DIGITAL PEAK INPUT VOLTAGE DETECTOR FOR A POWER CONVERTER CONTROLLER
Granted: March 25, 2010
Application Number:
20100073974
An example integrated circuit controller for a power converter includes a digital peak detector and a switching block. The digital peak detector is coupled to output a digital count signal representative of a peak input voltage of the power converter. The switching block is coupled to control switching of a power switch of the power converter to regulate an output of the power converter. The switching block is further coupled to control the switching of the power switch in response to…
CIRCUIT WITH ISOLATION INTERFACE AND REMOTE ON/OFF
Granted: March 25, 2010
Application Number:
20100072966
A circuit with an isolation interface and a remote on/off function is disclosed. The circuit includes a controller included in a primary side of the circuit. The controller is coupled to receive a primary side feedback signal and the controller is configured to enter a shutdown mode when the primary side feedback signal exceeds a feedback signal threshold. The circuit also includes an isolation interface coupled to galvanically isolate the primary side from a secondary side of the…
METHOD AND APPARATUS TO SELECT A PARAMETER/MODE BASED ON A MEASUREMENT DURING AN INITIALIZATION PERIOD
Granted: March 25, 2010
Application Number:
20100073041
Techniques are disclosed to select functional parameters and/or operating modes of a circuit based on a measurement during an initialization period. In one aspect an integrated circuit includes a threshold detection circuit coupled to measure during an initialization period of the integrated circuit a signal from a first external circuit comprising one or more components coupled to a first external terminal of the integrated circuit. A selection circuit is coupled to the threshold…
FORWARD CONVERTER TRANSFORMER SATURATION PREVENTION
Granted: March 25, 2010
Application Number:
20100073966
A control circuit for use in a power converter in one aspect limits the magnetic flux in a transformer of a switching power converter. A first controlled current source has a first current that is substantially directly proportional to an input voltage to be applied to a winding of the transformer. A second controlled current source has a second current that is substantially directly proportional to a reset voltage to be applied to the winding of the transformer. A first switch is…
FLYBACK CONVERTER WITH FORWARD CONVERTER RESET CLAMP
Granted: March 25, 2010
Application Number:
20100073968
A power supply includes a first power converter, a second power converter, and a clamp reset circuit. The clamp reset circuit is electrically coupled to other components within the first power converter and the second power converter. A clamp standby connection can be provided to electrically couple the clamp reset circuit to components comprising the second power converter. The clamp reset circuit is coupled to reduce magnetizing energy of a transformer of the first power converter and…
METHOD AND APPARATUS TO REDUCE LINE CURRENT HARMONICS FROM A POWER SUPPLY
Granted: March 18, 2010
Application Number:
20100067270
A method and apparatus for controlling a power converter. In one aspect, a controller for use in a power converter includes a first calculator coupled to determine an end of an on time of a power switch of the power converter by integrating an input current to output an on time signal representative of the end of the on time of the power switch. The controller also includes a second calculator coupled to determine an end of an off time of the power switch by integrating a difference…
LEAKAGE COMPENSATION FOR SAMPLE AND HOLD DEVICES
Granted: March 18, 2010
Application Number:
20100066414
A sample and hold circuit in one aspect includes first and second switches. The first switch can be coupled to receive an input signal and to sample the input signal using a first capacitor. A first leakage current flows between first and second conductive terminals of the first switch and accumulates as a first leakage charge in the first capacitor. A second leakage current flows between the first and second conductive terminals of the second switch and accumulates as a second leakage…
High-voltage vertical transistor with a varied width silicon pillar
Granted: March 18, 2010
Application Number:
20100065903
In one embodiment, a vertical HVFET includes a pillar of semiconductor material a pillar of semiconductor material arranged in a loop layout having at least two substantially parallel and substantially linear fillet sections each having a first width, and at least two rounded sections, the rounded sections having a second width narrower than the first width, a source region of a first conductivity type being disposed at or near a top surface of the pillar, and a body region of a second…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PULSE WIDTH MODULATION
Granted: February 25, 2010
Application Number:
20100045352
An apparatus and method of providing a pulse width modulated signal that is responsive to a current are disclosed. A circuit according to aspects of the present invention includes a capacitor to convert a first current to a first voltage on the capacitor during a first time duration and to discharge a second current from the capacitor to change the first voltage to a second voltage during a second time duration. A comparator is also included and is coupled to an output of the capacitor…
ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE CONDUCTING PATHWAY HAVING A NOISE FILTER SPARK GAP
Granted: February 18, 2010
Application Number:
20100039838
A printed circuit board includes a primary region, a secondary region and an isolation region disposed between the primary region and the secondary region to galvanically isolate the primary region from the secondary region. The primary region is to be coupled to an AC source. The primary region also includes an electrostatic discharge (ESD) conducting pathway to redirect current to the AC source that crosses the isolation region. A spark gap is included in the ESD conducting pathway to…
ASYMMETRIC SWITCH FORWARD CONVERTER
Granted: February 18, 2010
