Abstract: A power supply device includes an inductor controlled by switching to be charged or discharged such that a DC input voltage is boosted and a capacitor which smoothes the boosted voltage to generate a DC output voltage. Specifically, the power supply device further includes a transistor connected between the inductor and the capacitor to carry out a rectification function; an output voltage determination circuit which refers to the DC input voltage and the DC output voltage to determine the level of these voltages; and a current control circuit which controls a current flowing through the transistor such that the current has a predetermined value when the output voltage determination circuit determines that the DC output voltage is lower than the DC input voltage.

Abstract: An output voltage VC obtained by boosting an input voltage VIN by means of a charge pump control circuit 3 of a charge pump 102 is supplied as a power supply voltage to a control circuit 4 of a step-up converter. It is thus possible to eliminate the need for a conventional self-bias method, eliminate switching from startup oscillation to main oscillation of the conventional self-bias method upon startup, and overcome problems caused by the switching of oscillation states, thereby achieving switching power supply circuitry starting in a reliable and stable manner.

Abstract: The present invention provides a current-mode control step-up converter capable of reducing the minimum duty ratio to a sufficiently small value and facilitating the setting of the maximum duty ratio. The step-up converter comprises a current detector 9 for generating a current detection signal Vc corresponding to the current of a rectifier 4; an error amplifier 8 for generating an error signal Ve corresponding to an output DC voltage Vo; and a control circuit 10 for turning ON/OFF the main switch 3 on the basis of the current detection signal Vc and the error signal Ve. The control circuit 10 comprises a comparator 11 and a timer circuit 12. With this configuration, the ON time of the main switch 3 is set at a predetermined value, and the valley value of an inductor current changing in a triangular waveform is controlled. Hence, the OFF time of the main switch is adjusted to stabilize the output.

Abstract: An output circuit includes an output block and a predrive block for driving the output block based on an input signal. The predrive block has a clamp unit connected between the gate terminal of a first output transistor and the gate terminal of a second output transistor to limit the potential of the gate terminal of the first output transistor to a value of not more than a first potential and limit the potential of the gate terminal of the second output transistor to a value of not less than a second potential.

Abstract: An output voltage VC obtained by boosting an input voltage VIN by means of a charge pump control circuit 3 of a charge pump 102 is supplied as a power supply voltage to a control circuit 4 of a step-up converter. It is thus possible to eliminate the need for a conventional self-bias method, eliminate switching from startup oscillation to main oscillation of the conventional self-bias method upon startup, and overcome problems caused by the switching of oscillation states, thereby achieving switching power supply circuitry starting in a reliable and stable manner.

Abstract: A step-up power supply device includes: a step-up converter; a startup circuit which controls the on/off operation of a switch element of the step-up converter when an output voltage of the device is smaller than a reference voltage; and a control circuit which operates in substitution for the startup circuit when the output voltage is higher than the reference voltage to control the on/off operation of the switch element such that the output voltage reaches a target value.

Abstract: An output circuit includes an output block and a predrive block for driving the output block based on an input signal. The predrive block has a clamp unit connected between the gate terminal of a first output transistor and the gate terminal of a second output transistor to limit the potential of the gate terminal of the first output transistor to a value of not more than a first potential and limit the potential of the gate terminal of the second output transistor to a value of not less than a second potential.

Abstract: The present invention provides a current-mode control step-up converter capable of reducing the minimum duty ratio to a sufficiently small value and facilitating the setting of the maximum duty ratio. The step-up converter comprises a current detector 9 for generating a current detection signal Vc corresponding to the current of a rectifier 4; an error amplifier 8 for generating an error signal Ve corresponding to an output DC voltage Vo; and a control circuit 10 for turning ON/OFF the main switch 3 on the basis of the current detection signal Vc and the error signal Ve. The control circuit 10 comprises a comparator 11 and a timer circuit 12. With this configuration, the ON time of the main switch 3 is set at a predetermined value, and the valley value of an inductor current changing in a triangular waveform is controlled. Hence, the OFF time of the main switch is adjusted to stabilize the output.

Abstract: A power supply device includes an inductor controlled by switching to be charged or discharged such that a DC input voltage is boosted and a capacitor which smoothes the boosted voltage to generate a DC output voltage. Specifically, the power supply device further includes a transistor connected between the inductor and the capacitor to carry out a rectification function; an output voltage determination circuit which refers to the DC input voltage and the DC output voltage to determine the level of these voltages; and a current control circuit which controls a current flowing through the transistor such that the current has a predetermined value when the output voltage determination circuit determines that the DC output voltage is lower than the DC input voltage.

Abstract: A step-up power supply device includes: a step-up converter; a startup circuit which controls the on/off operation of a switch element of the step-up converter when an output voltage of the device is smaller than a reference voltage; and a control circuit which operates in substitution for the startup circuit when the output voltage is higher than the reference voltage to control the on/off operation of the switch element such that the output voltage reaches a target value.

