switch and a control circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to receive a current sense signal via a reuse input pin when the first switch is turned ON, and the control circuit is configured to receive a voltage sense signal via a reuse input pin when the first switch is turned OFF.

Constant on-time control switching converter with DC calibration and control circuit and method thereof

Granted: June 7, 2016
Patent Number: 9362824
A constant on-time control switching converter with DC calibration is disclosed. A current flowing into a capacitor of a DC calibration circuit is reduced by introducing a transconductance amplifier and a resistor. Thus, the equivalent capacitance of the capacitor is magnified, which allows the user to integrate a capacitor with smaller capacitance to realize DC calibration.

Switch-mode power supply, charging current source and associated method

Granted: June 7, 2016
Patent Number: 9362823
A switch-mode power supply includes a converter, a controller and a charging current. The charging current includes a logic circuit, a first current source and a second current source, to generate a charging current proportional to an input voltage of the switch-mode power supply, and also to generate a logic control signal indicative of either of two operation modes.

Field effect transistor, termination structure and associated method for manufacturing

Granted: June 7, 2016
Patent Number: 9362351
A field effect transistor (“FET”), a termination structure and associated method for manufacturing. The FET has a plurality of active transistor cells and a termination structure. The termination structure for the FET includes a plurality of termination cells arranged substantially in parallel from an inner side toward an outer side of a termination area of the FET. Each of the termination cells comprises a termination trench lined with a termination insulation layer and filled with…

Constant on-time switching converter and control method thereof

Granted: May 31, 2016
Patent Number: 9356510
A switching converter providing an output voltage has at least one switch and a control circuit. The control circuit has a slope compensation module, an output correction module and a control module, wherein the slope compensation module provides a slope compensation signal, the output correction module provides a voltage trim signal based on the slope compensation signal, and the control module provides a control signal to control the at least one switch based on the slope compensation…

Power loss control method for metal-oxide-semiconductor unit and associated apparatus

Granted: May 24, 2016
Patent Number: 9350340
A power loss control method comprises detecting a load condition of the MOS unit, and adjusting driving loss of the MOS unit based on the load condition. The driving loss of the MOS unit is configured to decrease when the MOS unit is at light load condition.