Application Number:
20100039837
A switching circuit for use in a power converter in one aspect includes a first and second active switch and a first and second passive switch. The first active switch can be coupled to a first terminal of a primary winding of a transformer. The second active switch can be coupled to a second terminal of the primary winding of the transformer. The output capacitance of the first active switch is greater than the output capacitance of the second active switch. The first passive switch can…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING A CONSTANT LOAD CURRENT WITH LINE VOLTAGE IN A SWITCH MODE POWER SUPPLY
Granted: February 11, 2010
Application Number:
20100033147
A power supply regulator including a variable current limit threshold that increases during an on time of a switch. In one aspect, a power supply regulator includes a comparator that has a first input coupled to sense a voltage representative of a current flowing through a switch during an on time of the switch. The comparator has a second input coupled to receive a variable current limit threshold that increases during the on time of the switch. A feedback circuit is coupled to receive…
POWER FACTOR CORRECTION CONVERTER CONTROL OFFSET
Granted: December 24, 2009
Application Number:
20090316454
Power factor correction converter control offset apparatus and methods are disclosed. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a control unit to generate a control signal to control a duty cycle of a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) switching signal that controls a switch in a PFC (Power Factor Correction) converter. An offset unit is also included and is coupled to the control unit, to generate a variable offset signal to offset the control signal or a signal used by the control unit to…
High-voltage vertical transistor structure
Granted: December 24, 2009
Application Number:
20090315105
In one embodiment, a transistor includes a pillar of semiconductor material arranged in a racetrack-shaped layout having a substantially linear section that extends in a first lateral direction and rounded sections at each end of the substantially linear section. First and second dielectric regions are disposed on opposite sides of the pillar. First and second field plates are respectively disposed in the first and second dielectric regions. First and second gate members respectively…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DESIGN OF A POWER SUPPLY
Granted: December 17, 2009
Application Number:
20090313002
A computer-implemented method for the design of a power supply is disclosed. Multiple lists of power supply design variables are provided. The method includes simulating a first power supply design in response to power supply design variables selected from these multiple lists of variables. The method then calculates a score of the first power supply design and determines whether the score is better than the score of any power supply design included in a set of power supply designs. If…
METHOD AND APPARATUS PROVIDING A MULTI-FUNCTION TERMINAL FOR A POWER SUPPLY CONTROLLER
Granted: December 17, 2009
Application Number:
20090310389
A method for controlling a power supply is disclosed. An example method includes deactivating the power supply in response to a first current through a first terminal of a power supply controller falling below a first threshold value. The power supply is activated in response to the first current through the first terminal rising above a second threshold value. Deactivating the power comprises causing a power switch coupled to a primary winding of the power supply not to receive a…
LOW PROFILE COIL-WOUND BOBBIN
Granted: December 17, 2009
Application Number:
20090309686
A low profile coil-wound bobbin is disclosed. A low profile coil-wound bobbin includes a spool and a terminal. The spool is configured to have a coil-wire arrangement wound around the spool. The terminals are to be coupled to the coil-wire arrangement and a first side of a circuit board. The terminal is configured to mechanically and/or electrically couple the low profile coil-wound bobbin to the first side of the circuit board such that the low profile bobbin extends through the circuit…
MULTI-STABLE ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT STATE CONTROL
Granted: December 17, 2009
Application Number:
20090309569
Apparatus and methods of controlling operating states of multi-stable electronic circuits are disclosed. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a bandgap reference circuit having an operating state and a latched off state. The bandgap reference circuit includes an amplifier to provide a bandgap reference voltage when the bandgap reference circuit is in the operating state. A state control circuit is also included and is coupled to sense an output signal of the bandgap reference circuit.…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INCREASING THE POWER CAPABILITY OF A POWER SUPPLY
Granted: December 10, 2009
Application Number:
20090303766
Techniques are disclosed to extend an on time period of switch to regulate a transfer of energy from an input of a power supply to an output of a power supply. One example integrated circuit includes an energy transfer element coupled between an input and an output of the power supply. A switch is coupled to the input of the energy transfer element. A controller is coupled to the switch to control switching of the switch to regulate a transfer of energy from the input of the power supply…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING AN UNREGULATED DORMANT MODE IN A POWER CONVERTER
Granted: December 3, 2009
Application Number:
20090295346
A control circuit for use in a power converter with an unregulated dormant mode of operation is disclosed. In one aspect a power converter includes a drive signal generator coupled to generate a drive signal to control switching of a power switch to be coupled to the control circuit to regulate a flow of energy to a power converter output in response to an energy requirement of one or more loads to be coupled to the power converter output. An unregulated dormant mode control circuit is…
