Method and apparatus for determining zero-crossing of an AC input voltage to a power supply
Granted: October 8, 2013
Patent Number:
8553439
An example controller for a switched mode power supply includes a drive signal generator and a zero-crossing detector. The drive signal generator is to be coupled to control switching of a switch included in the power supply to regulate an output of the power supply. The zero-crossing detector is coupled to the drive signal generator and coupled to receive a current sense signal representative of a switch current flowing through the switch. The zero-crossing detector generates a…
High-voltage vertical transistor with edge termination structure
Granted: October 8, 2013
Patent Number:
8552496
A high-voltage transistor includes a drain, a source, and one or more drift regions extending from the drain toward the source. A field plate member laterally surrounds the drift regions and is insulated from the drift regions by a dielectric layer. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the…
Segmented pillar layout for a high-voltage vertical transistor
Granted: October 8, 2013
Patent Number:
8552493
In one embodiment, a transistor fabricated on a semiconductor die includes a first section of transistor segments disposed in a first area of the semiconductor die, and a second section of transistor segments disposed in a second area of the semiconductor die adjacent the first area. Each of the transistor segments in the first and second sections includes a pillar of a semiconductor material that extends in a vertical direction. First and second dielectric regions are disposed on…
Forward converter transformer saturation prevention
Granted: September 24, 2013
Patent Number:
8542508
A saturation prevention circuit includes a first controlled current source, a second controlled current source, an integrating capacitor, and a comparator. The first controlled current source generates a first current that is proportional to an input voltage that is to be applied to a winding of a transformer. The second controlled current source generates a second current that is proportional to a reset voltage that is to be applied to the winding. The capacitor is charged with the…
Fault condition protection
Granted: September 24, 2013
Patent Number:
8542468
A switched mode power supply includes a transformer and an integrated circuit regulator. The integrated circuit regulator is coupled to the transformer and includes switching regulator logic, a counter, and a switching transistor. The regulator logic generates a switching signal in response to the feedback signal. The counter receives the feedback signal, where the feedback signal periodically cycles between a first state and a second state when the switched mode power supply operates…
Power converter having a feedback circuit for constant loads
Granted: September 24, 2013
Patent Number:
8541957
A power converter having a feedback circuit for constant loads includes an input, a switch, an input voltage sense circuit, a feedback circuit, and a controller. The input is to be coupled to receive an input voltage and the switch is coupled to the input. The input voltage sense circuit is coupled to the input to generate an input voltage sense signal representative of the input voltage. The feedback circuit is coupled to an output of the power converter, where the output is…
Method and apparatus to reduce audio frequencies in a switching power supply
Granted: September 17, 2013
Patent Number:
8537570
An example controller for use in a power supply regulator includes a switch signal generator, a modulation circuit, and a multi-cycle modulator circuit. The modulation circuit modulates the period of a modulation switching signal when an equivalent switching frequency is greater than a reference frequency and fixes the switching period when the equivalent switching frequency is less than the reference frequency. The multi-cycle modulator circuit enables the switch signal generator to…
Method and apparatus to select a parameter/mode based on a measurement during an initialization period
Granted: September 17, 2013
Patent Number:
8537577
A power supply includes an energy transfer element coupled between an input and an output. A switch is coupled to an input of the energy transfer element. A threshold detection circuit includes in an integrated circuit coupled to measure a signal from a resistive external circuit coupled between fourth and first external terminals of the integrated circuit during an initialization period after the fourth external terminal has been charged to a supply threshold value. A regulator circuit…
Single-stage power supply with power factor correction and constant current output
Granted: September 17, 2013
Patent Number:
8537582
An example controller for providing power factor correction and a constant current output in a power supply includes a means for generating a delayed ramp signal and a means for integrating an input current sense signal representative of an input current and for generating an input charge signal in response thereto. The controller also includes a means for determining a ratio of an input voltage sense signal to an output voltage sense signal and for generating an input charge control…
Variable frequency timing circuit for a power supply control circuit
Granted: September 10, 2013
Patent Number:
8531853
