Method and apparatus for controlling the maximum ouput power of a power converter
Granted: August 6, 2013
Patent Number:
8502517
An example controller for a power converter includes an input voltage sensor, a current sensor, an oscillator, a timing and multiplier circuit, and a drive signal generator. The input voltage sensor receives an input signal representative of an input voltage and the current sensor senses a current in a power switch. The oscillator generates a signal having a switching frequency and the timing and multiplier circuit adjusts the switching frequency of the signal to be proportional to a…
Normally-off integrated JFET power switches in wide bandgap semiconductors and methods of making
Granted: August 6, 2013
Patent Number:
8502282
Wide bandgap semiconductor devices including normally-off VJFET integrated power switches are described. The power switches can be implemented monolithically or hybridly, and may be integrated with a control circuit built in a single- or multi-chip wide bandgap power semiconductor module. The devices can be used in high-power, temperature-tolerant and radiation-resistant electronics components. Methods of making the devices are also described.
Method and apparatus to authenticate a power supply
Granted: July 30, 2013
Patent Number:
8499179
A power bus monitor for use in an electronic product is coupled to receive power from an external power supply. The power bus monitor includes a signal detector coupled to an output of the external power supply to receive and demodulate information encoded on the output of the external power supply into a sequence of bits. A decoder is coupled to receive the sequence of bits from the signal detector and decrypt the sequence of bits. A logical comparator is coupled to receive the sequence…
Method and apparatus for regulating a diode conduction duty cycle
Granted: July 30, 2013
Patent Number:
8498132
A power converter control method and apparatus is disclosed. An example control circuit includes a clock signal generator coupled to generate a clock signal to control switching of a power switch to be coupled to the control circuit. A feedback circuit is coupled to receive a feedback signal which is representative of an output of a power converter during a duration of a feedback portion of an off time of the power switch. The feedback circuit is coupled to respond to the feedback signal…
Method and apparatus for time-differential comparison of an analog signal
Granted: July 30, 2013
Patent Number:
8497729
A time-differential analog comparator includes a variable frequency signal source, a timing circuit, a counting circuit, and an evaluation circuit. The variable frequency signal source provides a repeating signal having a frequency corresponding to a value of an analog input. The timing circuit defines a timing sequence including a first time interval and a second time interval and generates a mode select signal at a time between the first time interval and the second time interval to…
Method and apparatus for reading a programmable anti-fuse element in a high-voltage integrated circuit
Granted: July 16, 2013
Patent Number:
8487646
In a method for reading a programmable anti-fuse block of a high-voltage integrated circuit a first voltage is applied to a first pin of the HVIC, the first voltage being lowered to a second voltage at a first node. Current is shunted from the first node, thereby lowering the second voltage to a third voltage. An isolation circuit block is then activated to couple the third voltage to a common node of the programmable anti-fuse block, the common node being coupled to a plurality of…
Package for a power semiconductor device
Granted: July 16, 2013
Patent Number:
8487417
A package for a semiconductor die includes a die attach pad that provides an attachment surface area for the semiconductor die, and tie bars connected to the die attach pad. The die attach pad is disposed in a first general plane and the tie bars are disposed in a second general plane offset with respect to the first general plane. A molding compound encapsulates the semiconductor die in a form having first, second, third and fourth lateral sides, a top and a bottom. The tie bars are…
Method and apparatus providing a multi-function terminal for a power supply controller
Granted: July 9, 2013
Patent Number:
8482938
A power supply controller circuit is disclosed. An example power supply controller circuit includes a control circuit coupled to generate a switching waveform to be used to regulate an output of a power supply. A current input circuit is coupled to receive a current representative of an input of the power supply. The current input circuit is to generate a sense signal in response to the current representative of the input of the power supply. A first comparator is coupled to the current…
Method and apparatus to limit maximum switch current in a switching power supply
Granted: July 2, 2013
Patent Number:
8477515
An integrated circuit for use in a power supply includes a drive signal generator, a first delay, a second delay, a comparator, a first logic, a first short on time detector, and a second logic. The drive signal generator generates a drive signal to control a switch in response to a clock signal. The short on time detector sets the first latch indicating that an on time of the switch is a short on time. The second logic is coupled to detect long pulses of the drive signal to reset the…
Adjacent terminal fault detection
Granted: June 18, 2013
Patent Number:
8467157
This relates to detecting unwanted couplings between a protected terminal and other terminals in an integrated controller of a power supply. Offset and clamp circuitry may apply a positive or negative offset voltage and clamp current to one or more terminals of the controller. In the event that a terminal having the offset voltage and clamp current is accidentally coupled to the protected terminal, the offset voltage and clamp current may be applied to the protected terminal. The…
High temperature gate drivers for wide bandgap semiconductor power JFETs and integrated circuits including the same
