Abstract: A switching converter according includes a control arrangement to furnish a control signal dependent on the output voltage, as well as a first and at least one second converter stage. Each converter includes an inductive storage element, a ramp signal generator to furnish a signal having a ramp slope, a pulse width modulator which receives the control signal and the ramplike signal and which furnishes a pulse width modulated signal, and a driver circuit which receives the pulse width modulated signal and the input voltage and which applies the input voltage to the inductive storage element depending on the pulse width modulated signal. The ramp slope of the ramplike signal of the at least one second converter stage is adjustable. The ramp signal generator of the second converter stage receives a calibration signal which depends on the inductance of the inductive storage element of the first converter stage.

Abstract: An output ripple control circuit and method for a PWM system uses a hysteresis threshold to clamp the output ripple of the PWM system such that the output ripple will not vary with the dc level of the output voltage, and therefore the output ripple control may be combined into any main loop technologies.

Abstract: A switching converter includes a control arrangement and multiple converter stages. The control arrangement generates a control signal dependent on the output voltage. Each converter stage includes an inductive storage element, a current measurement arrangement that detects a current across the inductive storage element and furnishes a current measuring signal proportional to this current, a pulse width modulator that receives the control signal and the current measuring signal and generates a PWM signal, and a driver circuit that applies the input voltage to the inductive storage element in dependence on the PWM signal. The current measurement arrangement of a second converter stage adjusts a proportionality factor between the current across the inductive storage element and the current measurement signal thereof, responsive to an adjustment signal that is dependent on a proportionality factor between a current across the inductive storage element and the current measuring signal of a first converter stage.

Abstract: A circuit having a first circuit portion configured to receive a pulse-width modulated first signal and a second signal, and configured to generate third and fourth signals each responsive to the first and second signals; a second circuit portion configured to receive the third and fourth signals and to generate a fifth signal responsive to both the third and fourth signals; and a third circuit portion configured to control an on/off state of a first switch in response to the fifth signal, wherein the second signal is present at a load path terminal of the first switch. Also, various related methods.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of generating a drive signal for a switch in a switching converter having input terminals for applying an input voltage, output terminals for providing an output signal, and at least one inductive storage element coupled to the switch. The method includes sampling the output signal to provide a sampled output signal, and generating a pulsewidth modulated drive signal having a duty cycle that is dependent on the sampled output signal, wherein the output voltage is sampled at sampling times that are dependent on the duty cycle.

Abstract: Circuit and method for controlling a synchronous power converter in discontinuous conduction mode with increased efficiency is disclosed. Circuitry is provided outputting gating signals to a high side driver and a synchronous rectifier responsive to a pulse width modulated input signal, an inhibit circuit for inhibiting the gating signal to the synchronous rectifier upon detection of a zero crossing condition; a comparator receiving a measured circuit value from the synchronous converter and a reference value and outputting a zero crossing condition; and a duty cycle observer circuit for determining the average duty cycle of the pulse width modulated input signal and for varying the reference value. A method is disclosed determining if the average duty cycle in the pulse width modulated input signal is increasing in response to varying a reference value, and inhibiting a synchronous rectifier control signal when the comparator indicates a zero crossing condition.

Abstract: An output ripple control circuit and method for a PWM system uses a hysteresis threshold to clamp the output ripple of the PWM system such that the output ripple will not vary with the dc level of the output voltage, and therefore the output ripple control may be combined into any main loop technologies.

Abstract: A system and method for statistics recording of power devices is disclosed. A power circuit includes a power device to provide a specified electrical power to a load and a host controller coupled to the power device. The host controller is configured to provide issue instructions to and retrieve status information from the power device. A communications and control interface (CCI) is coupled between the power device and the host controller. The CCI is configured to operate as a communications interface between the power device and the host controller and to retrieve and store status information from the power device. The CCI may be capable of performing statistical analysis on the status information to help reduce the amount of information exchanged between the host controller and the power device, thereby reducing bandwidth requirements.

Abstract: Methods, and apparatuses for performing them, including applying a control signal to a control terminal of a transistor, to switch the transistor to an on-state such that the transistor carries a load current through a load-path of the transistor; measuring a voltage drop across the load-path of the transistor while the load current is passing through the load-path of the transistor, yielding a first measurement value; feeding a test current into the load-path of the transistor, such that the test current and the load current are combined; measuring a voltage drop across the load-path of the transistor while the combined test and load currents are passing through the load-path of the transistor, a second measurement value; and determining an on-resistance of the load-path of the transistor from a difference of the first and second measurement values.

Abstract: In a low-gain current-mode voltage regulator having a PWM comparator in response to the varying output voltage and inductor current of the voltage regulator to produce a PWM signal to regulate the output voltage, an offset signal is derived from a subtraction between the inputs of the PWM comparator, and the offset signal is injected into the PWM comparator to cancel the output offset of the voltage regulator.

