Apparatus and methods for sensing resonant circuit signals to enhance control in a resonant converter
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11955899
Apparatus and methods for sensing resonant circuit signals to enhance control in a resonant converter are described herein. A buffer circuit coupled in parallel with or across a resonant component (e.g., a transformer) input port avails a buffered primary port signal for use in resonant conversion. The buffered primary port signal is a comprehensive signal including information relating to both input voltage and input power; and it may be used to advantageously enhance switching and…
Signal compensation with summed error signals
Granted: March 26, 2024
Patent Number:
11942900
A compensated amplifier for use in a power converter controller. The compensated amplifier comprises a first amplifier, a second amplifier, an integrator, and an arithmetic operator. The first amplifier coupled to receive a sensed signal and a reference signal and configured to generate a first error signal in response to the sensed signal and the reference signal. The second amplifier coupled to the first amplifier and configured to generate a second error signal in response to the…
Active discharge of an electric drive system
Granted: March 19, 2024
Patent Number:
11932123
Discharge systems for electric vehicles and electric vehicles having discharge systems. In one implementation, a discharge system for an electric vehicle includes a step-down power converter configured to step down an input voltage to an output voltage; discharge circuitry coupled to the output of the step-down power converter, wherein the discharge circuitry is reversibly driveable to load the step-down power converter; an input component configured to receive input that originated from…
Multi-module system with single terminal error flag input/output
Granted: February 20, 2024
Patent Number:
11907054
The system comprises a plurality of driver modules coupled by a fault condition bus, e.g. single-wire bus. Each driver module includes an Error Flag Interface block coupled between a single terminal error flag input/output (EF I/O) and a Control block. Each driver module may be coupled- to a motor. When a driver module detects a local fault condition, its Error Flag Interface block is configured to lower the voltage at the single terminal EF I/O to communicate the change to the other…
Apparatus and methods for controlling a switch drive signal following mode transitions in a switching power converter
Granted: February 13, 2024
Patent Number:
11901831
A controller for use in a power converter that is configured to operate in a plurality of modes including a first mode and a second mode includes a frequency monitor module coupled to measure a signal characteristic of a switch drive signal coupled to control switching of a switches block of the power converter. The frequency monitor module includes a memory coupled to store a measured signal characteristic of the switch drive signal measured during the first mode. The frequency monitor…
Apparatus and methods for controlling a switch drive signal following mode transitions in a switching power converter
Granted: February 13, 2024
Patent Number:
11901831
A controller for use in a power converter that is configured to operate in a plurality of modes including a first mode and a second mode includes a frequency monitor module coupled to measure a signal characteristic of a switch drive signal coupled to control switching of a switches block of the power converter. The frequency monitor module includes a memory coupled to store a measured signal characteristic of the switch drive signal measured during the first mode. The frequency monitor…
Controller for multi-output single magnetic component converter
Granted: January 30, 2024
Patent Number:
11888402
A control system for use in a power converter having a plurality of outputs comprising a primary switching control block, a secondary control block, and a multi-output control block. The primary switching control block is coupled to control switching of a primary switch. The secondary control block is coupled to control switching of a synchronous rectifier switch. The multi-output control block is coupled to control switching of at least one pulse transfer switch coupled to one of the…
Pulse sharing control for enhancing performance in a multiple output power converter system
Granted: December 19, 2023
Patent Number:
11848618
Pulse sharing control to enhance performance in multiple output power converters is described herein. During a switching cycle, an energy pulse is provided to more than one port (i.e., output) using pulse sharing transfer. Pulse sharing transfer may enhance performance by reducing audible noise due to subharmonics and by reducing a root mean square current of one or more secondary currents. A primary switch is closed to energize an energy transfer element via a primary current. Energy…
Deadtime adjustment for a power converter
Granted: November 21, 2023
Patent Number:
11824438
A controller includes first and second half bridge sense circuits coupled to a half bridge node. The half bridge node is coupled between a high side switch and a low side switch coupled to an input. A rising slew detection circuit is coupled to the first half bridge sense circuit to output a first slew detection signal in response to a rising slew event at the half bridge node. A falling slew detection circuit is coupled to the second half bridge sense circuit to output a second slew…
Secondary controller for use in synchronous flyback converter
Granted: November 21, 2023
Patent Number:
11824453
A secondary controller for use in a power converter includes a drive circuit coupled to a secondary side of the power converter. The drive circuit is configured to generate a first signal to enable a first switch coupled to a primary side of the primary converter. The first signal is generated in response to a feedback signal representative of an output of the power converter. A control circuit is coupled to receive the first signal and an input signal representative of a secondary…
Silicon carbide junction field effect transistors
Granted: November 21, 2023
Patent Number:
11824094
Silicon carbide (SiC) junction field effect transistors (JFETs) are presented herein. A deep implant (e.g., a deep p-type implant) forms a JFET gate (106). MET gate and MET source (108) may be implemented with heavily doped n-type (N+) and heavily doped p-type (P+) implants, respectively. Termination regions may be implemented by using equipotential rings formed by deep implants (e.g., deep p-type implants).
Method and apparatus for continuous conduction mode operation of a multi-output power converter
Granted: November 14, 2023
Patent Number:
11817789
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.
Current sharing for multi-output charging device
Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number:
11799311
A charging device comprising a first power converter configured to provide a first output power, a second power converter configured to provide a second output power. A switch is coupled to the first power converter and the second power converter. A first socket is configured to deliver the first output power from the first power converter to a first powered device. A second socket is configured to deliver the second output power from the second power converter to a second powered…
Asymmetrical plug technique for GaN devices
Granted: October 3, 2023
Patent Number:
11776815
A method of forming one or more contact regions in a high-voltage field effect transistor (HFET) includes providing a semiconductor material, including a first active layer and a second active layer, with a gate dielectric disposed on a surface of the semiconductor material. A first contact to the semiconductor material is formed that extends through the second active layer into the first active layer, and a passivation layer is deposited, where the gate dielectric is disposed between…
Protecting semiconductor switches in switched mode power converters
Granted: June 20, 2023
Patent Number:
11683030
Driver circuitry for driving a power semiconductor switch having a control input and main terminals is described. The driver circuitry includes control terminal driver circuitry coupled to the control input and configured to provide a drive signal, a sense terminal coupled to the main terminal, a current mirror coupled to the sense terminal to mirror a current input into the sense terminal during turn-off, a first current comparator configured to compare a current signal received from…
External adjustment of a drive control of a switch
Granted: May 9, 2023
Patent Number:
11646689
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…
External adjustment of a drive control of a switch
Granted: May 9, 2023
Patent Number:
11646689
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…
Mode operation detection for control of a power converter with an active clamp switch
Granted: April 18, 2023
Patent Number:
11632054
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…
Control of secondary switches based on secondary winding voltage in a power converter
Granted: April 11, 2023
Patent Number:
11626871
A resonant power converter controller comprising a control circuit configured to turn on a synchronous rectifier (SR) in response to a count of a number of times a drain voltage of the SR crosses below a turn on threshold based on a stored count and turns off the SR when the drain voltage crosses above a turn off threshold. The control circuit comprises a first comparator configured to generate a first detection signal in response to the drain voltage being less than the turn on…
Input line voltage operation for a power converter
Granted: March 21, 2023
Patent Number:
11611279
A controller configured for use in a power converter. The controller includes 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…
