LIGHT DRIVER CONTROL SYSTEM
Granted: September 18, 2014
Application Number:
20140265896
A system for controlling a light source includes a control circuit to be coupled to an ac source to receive an ac signal. The control circuit includes an input controller coupled to receive an input control signal and dimming command circuitry coupled to the input controller and coupled to receive the ac signal. The dimming command circuitry is coupled to remove one or more portions of a predetermined duration from the ac signal followed by a substantially full ac signal in response to…
CURRENT LIMITER WITH ACTIVE DAMPING
Granted: September 18, 2014
Application Number:
20140265861
This relates to a current limiter circuit that can be used in a power conversion system having a triac dimmer. In one example, the power conversion system may be used in an off-line LED driver. The current limiter circuit may be coupled to a power converter of the power conversion system and may operate to reduce the current that the power converter receives from an input line in the event of a power line surge. The current limiter circuit may also be coupled to the triac dimmer and may…
SUPPLEMENTING WIRE BONDS
Granted: September 18, 2014
Application Number:
20140264952
Systems and techniques for supplementing wire bonds. In one embodiment, a device includes a body having a first surface, a first wire bond pad disposed on the first surface, a first wire that is wire bonded to the first wire bond pad to form a contact between the first wire and the first wire bond pad, a first supplemental conductor disposed to form a supplemental conduit between the first wire and the first wire bond pad, a second wire bond pad disposed on the first surface, a second…
TECHNIQUES FOR CONTROLLING A POWER CONVERTER USING MULTIPLE CONTROLLERS
Granted: September 11, 2014
Application Number:
20140254214
A power converter controller includes a primary controller that is galvanically isolated from a secondary controller. The primary controller controls a state of a power switch during a first mode of operation according to a switching pattern defined by the primary controller. During a second mode of operation, the primary controller controls the state of the power switch in response to control signals received via a communication link. The secondary controller operates in a powered down…
POWER CONVERTER OUTPUT VOLTAGE CLAMP AND SUPPLY TERMINAL
Granted: September 11, 2014
Application Number:
20140254213
A secondary control circuit includes a voltage regulator circuit to be coupled to an output of a power converter to provide a regulated power supply. One or more switched loads is coupled between a first terminal to be coupled to the output of the power converter and an output ground terminal. One or more comparator circuits is coupled to a second terminal coupled to receive an output sense signal. Each one of the one or more comparator circuits is coupled to receive a respective one of…
POWER CONVERTER USING MULTIPLE CONTROLLERS
Granted: September 11, 2014
Application Number:
20140254212
A power converter controller includes a primary controller and a secondary controller. The primary controller is coupled to receive one or more request signals from the secondary controller and transition a power switch from an OFF state to an ON state in response to each of the received request signals. The primary controller is coupled to detect a turn-off condition when the power switch is in the ON state and transition the power switch from the ON state to the OFF state in response…
LOW THRESHOLD VOLTAGE COMPARATOR
Granted: September 11, 2014
Application Number:
20140254202
A voltage comparator includes an amplifier coupled to receive an input signal at an amplifier input and generate an output signal at an amplifier output in response to the input signal. The amplifier includes a current generation circuit coupled to generate a first current flowing through a first branch and a second current flowing through a second branch. A first transistor has a first terminal coupled to the amplifier input and a second terminal coupled to the first branch. A second…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR POWER CONVERTER FAULT CONDITION DETECTION
Granted: September 4, 2014
Application Number:
20140247628
A controller includes a control, a sensor, and a fault detector. The control is configured to control a switch to regulate an output of the power converter. The sensor receives a signal from a terminal of the controller that is representative of an input voltage during an ON state of the switch and is representative of an output voltage during an OFF state of the switch. The sensor is configured to sample the signal from the terminal during the ON state to generate a first sample signal…
Heterostructure Power Transistor With AlSiN Passivation Layer
Granted: August 28, 2014
Application Number:
20140239309
A heterostructure semiconductor device includes a first active layer and a second active layer disposed on the first active layer. A two-dimensional electron gas layer is formed between the first and second active layers. An AlSiN passivation layer is disposed on the second active layer. First and second ohmic contacts electrically connect to the second active layer. The first and second ohmic contacts are laterally spaced-apart, with a gate being disposed between the first and second…
BLEEDER CIRCUIT HAVING CURRENT SENSE WITH EDGE DETECTION
Granted: August 28, 2014
Application Number:
20140239849
A bleeder circuit for use in a power converter of a lighting system includes a current sense circuit coupled between first and second terminals of an input of a driver circuit to be coupled to drive a load. The current sense circuit is coupled to output a current sense signal in response to an input current through an input of the power converter coupled to the input of the driver circuit. An edge detection circuit is coupled between the first and second terminals to output an edge…
