Driver circuit for switch
Granted: September 3, 2019
Patent Number:
10404180
A driver circuit for use in a controller includes a signal generator coupled to generate a first control signal, a second control, and a third control signal in response to a drive signal that is coupled to control switching of a selection switch that is coupled to the driver circuit and referenced to an output voltage that is greater than a ground reference voltage. A first switch is coupled to selectively couple a first voltage to a first terminal of the controller in response to the…
Controller with ripple compensation
Granted: August 20, 2019
Patent Number:
10389226
A controller for use in a switched mode power converter includes a comparator coupled to compare an output sense signal representative of an output of the switched mode power converter to a target value. A ripple compensation block is coupled to generate a compensation signal in response to the output sense signal. The compensation signal is a fraction of the output sense signal. A request control is coupled to generate a request signal having a request frequency in response to an output…
Overcurrent protection in a power converter
Granted: August 20, 2019
Patent Number:
10389108
An LLC resonant converter controller comprising an overcurrent protection circuit coupled to receive a current sense signal representative of current in a primary winding, wherein the overcurrent protection circuit outputs an overcurrent signal when the perturbed current sense signal is above a low threshold for a number of consecutive switching cycles. The LLC resonant converter controller further includes a control circuit coupled to generate a high side drive signal and a low side…
Magnetically coupled galvanically isolated communication using lead frame
Granted: July 23, 2019
Patent Number:
10361632
An integrated circuit package includes an encapsulation and a lead frame. A portion of the lead frame is disposed within the encapsulation. The lead frame includes a first conductor having an inner conductive loop disposed substantially within the encapsulation and a second conductor galvanically isolated from the first conductor. The second conductor includes an outer conductive loop disposed substantially within the encapsulation proximate to and magnetically coupled to the inner…
Power converter fault detection by counting request pulses
Granted: July 16, 2019
Patent Number:
10355583
A controller for use in a power converter includes a comparator that receives an output signal representative of an output voltage of the power converter. The comparator generates a constant voltage signal in response to a comparison of the output signal and a reference signal. A switch request circuit receives the constant voltage signal and a fault signal. The switch request circuit generates a request signal in response to the constant voltage signal and the fault signal to control…
Communicating across galvanic isolation
Granted: June 18, 2019
Patent Number:
10326306
Signal transmission circuitry comprises a conductive transmitting coil, a first power supply, a semiconductor switch to reversibly couple the transmitting coil to the first power supply, control circuitry to control the coupling of the transmitting coil to the first power supply by the semiconductor switch, a second power supply coupled to supply power to the control circuitry.
Vertical transistor device structure with cylindrically-shaped field plates
Granted: June 18, 2019
Patent Number:
10325988
A vertical power transistor device includes a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, with a plurality of dielectric regions disposed in the semiconductor layer. The dielectric regions extend in a vertical direction from a top surface of the semiconductor layer downward. Each dielectric region has a rounded-square cross-section in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical direction. Adjacent ones of the dielectric regions are laterally separated by a narrow region of the…
Power converter controller with stability compensation
Granted: May 21, 2019
Patent Number:
10298110
A switched mode power converter has an energy transfer element that delivers an output signal to a load. A power switching device coupled to the primary side of the energy transfer element regulates a transfer of energy to the load. A secondary controller is coupled to receive a feedback signal and output a pulsed signal in response thereto. A primary controller is coupled to receive the pulsed signal and output a drive signal in response thereto, the drive signal being coupled to…
Method and apparatus for implementing an unregulated dormant mode with an event counter in a power converter
Granted: May 7, 2019
Patent Number:
10284100
A power converter includes an energy transfer element coupled between an input and an output of the power converter. A switch is coupled to the energy transfer element and a control circuit. The control circuit includes a drive signal generator to generate a drive signal to control switching of the switch to regulate the output of the power converter. An event detection circuit is coupled to the drive signal generator to indicate if a switching period of one switching cycle of the drive…
Controller for multi-output single magnetic component converter with independent regulation of constant current and constant voltage outputs
Granted: April 30, 2019
Patent Number:
10277136
A power converter includes a primary winding and multiple output windings to provide multiple independently controlled and regulated outputs with a common return line. The outputs are coupled to independently regulate constant current, constant voltage, or both constant current and constant voltage outputs. A secondary control block is coupled to control a synchronous rectifier switch coupled to the common return line to synchronize switching with a primary side power switch to provide…
Control circuit and control method for turning on a power semiconductor switch
