Method and apparatus for power converter fault condition detection
Granted: June 17, 2014
Patent Number:
8755201
An example controller includes a feedback circuit coupled to provide feedback information representative of an output of the power converter during at least a portion of an OFF time of a power switch. A sense input receives a sense signal that is representative of a reflected voltage representative of an input voltage of the power converter during at least a portion of an ON time of the power switch. A fault detector is to be coupled to detect a fault condition in response to the…
Power limiting by modulating clock
Granted: June 10, 2014
Patent Number:
8750002
A clock generation circuit for use in a power converter controller includes a modulation signal generator that is coupled to generate a modulation signal in response to an input sense signal representative of an input voltage of a power converter. The modulation signal is responsive to the input sense signal when the input sense signal is greater than a first input threshold. A clock modulator circuit is coupled to receive the modulation signal and a first clock signal from an…
Method and apparatus to control a power factor correction circuit
Granted: June 10, 2014
Patent Number:
8749212
An example on time control circuit for use in a power factor correction (PFC) controller includes an amplifier, an integrator, and a comparator. The amplifier generates an error signal that is representative of a difference between a feedback signal and a reference value. The integrator integrates a current sense signal that is representative of a current through the power switch to generate an integrator output signal. A gain of the integrator is varied in response to a voltage sense…
Load current management circuit
Granted: June 10, 2014
Patent Number:
8749174
A circuit includes a switching power converter and a load current management circuit. The switching power converter provides a first current that varies between a first current value and a second current value in response to a dimming control signal. The load current management circuit provides a second current that varies between the second current value and a third current value in response to the dimming control signal. The second current varies in accordance with the first current.…
Method and apparatus to select a parameter/mode based on a time measurement
Granted: June 3, 2014
Patent Number:
8742771
An example integrated control circuit includes a regulator, a first comparator, a second comparator, and a counter. The regulator is to charge, during a time period, a capacitor. The first comparator is to provide an output indicating when a voltage on the capacitor reaches a first threshold voltage. The second comparator is coupled to provide an output indicating when the voltage on the capacitor reaches a second threshold voltage. The counter is coupled to begin counting in response to…
Digital peak input voltage detector for a power converter controller
Granted: June 3, 2014
Patent Number:
8742740
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…
High-voltage vertical transistor with a varied width silicon pillar
Granted: June 3, 2014
Patent Number:
8742495
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…
Variable time clamp for a power supply controller
Granted: May 27, 2014
Patent Number:
8737091
An example integrated circuit for use in a power supply includes a feedback terminal, a controller and a clamp. The feedback terminal is to be coupled to receive a feedback signal that is representative of a bias voltage across a bias winding of the power supply. The controller is to be coupled to control switching of a power switch included in the power supply in response to the feedback signal. The clamp is coupled to clamp the feedback terminal to a voltage for at least a time that…
Controller with punctuated switching control circuit
Granted: May 27, 2014
Patent Number:
8736237
A power supply controller includes a switching signal generator, a zero crossing detection (ZCD) circuit, first and second logic gates, and an interval generator. The switching signal generator generates a switching signal and the ZCD circuit generates a ZCD signal that pulses each zero-crossing of an ac input voltage. The first logic gate generates a first output when the ZCD signal pulses while the output of the power supply is below a threshold reference. The second logic gate…
Method and apparatus for implementing slew rate control using bypass capacitor
Granted: May 20, 2014
Patent Number:
8729882
An example circuit includes a capacitance circuit coupled between a first node and a second node. A 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. A slew rate control circuit is coupled to the capacitance circuit and the regulator circuit. The slew rate control circuit is coupled to set a slew rate of a change in voltage over change in time between the…
Self-aligned trench field effect transistors with regrown gates and bipolar junction transistors with regrown base contact regions and methods of making
Granted: May 20, 2014
Patent Number:
8729628
Junction field-effect transistors with vertical channels and self-aligned regrown gates and methods of making these devices are described. The methods use techniques to selectively grow and/or selectively remove semiconductor material to form a p-n junction gate along the sides of the channel and on the bottom of trenches separating source fingers. Methods of making bipolar junction transistors with self-aligned regrown base contact regions and methods of making these devices are also…
Layout design for a high power, GaN-based FET having interdigitated gate, source and drain electrodes
Granted: May 20, 2014
Patent Number:
8729565
A FET includes a first and second set of finger arrays that each include a source, gate and drain. A first source pad is electrically coupled to source electrodes in the first set of finger arrays. A second source pad is electrically coupled to the source electrodes in the second set of finger arrays. A common drain pad is electrically coupled to drain electrodes in the first and second set of finger arrays. A first gate pad is electrically coupled to gate electrodes in the first set of…
Method and apparatus for high-side input winding regulation
Granted: May 13, 2014
Patent Number:
8724344
A controller for use in a power converter includes a control circuit coupled to control switching of a power switch coupled between a positive input supply rail of the power converter and an energy transfer element input of the power converter. A sampling circuit is coupled to the control circuit and is coupled to receive a signal across the energy transfer element input during an off time of the power switch to provide a sampled output of the converter. The sampled output of the power…
Multi-stage sampling circuit for a power converter controller
Granted: May 6, 2014
Patent Number:
8717785
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 from a terminal of the controller 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 samples the first voltage when the first voltage is…
Off-line converter with digital control
Granted: April 29, 2014
Patent Number:
8710817
A power converter includes an input and an output. A regulation circuit is coupled between the power converter input and the power converter output. The regulation circuit is coupled to receive a feedback signal representative of the power converter output. The feedback signal has a first feedback state that represents a level at the power converter output that is above a threshold level and a second feedback state that represents a level at the power converter output that is below the…
Off line resonant converter with merged line rectification and power factor correction
Granted: April 22, 2014
Patent Number:
8705252
An off line resonant converter includes a boost storage inductance circuit coupled to a switcher circuit that includes stacked first and second passive switching devices coupled to the boost storage inductance circuit and stacked first and second active bidirectional switching devices coupled to the stacked first and second passive switching devices. The stacked first and second active bidirectional switching devices generate a square wave signal and alternately store energy in and…
High quality GaN high-voltage HFETs on silicon
Granted: April 22, 2014
Patent Number:
8703561
Substrates of GaN over silicon suitable for forming electronics devices such as heterostructure field effect transistors (HFETs), and methods of making the substrates, are disclosed. Voids in a crystalline Al2O3 film on a top surface of a silicon wafer are formed. The top surface of the silicon wafer is along the <111> silicon crystal orientation. A plurality of laminate layers is deposited over the voids and the Al2O3 film. Each laminate layer includes an AN film and a GaN film. A…
Method and apparatus for input charge control of a power supply
Granted: April 15, 2014
Patent Number:
8699252
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…
Power supply controller with minimum-sum multi-cycle modulation
Granted: April 8, 2014
Patent Number:
8693217
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.…
Power supply controller with input voltage compensation for efficiency and maximum power output
Granted: March 11, 2014
Patent Number:
8669751
A controller for regulating an output of a power supply includes a logic block and an oscillator. The logic block generates the drive signal to control switching of a power switch in response to a clock signal. The clock signal has a frequency that decreases responsive to a time period of the drive signal, where a decrease in the time period of the drive signal represents an increase in an input voltage of the power supply. The oscillator is coupled to generate the clock signal in…