Granted: June 18, 2013
Patent Number:
8466735
Gate drivers for wide bandgap (e.g., >2 eV) semiconductor junction field effect transistors (JFETs) capable of operating in high ambient temperature environments are described. The wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices include silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) devices. The driver can be a non-inverting gate driver which has an input, an output, a first reference line for receiving a first supply voltage, a second reference line for receiving a second supply voltage, a…
Power transfer between independent power ports utilizing a single transformer
Granted: June 18, 2013
Patent Number:
8466662
An example power delivery network includes an energy transfer element, a main power port, and a main port interface. The energy transfer element includes multiple windings, where a first power converter transfers power between a first power port and a first winding, and a second power converter transfers power between a second winding and a second power port. The main port interface is coupled cyclically reverse a dc voltage received at the main power port and provides a cyclically…
Methods of making semiconductor devices having implanted sidewalls and devices made thereby
Granted: June 18, 2013
Patent Number:
8466017
Semiconductor devices and methods of making the devices are described. The devices can be junction field-effect transistors (JFETs) or diodes such as junction barrier Schottky (JBS) diodes or PiN diodes. The devices are made using selective ion implantation using an implantation mask. The devices have implanted sidewalls formed by scattering of normal or near normal incident ions from the implantation mask. Vertical junction field-effect transistors with long channel length are also…
Phase angle measurement of a dimming circuit for a switching power supply
Granted: June 11, 2013
Patent Number:
8462523
An example controller for a switched mode power supply includes a zero-crossing detector and a drive signal generator. The zero-crossing detector is coupled to generate a zero-crossing signal representative of a phase angle of a dimmer output voltage for a half line cycle of the power supply. The drive signal generator controls switching of a switch to regulate an output of the power supply in response to a feedback signal representative of the output. The drive signal generator further…
Method and apparatus for increasing the power capability of a power supply
Granted: June 4, 2013
Patent Number:
8456871
One example controller for a power supply includes an oscillator, a drive signal generator, and a restart circuit. The oscillator generates a clock signal and the drive signal generator controls switching of a switch to regulate an output of the power supply in response to the clock signal. The restart circuit generates a restart signal in response to a current through the switch and in response to an absolute maximum on time period. The oscillator generates the clock signal to have a…
Half-bridge circuits employing normally on switches and methods of preventing unintended current flow therein
Granted: June 4, 2013
Patent Number:
8456218
A method for rendering a half-bridge circuit containing normally on switches such as junction field effect transistors (JFETs) inherently safe from uncontrolled current flow is described. The switches can be made from silicon carbide or from silicon. The methods described herein allow for the use of better performing normally on switches in place of normally off switches in integrated power modules thereby improving the efficiency, size, weight, and cost of the integrated power modules.…
Optically controlled silicon carbide and related wide-bandgap transistors and thyristors
Granted: June 4, 2013
Patent Number:
8455328
An optically active material is used to create power devices and circuits having significant performance advantages over conventional methods for affecting optical control of power electronics devices and circuits. A silicon-carbide optically active material is formed by compensating shallow donors with the boron related D-center. The resulting material can be n-type or p-type but it is distinguished from other materials by the ability to induce persistent photoconductivity in it when…
Reset voltage circuit for a forward power converter
Granted: May 28, 2013
Patent Number:
8451630
A reset voltage circuit for a forward power converter includes a reset capacitor and a memory capacitor. The reset capacitor is to be coupled to recycle energy from a primary winding of a transformer to an input bulk capacitor during a resetting of the transformer. The memory capacitor is to be coupled to store a first voltage equal to an input voltage of the power converter when the input voltage is at a steady-state value. The memory capacitor is further to set a voltage across the…
Low profile coil-wound bobbin
Granted: May 28, 2013
Patent Number:
8451082
A low profile coil-wound bobbin includes a spool, a terminal, a lower flange, and a terminal base member. The spool is configured to have a coil-wire arrangement wound around an axis the spool. The terminal is to be coupled to the coil-wire arrangement and a first side of a circuit board such that the axis of the spool is substantially normal to the circuit board and the bobbin extends completely through the circuit board. The lower flange is coupled to the spool to at least partially…
Method and apparatus for simplifying the control of a switch
Granted: May 14, 2013
Patent Number:
8441290
A half bridge converter includes a transformer with a high side switch coupled between a first input terminal and a primary winding of the transformer. A low side switch is coupled between a second input terminal and the primary winding. A first control circuit is coupled to the first input terminal and the primary winding to control the high side switch in response to a rate of voltage change with respect to time across the high side switch while the high side switch is off. A second…