POWER SUPPLY CONTROLLER WITH MINIMUM-SUM MULTI-CYCLE MODULATION
Granted: August 21, 2014
Application Number:
20140233274
An example power supply controller includes a signal separator circuit that generates a feedback signal. An error signal generator generates an error signal in response to the feedback signal. A control circuit generates a drive signal in response to the error signal. The drive signal controls switching of a switch. A multi-cycle modulation circuit is included in the control circuit and generates a skip signal in response to a start skip signal, a stop skip signal and a skip mask signal.…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INPUT CHARGE CONTROL OF A POWER SUPPLY
Granted: July 31, 2014
Application Number:
20140211516
An example method of controlling a power supply to have a constant current output includes receiving an input current sense signal, an input voltage sense signal, and an output voltage sense signal. A control signal is then generated to control switching of a switch of the power supply to regulate an output current of the power supply. The generating of the control signal includes integrating the input current sense signal during a switching period of the control signal to generate an…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING SLEW RATE CONTROL USING BYPASS CAPACITOR
Granted: July 31, 2014
Application Number:
20140210446
An example circuit includes a capacitance circuit, a regulator circuit, and a slew rate control circuit. The capacitance circuit is coupled between a first node and a second node. The regulator circuit is coupled to the capacitance circuit to regulate a supply voltage across the capacitance circuit with a charge current during a normal operation mode of the circuit. The slew rate control circuit is coupled to the capacitance circuit and the regulator circuit. The slew rate control…
MULTI-STAGE SAMPLING CIRCUIT FOR A POWER CONVERTER CONTROLLER
Granted: July 24, 2014
Application Number:
20140204628
An example controller for a power converter includes a track and hold circuit, a sample and hold circuit, and drive logic. The track and hold circuit receives a signal that is representative of an output voltage of the power converter. The track and hold circuit includes a first capacitor that provides a first voltage that tracks the signal and then holds the first voltage. The sample and hold circuit then samples the first voltage that is held on the first capacitor. The sample and hold…
RECEIVE CIRCUIT FOR USE IN A POWER CONVERTER
Granted: July 24, 2014
Application Number:
20140204626
A receive circuit for use in a power converter controller includes a first amplifier coupled to receive an input pulse. A second amplifier is coupled to a first output of the first amplifier. The first output is coupled to be responsive to the input pulse and to a second output of the second amplifier. An output circuit is coupled to generate an output signal in response to the second output.
SECONDARY CONTROLLER FOR USE IN SYNCHRONOUS FLYBACK CONVERTER
Granted: July 24, 2014
Application Number:
20140204625
A secondary controller for use in a synchronous flyback converter includes a comparator, a drive circuit, and logic circuitry. The comparator is coupled to generate a compare signal in response to a comparison of a threshold to an input signal representative of a secondary winding voltage of the synchronous flyback converter. The drive circuit is coupled to generate a drive signal to control a first switch to be coupled to a primary side of the synchronous flyback converter. The drive…
CHARGING CIRCUIT FOR A POWER CONVERTER CONTROLLER
Granted: July 24, 2014
Application Number:
20140204623
A controller includes a first controller terminal, a second controller terminal, a first p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor, and a second pMOS transistor. The first controller terminal is to be coupled to a bypass capacitor coupled to a secondary side of an isolated power converter. The second controller terminal to be coupled to an output node of the secondary side. The first pMOS transistor includes a first source terminal coupled to the second controller…
DEPOSIT/ETCH FOR TAPERED OXIDE
Granted: July 3, 2014
Application Number:
20140187019
A process for fabricating a tapered field plate dielectric for high-voltage semiconductor devices is disclosed. The process may include depositing a thin layer of oxide, depositing a polysilicon hard mask, depositing a resist layer and etching a trench area, performing deep silicon trench etch, and stripping the resist layer. The process may further include repeated steps of depositing a layer of oxide and anisotropic etching of the oxide to form a tapered wall within the trench. The…
ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT CONTROL ELEMENT WITH TAP ELEMENT
Granted: June 26, 2014
Application Number:
20140177285
An example control element for use in a power supply includes a first terminal, a power MOSFET, and a control circuit. The power MOSFET has a drain terminal, a source terminal, a control terminal, and a tap terminal. In operation, a voltage at the tap terminal is less than and tracks a voltage at the drain terminal when the voltage at the drain terminal is less than a pinch off voltage of the power MOSFET. The control circuit includes a PWM circuit and a start-up circuit. The PWM circuit…
POWER SUPPLY CONTROLLER WITH INPUT VOLTAGE COMPENSATION FOR EFFICIENCY AND MAXIMUM POWER OUTPUT
Granted: June 5, 2014
Application Number:
20140153297
An apparatus includes an ON/OFF controller for regulating an output of a switched mode power supply by selectively enabling current conduction by a power switch within enabled switching cycles and disabling current conduction by the power switch within disabled switching cycles. The controller includes a logic block and a time-to-frequency converter. The logic block generates a drive signal that enables the current conduction by the power switch within respective enabled switching cycles…