Abstract: A level shift circuit has a driving circuit and an output circuit. The driving circuit has a clamp circuit for receiving first and second bias potentials, outputting first and second drive signals which are not less than a reference potential, less than the first bias potential, and complementary to each other, and also outputting third and fourth drive signals which are higher than the second bias potential, not more than a power source potential, and complementary to each other. The output circuit has a first output transistor of a first conductivity type and a second output transistor of a second conductivity type which are connected in series to each other. The first output transistor has a gate for receiving the first drive signal and one electrode for receiving the reference potential. The second output transistor has a gate for receiving the third drive signal and one electrode for receiving the power source potential.

Abstract: An output voltage VC obtained by boosting an input voltage VIN by means of a charge pump control circuit 3 of a charge pump 102 is supplied as a power supply voltage to a control circuit 4 of a step-up converter. It is thus possible to eliminate the need for a conventional self-bias method, eliminate switching from startup oscillation to main oscillation of the conventional self-bias method upon startup, and overcome problems caused by the switching of oscillation states, thereby achieving switching power supply circuitry starting in a reliable and stable manner.

Abstract: A level shift circuit has a driving circuit and an output circuit. The driving circuit has a clamp circuit for receiving first and second bias potentials, outputting first and second drive signals which are not less than a reference potential, less than the first bias potential, and complementary to each other, and also outputting third and fourth drive signals which are higher than the second bias potential, not more than a power source potential, and complementary to each other. The output circuit has a first output transistor of a first conductivity type and a second output transistor of a second conductivity type which are connected in series to each other. The first output transistor has a gate for receiving the first drive signal and one electrode for receiving the reference potential. The second output transistor has a gate for receiving the third drive signal and one electrode for receiving the power source potential.

Abstract: For controlling DC-DC converters conforming to voltage mode control system and current mode control system, in multi-output power supply, first converter section 2 is configured that first detection circuit 31 outputs first control signal, that first oscillation circuit 32 outputs first triangular wave signal and clock signal, and that first pulse-width modulation circuit 33 drives first switch by comparing first control signal with first triangular wave signal. Second converter section 4 is configured that second detection circuit 34 outputs second control signal, that second oscillation circuit 35 outputs second triangular wave signal synchronized with clock signal, that current detection circuit 36 outputs current signal of second inductor, and that second pulse-width modulation circuit 37 turns ON second switch in synchronization with clock signal and turns OFF second switch by calculating or comparing second control signal, the second triangular wave signal and current signal.

Abstract: For controlling DC-DC converters conforming to voltage mode control system and current mode control system, in multi-output power supply, first converter section 2 is configured that first detection circuit 31 outputs first control signal, that first oscillation circuit 32 outputs first triangular wave signal and clock signal, and that first pulse-width modulation circuit 33 drives first switch by comparing first control signal with first triangular wave signal. Second converter section 4 is configured that second detection circuit 34 outputs second control signal, that second oscillation circuit 35 outputs second triangular wave signal synchronized with clock signal, that current detection circuit 36 outputs current signal of second inductor, and that second pulse-width modulation circuit 37 turns ON second switch in synchronization with clock signal and turns OFF second switch by calculating or comparing second control signal, the second triangular wave signal and current signal.

Abstract: A switching power supply circuit is protected from degradation and breakage of a MOS transistor when the inductive load is short-circuited or overloaded. To do this, the magnitude of the load current flowing through the MOS transistor is detected by a differential amplifier as a voltage drop due to the on resistance of the MOS transistor, a first latch circuit is set by the detection output of the differential amplifier generated when the voltage drop exceeds a predetermined value, and the first latch circuit is reset by the output of a control signal generating circuit controlling the MOS transistor. Current supplies from two constant current sources are switched between in accordance with the output of the first latch circuit to charge and discharge a capacitor for timer time setting. Then, the charging voltage of the capacitor is detected by a comparator, and a second latch circuit is set by the output of the comparator generated when the charging voltage exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: A switching power supply circuit is protected from degradation and breakage of a MOS transistor when the inductive load is short-circuited or overloaded. To do this, the magnitude of the load current flowing through the MOS transistor is detected by a differential amplifier as a voltage drop due to the on resistance of the MOS transistor, a first latch circuit is set by the detection output of the differential amplifier generated when the voltage drop exceeds a predetermined value, and the first latch circuit is reset by the output of a control signal generating circuit controlling the MOS transistor. Current supplies from two constant current sources are switched between in accordance with the output of the first latch circuit to charge and discharge a capacitor for timer time setting. Then, the charging voltage of the capacitor is detected by a comparator, and a second latch circuit is set by the output of the comparator generated when the charging voltage exceeds a predetermined value.