Abstract: A circuit having a first circuit portion configured to receive a pulse-width modulated first signal and a second signal, and configured to generate third and fourth signals each responsive to the first and second signals; a second circuit portion configured to receive the third and fourth signals and to generate a fifth signal responsive to both the third and fourth signals; and a third circuit portion configured to control an on/off state of a first switch in response to the fifth signal, wherein the second signal is present at a load path terminal of the first switch. Also, various related methods.

Abstract: In a low-gain current-mode voltage regulator having a PWM comparator in response to the varying output voltage and inductor current of the voltage regulator to produce a PWM signal to regulate the output voltage, an offset signal is derived from a subtraction between the inputs of the PWM comparator, and the offset signal is injected into the PWM comparator to cancel the output offset of the voltage regulator.

Abstract: An output ripple control circuit and method for a PWM system uses a hysteresis threshold to clamp the output ripple of the PWM system such that the output ripple will not vary with the dc level of the output voltage, and therefore the output ripple control may be combined into any main loop technologies.

Abstract: An actuation circuit for a switch element regulating the power consumption of an inductive energy storage element in a switching converter, used to convert an input voltage into an output voltage, is described. The circuit includes a pulse width modulator circuit configured so as to provide a pulse-width-modulated actuating signal for the switch element depending on a regulating signal dependent on the output voltage and a current measurement signal dependent on a current across the inductive storage element.

Abstract: The invention relates to a switching converter for generating an output voltage (Vout) from an input voltage (vin), comprising: a control arrangement (30) for furnishing a control signal (Serr) dependent on the output voltage (Vout); a first converter stage (1A) and at least one second converter stage (1B, 1C), each of which has: an inductive storage element (11A, 11B, 11C), a current measurement arrangement (12A, 12B, 12C) which is designed to detect a current (IL1, IL2, IL3) across the inductive storage element (11A, 11B, 11C) and to furnish a current measuring signal (Is1, Is2, Is3) proportional to this current, a pulse width modulator (16A, 16B, 16C) which receives the control signal (Serr) and the current measuring signal (Is1, Is2, Is3) and which furnishes a pulse width modulated signal (PWM1, PWM2, PWM3), and a driver circuit which receives the pulse width modulated signal (PWM1, PWM2, PWM3) and the input voltage (Vin) and which applies the input voltage (Vin) in dependence on the pulse width modulat

Abstract: The invention relates to a voltage regulator having an output terminal (AK) for the provision of an output voltage and connection of a load, an output capacitor (20) connected to the output terminal and having an equivalent series resistance (ESR), a converter unit (10) having supply voltage terminals for the application of a supply voltage (Vcc), an output coupled to the output terminal (AK), a feedback signal input for feeding in a feedback signal (Vfb) dependent on the output voltage, a reference signal input for feeding in a reference signal (Vref), and a comparator unit (TA3), which provides a differential signal (Iea) from the reference signal (Vref) and the feedback signal (Vfb), in which case the converter unit (10) provides an output current (Iout), the mean value of which is proportional to the differential signal (Iea), the proportionality factor between this difference and the output current (Iout) being set by means of a control signal at a control input of the converter unit (10) in such a way t

Abstract: An actuation circuit for a switch element regulating the power consumption of an inductive energy storage element in a switching converter, used to convert an input voltage into an output voltage, is described. The circuit includes a pulse width modulator circuit configured so as to provide a pulse-width-modulated actuating signal for the switch element depending on a regulating signal dependent on the output voltage and a current measurement signal dependent on a current across the inductive storage element.

Abstract: A buck converter with low loss current measurement is described. In one embodiment, the buck converter including at least one inductive storage element and a signal generation circuit configured to produce a load current signal. The signal generation circuit includes a ramp signal generation circuit configured to generate a ramp signal, a DC signal generation circuit connected to the inductive storage element that generates a DC signal that varies with the direct component of the load current, and a logic circuit, to which the ramp signal and the DC signal are fed, for producing the load current signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a voltage regulator having an output terminal (AK) for the provision of an output voltage and connection of a load, an output capacitor (20) connected to the output terminal and having an equivalent series resistance (ESR), a converter unit (10) having supply voltage terminals for the application of a supply voltage (Vcc), an output coupled to the output terminal (AK), a feedback signal input for feeding in a feedback signal (Vfb) dependent on the output voltage, a reference signal input for feeding in a reference signal (Vref), and a comparator unit (TA3), which provides a differential signal (Iea) from the reference signal (Vref) and the feedback signal (Vfb), in which case the converter unit (10) provides an output current (Iout), the mean value of which is proportional to the differential signal (Iea), the proportionality factor between this difference and the output current (Iout) being set by means of a control signal at a control input of the converter unit (10) in such a way t