An example integrated circuit controller includes a pulse width modulation (PWM) circuit and a timing circuit. The PWM circuit controls a switch to regulate an output of a power supply in response to a switch current flowing through the switch and in response to a clock signal having a switching period. The timing circuit provides the clock signal and includes a timing capacitor where the switching period of the clock signal is equal to a charging time that the timing capacitor charges…
Integrated on-time extension for non-dissipative bleeding in a power supply
Granted: September 10, 2013
Patent Number:
8531133
An example controller for a switched mode power supply includes a comparator, a drive logic, and an on-time extension block. The comparator has an output indicating whether the current through a switch of the power supply exceeds a zero-crossing current threshold. The drive logic is to generate a drive logic output signal in response to the current sense signal and in response to a feedback signal, where the drive logic output signal is representative of an on-time of the switch to…
Layout design for a high power, GaN-based FET having interdigitated electrodes
Granted: September 10, 2013
Patent Number:
8530903
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…
Power supply controller with an input voltage compensation circuit
Granted: September 3, 2013
Patent Number:
8525494
An example controller for a power supply includes a drive signal generator and a compensation circuit. The drive signal generator is to be coupled to control switching of a switch included in the power supply to regulate an output voltage of the power supply in response to a sensed output voltage such that the output voltage of the power supply is greater than an input voltage of the power supply. The compensation circuit is coupled to the drive signal generator and is also coupled to…
Method and apparatus to increase efficiency in a power factor correction circuit
Granted: September 3, 2013
Patent Number:
8525493
A power factor correction (PFC) controller includes a first integrator coupled to integrate an input current of a PFC converter. A first signal is generated in response to the first integrator to end an on time of a power switch of the PFC converter. A second integrator is coupled to integrate a difference between a constant voltage and an input voltage of the PFC converter. A second signal is generated in response to the second integrator to end an off time of the power switch of the…
Method and apparatus for implementing an unregulated dormant mode in a power converter
Granted: August 27, 2013
Patent Number:
8519693
A control circuit includes a drive signal generator controlling switching of a power switch to regulate a flow of energy to one or more loads coupled to a power converter output. A regulator circuit charges a capacitor to a first voltage and stops charging the capacitor if an energy requirement of the one or more loads falls below a threshold. The regulator again charges the capacitor after the capacitor is discharged from the first voltage to a second voltage. An unregulated dormant…
Integrated transistor and anti-fuse programming element for a high-voltage integrated circuit
Granted: August 20, 2013
Patent Number:
8513719
A semiconductor device includes an N type well region in a P type substrate. A source region of a MOSFET is laterally separated from a boundary of the well region, which includes the drain of the MOSFET. An insulated gate of the MOSFET extends laterally from the source region to at least just past the boundary of the well region. A polysilicon layer, which forms a first plate of a capacitive anti-fuse, is insulated from an area of the well region, which forms the second plate of the…
Vertical junction field effect transistors having sloped sidewalls and methods of making
Granted: August 20, 2013
Patent Number:
8513675
Semiconductor devices and methods of making the devices are described. The devices can be junction field-effect transistors (JFETs). The devices have raised regions with sloped sidewalls which taper inward. The sidewalls can form an angle of 5° or more from vertical to the substrate surface. The devices can have dual-sloped sidewalls in which a lower portion of the sidewalls forms an angle of 5° or more from vertical and an upper portion of the sidewalls forms an angle of <5° from…
LLC controller with programmable fractional burst frequency
Granted: August 13, 2013
Patent Number:
8508958
A controller for use in an LLC resonant converter is disclosed. An example controller is controlled by detecting a maximum frequency signal to set a maximum switching frequency of the LLC resonant converter. A burst stop frequency and a burst start frequency are programmed in response to the maximum switching frequency. The burst stop frequency and the burst start frequency are fractions of the maximum switching frequency. The LLC resonant converter is switched in response to a feedback…
High quality GaN high-voltage HFETS on silicon
Granted: August 13, 2013
Patent Number:
8507947
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 AlN film and a GaN film.…
Semiconductor devices with non-punch-through semiconductor channels having enhanced conduction and methods of making
Granted: August 13, 2013
Patent Number:
8507335
Semiconductor devices are described wherein current flow in the device is confined between the rectifying junctions (e.g., p-n junctions or metal-semiconductor junctions). The device provides non-punch-through behavior and enhanced current conduction capability. The devices can be power semiconductor devices as such as Junction Field-Effect Transistors (VJFETs), Static Induction Transistors (SITs), Junction Field Effect Thyristors, or JFET current limiters. The devices can be made in…
