Method and apparatus for design of a power supply
Granted: October 4, 2011
Patent Number:
8032338
A computer-implemented method for the design of a power supply is disclosed. Multiple lists of power supply design variables are provided. The method includes simulating a first power supply design in response to power supply design variables selected from these multiple lists of variables. The method then calculates a score of the first power supply design and determines whether the score is better than the score of any power supply design included in a set of power supply designs. If…
Checkerboarded high-voltage vertical transistor layout
Granted: September 20, 2011
Patent Number:
8022456
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…
Method and apparatus for maintaining a constant load current with line voltage in a switch mode power supply
Granted: September 6, 2011
Patent Number:
8013584
A power supply regulator including a variable current limit threshold that increases during an on time of a switch. In one aspect, a power supply regulator includes a comparator coupled to receive a signal representative of a current through a switch during an on time of the switch. The comparator is further coupled to receive a variable current limit threshold that increases during the on time of the switch. The power supply regulator also includes a feedback circuit coupled to receive…
Control arrangement for a resonant mode power converter
Granted: September 6, 2011
Patent Number:
8014172
A resonant mode power converter is controlled with a control unit including a feedback circuit coupled to generate a first current representative of an output of the power converter. A current limiting circuit is coupled to receive the first current and a second current generated in response to a reference voltage. The current limiting circuit is coupled to limit the first current in response to the second current. An oscillator is coupled to receive the first current to generate a…
Method and apparatus for regulating a diode conduction duty cycle
Granted: August 30, 2011
Patent Number:
8008903
An example power converter 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. Feedback circuitry is coupled to receive a feedback signal, which is representative of an output of a power converter during a feedback portion of an off time of the power switch. The feedback circuitry is coupled to respond to the feedback signal to control the clock signal generator to regulate a duty cycle of the…
Method and apparatus to control a power factor correction circuit
Granted: August 23, 2011
Patent Number:
8004262
A controller for use in a power factor correction (PFC) converter is disclosed. An example controller includes an integrator coupled to receive a voltage sense signal responsive to a magnitude of an ac voltage source. The ac voltage source is coupled to an input of the PFC converter, which is coupled to an energy transfer element, which is coupled to a power switch. The integrator is further coupled to receive a current sense signal responsive to a current flowing in the power switch…
Method and apparatus for a control circuit responsive to an impedance coupled to a control circuit terminal
Granted: August 23, 2011
Patent Number:
8004864
An example power supply includes a controller and a detection circuit. The controller includes a sense terminal coupled to provide a sense terminal current representative of an input voltage of the power supply during normal operation. The detection circuit is external to the controller and is coupled to the sense terminal. The detection circuit includes a Zener diode coupled to conduct a current to adjust the sense terminal current during a fault condition, where during the fault…
Flyback power supply with forced primary regulation
Granted: August 16, 2011
Patent Number:
8000115
A flyback converter controller with forced primary regulation is disclosed. An example flyback converter controller includes a secondary control circuit to be coupled to a switched element coupled to a second winding of a coupled inductor of a flyback converter. The secondary control circuit is to be coupled across an output of the second winding to switch the switched element in response to a difference between an actual output value at the output of the second winding and a desired…
Method and apparatus for a control circuit with multiple operating modes
Granted: August 16, 2011
Patent Number:
8000114
An apparatus of regulating a power converter with multiple operating modes includes a switch coupled to an energy transfer element coupled between an input and an output of the power converter. A control circuit is also included, which is coupled to the switch to control the switch. The control circuit includes first and second duty cycle control modes to regulate power delivered to the output of the power converter. A transition between the first and second duty cycle control modes is…
Method and apparatus for power conversion and regulation
Granted: August 16, 2011
Patent Number:
7999522
Techniques are disclosed to control a power converter with multiple output voltages. One example regulated power converter includes a an energy transfer element coupled between a power converter input and first and second power converter outputs. A switch is coupled between the power converter input and the energy transfer element such that switching of the switch causes a first output voltage to be generated at the first power converter output and a second output voltage to be generated…
Method of fabricating a high-voltage transistor with an extended drain structure