Granted: March 26, 2019
Patent Number:
10243555
A method of turning on a power semiconductor switch includes receiving a first signal that characterizes a switch-on behavior of the power semiconductor switch, and detecting two or more phases of the switch-on behavior of the power semiconductor switch in response to the first signal. The method further includes detecting a peak indicative of a phase transition between the two or more phases, generating a phase signal indicative of the two or more phases, and providing a variable…
Power converter controller with multiple power sources
Granted: March 26, 2019
Patent Number:
10243471
A controller includes a first power circuit, a second power circuit, and a charging control circuit. The first power circuit is coupled to a bypass terminal and a first terminal to be coupled to receive charge from a secondary winding. The first power circuit transfers charge from the first terminal to the bypass terminal. The second power circuit is coupled to the bypass terminal and a second terminal to be coupled to a receive charge from an output of a power converter. The second…
Controller with frequency to on-time converter
Granted: March 26, 2019
Patent Number:
10243442
A controller for use in a power converter includes a secondary controller coupled to receive a feedback signal representative of an output of the power converter to generate d a request signal. A primary controller is coupled to receive the request signal to generate a primary drive signal. The primary drive signal is coupled to control switching of a power switch to control a transfer of energy from the input to the output of the power converter. A frequency to on-time converter…
Reverse current blockage through buck controller block
Granted: March 19, 2019
Patent Number:
10236763
A switching circuit with reverse current prevention for use in a Buck converter includes a power switch coupled to a coupling node, which is an interconnection point of a power switch, an inductor and a freewheeling diode of the Buck converter. The inductor is coupled between the coupling node and an output of the Buck converter, and the freewheeling diode is coupled between coupling node and an output return of the Buck converter. A controller is coupled to receive a feedback signal to…
Techniques for controlling a power converter using multiple controllers
Granted: March 12, 2019
Patent Number:
10230305
A power converter controller includes a primary controller configured to operate in a first mode to control a power switch with a primary switching pattern. A communication link is coupled to the primary controller. A secondary controller coupled to the communication link. The secondary controller is galvanically isolated from the primary controller. The secondary controller is configured to initiate a transition operation with the primary controller to take control of the power switch…
Soft shutdown modular circuitry for power semiconductor switches
Granted: March 5, 2019
Patent Number:
10224920
Circuitry for soft shutdown of a power switch and a power converters that includes circuitry for soft shutdown are described. In one aspect, circuitry for soft shutdown of a power switch includes a sense input to be coupled to a power switch receive a signal representative of current passing through the power switch, a comparator to compare the signal with an overcurrent threshold indicative of an overcurrent condition of the power switch and to output a triggering signal in response to…
Method and apparatus for digital control of a switching regulator
Granted: March 5, 2019
Patent Number:
10224820
A circuit for regulating an output level of a power converter includes an adjustment circuit to be coupled to a receive a feedback signal representative of an output level of the power converter. The adjustment circuit is coupled to generate a comparison result signal. A control circuit is coupled to receive the comparison result signal and an oscillating signal. A switch including a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal is coupled to the control circuit. The control…
Noise cancellation for a magnetically coupled communication link utilizing a lead frame
Granted: March 5, 2019
Patent Number:
10224292
An integrated circuit package includes a portion of a lead frame disposed within an encapsulation. The lead frame includes a first conductor including a first conductive loop and a third conductive loop disposed substantially within the encapsulation. A second conductor formed in the lead frame is galvanically isolated from the first conductor and includes a second conductive loop disposed substantially within the encapsulation proximate to the first conductive loop to provide a…
Introducing jitter to a switching frequency by way of modulating current limit
Granted: February 26, 2019
Patent Number:
10218263
A controller includes a switch controller coupled to a power switch coupled to an energy transfer element. The switch controller is coupled to receive a current sense signal representative of a drain current through the power switch. The switch controller is coupled to generate a drive signal to control switching of the power switch in response to the current sense signal and a modulated current limit signal to control a transfer of energy from an input to an output of the power…
Method and apparatus for sequencing outputs in a multi-output power converter system
Granted: February 26, 2019
Patent Number:
10218282
Apparatus and methods for sequencing outputs in a multi-output power converter system are disclosed herein. During start-up multiple CC/CV outputs may be sequenced so that energy is first provided to a highest voltage secondary output and subsequently provided to a lowest voltage secondary output. Additionally, control may be exerted so as to concurrently and monotonically increase voltages during at least part of the start-up transient; and concurrent control may be further implemented…