Granted: August 16, 2011
Patent Number:
7998817
A method for fabricating a high-voltage transistor with an extended drain region includes forming in a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, first and second trenches that define a mesa having respective first and second sidewalls; then partially filling each of the trenches with a dielectric material that covers the first and second sidewalls. The remaining portions of the trenches are then filled with a conductive material to form first and second field plates. Source…
Method and apparatus for implementing an unregulated dormant mode with an event counter in a power converter
Granted: August 9, 2011
Patent Number:
7995359
A control circuit for use in a power converter with an unregulated dormant mode of operation includes a drive signal generator coupled to generate a drive signal to control switching of a power switch in response to an energy requirement of one or more loads to be coupled to the power converter output. An unregulated dormant mode control circuit is included and is coupled to render dormant the drive signal generator when the energy requirement of the one or more loads falls below a…
Power system with shared clamp reset
Granted: August 9, 2011
Patent Number:
7995360
A power supply includes a first power converter, a second power converter, and a clamp reset circuit. The clamp reset circuit is electrically coupled to other components within the first power converter and the second power converter. A clamp standby connection can be provided to electrically couple the clamp reset circuit to components comprising the second power converter. The clamp reset circuit is coupled to reduce magnetizing energy of a transformer of the first power converter and…
Method and apparatus to limit output power in a switching power supply
Granted: August 2, 2011
Patent Number:
7990125
Techniques are disclosed to adjust a current limit in a switching regulator. One example switching regulator includes a comparator having first and second inputs and an output. The first input of the comparator is adapted to sense a current flow through a switch and the second input of the comparator is adapted to sense a variable current limit value. A controller is coupled to the output of the comparator and to the switch to control switching of the switch to regulate an output of a…
Method and apparatus for AC to DC power conversion with reduced harmonic current
Granted: August 2, 2011
Patent Number:
7990127
A method and apparatus are disclosed for controlling a buck converter. In one aspect, an integrator is coupled to receive a current sense signal representative of a current in a switch of the buck converter and to integrate the current sense signal to produce a first input signal. A ramp generator is coupled to receive an oscillating signal having a same switching period as the switch, and to generate a piecewise linear ramp signal in response to the oscillating signal. The piecewise…
Digital-to-analog converter to produce paired control signals in a power supply controller
Granted: July 12, 2011
Patent Number:
7978107
An example digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for a power supply controller includes a first node, a second node, a current source, and a switch. The first node is to be coupled to provide a first analog signal to a variable oscillator of the power supply controller. The second node is to be coupled to provide a second analog signal to the variable oscillator of the power supply controller. The switch is coupled to the current source and configured to couple the current source to the…
Off-line converter with digital control
Granted: July 5, 2011
Patent Number:
7974112
A regulation circuit for use in DC to DC converter is disclosed. One such regulation circuit includes a feedback circuit to be coupled an energy transfer element output to receive a feedback signal to indicate whether the energy transfer element output is above or below a threshold level. A control circuit is included that is to be coupled to a switch that is coupled to an energy transfer element input. The control circuit is further coupled to the feedback circuit to generate a drive…
High-voltage vertical transistor with a varied width silicon pillar
Granted: June 21, 2011
Patent Number:
7964912
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…
Pulse width modulator with two-way integrator
Granted: June 21, 2011
Patent Number:
7965151
A pulse width modulator (PWM) includes a driver and a two-way integrator. The driver is coupled to output a first and a subsequent period of a PWM signal. Both the first and the subsequent periods include the PWM signal changing between first and second states. The two-way integrator is coupled to integrate an input current and coupled to generate a duty ratio signal in response to integrating the input current. The driver determines a duty factor of both the first and the subsequent…
Method and apparatus to reduce audio frequencies in a switching power supply
Granted: June 21, 2011
Patent Number:
7965524
A controller for use in a power supply regulator is disclosed. One controller includes a feedback circuit coupled to generate a feedback current signal that corresponds to a peak switching current in response to a sense signal from a power supply regulator output. A comparator is coupled to compare the feedback current signal with a reference voltage. A modulation circuit is coupled to the feedback circuit to generate a pulse width modulated switching signal with fixed switching…
