Abstract: According to some aspects of the present disclosure, power modules having current sensing circuits, and corresponding sensing methods, are disclosed. Example power modules include a printed circuit board (PCB) having a PCB trace, a first sense terminal coupled to the PCB trace at a first location, and a second sense terminal coupled to the PCB trace at a second location such that a resistance between the first and second sense terminals is defined by a resistance of the PCB trace between the first location and the second location. The power module further comprises a control coupled to the first sense terminal and the second sense terminal, the control adapted to measure a voltage between the first sense terminal and the second sense terminal and determine a current through the PCB trace based on the measured voltage and the resistance between the first sense terminal and the second sense terminal.

Abstract: A current limiting circuit for controlling current from a power supply to a load having a capacitance includes an inductor, a transistor coupled in a current path with the inductor, and a control circuit. The transistor includes a control terminal. The control circuit is coupled to sense a voltage across the inductor and coupled to the control terminal of the transistor. The control circuit is configured to turn off the transistor when the voltage across the inductor is greater than a threshold to restrict current from a power supply, and turn on the transistor when a defined parameter is met to allow current from the power supply to charge the load capacitance. Other example current limiting circuits are also disclosed.

Abstract: Example electrical power systems include an output for supplying a DC output voltage to a load, a first power source connected with the output to supply DC power to the load, and a second power source connected with the output to supply DC power to the load. The electrical power system is configured to supply DC power to the load using only the first power source when a demand of the load is less than an output capacity of the first power source, and the second power source is configured to maintain an enabled on-state when only the first power source is supplying DC power to the load. Additional electrical power systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A multiphase interleaved forward power converter includes an inductor and first and second subconverter comprising respective transformers. The converter also includes first and second drives configured to respectively operate the first and second subconverters with cycling periods comprising a conduction period, a reset period, and an idle period. The first and second drives are also configured to phase shift the cycling periods in each subconverter such that the conduction period of the subconverter is at least partially complementary to the idle period of the other subconverter. The second drive also clamps a voltage across a winding of the transformer of the first subconverter to substantially prevent a first resonance voltage from propagating in the first subconverter during the idle period of the first subconverter.

Abstract: A control circuit for a switching power converter includes a current compensator. The current compensator is configured to receive a first current reference signal, a second current reference signal and a signal representing an input current of the switching power converter, generate a first current error signal based on the signal representing the input current and the first current reference signal for controlling at least one power switch of the power converter, generate a second current error signal based on the signal representing the input current and the second current reference signal, and adjust the first current error signal based on the second current error signal to limit the amount of current flowing through the switching power converter. Other example control circuits, switching power converters including control circuits and methods for limiting current in switching power converters are also disclosed.

Abstract: Example MOSFET circuits include a first metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) having a gate, a source and a drain, and a second MOSFET coupled in series with the first MOSFET. The second MOSFET has a gate, a source and a drain. The MOSFET circuit also includes a controller configured to supply a same control signal to the gate of the first MOSFET and the gate of the second MOSFET to turn on or turn off the first MOSFET and the second MOSFET when a drain-source voltage of the first MOSFET and a drain-source voltage of the second MOSFET are substantially zero. Other MOSFET circuits and methods of operating MOSFET circuits are also disclosed.

Abstract: According to some aspects of the present disclosure, circuit board assemblies and methods of circuit board assembly are disclosed. Example circuit board assemblies include a circuit board and a magnetic component coupled to the circuit board. The magnetic component includes a primary winding and a secondary winding. The assembly also includes a winding interconnect terminal electrically coupled to the magnetic component. The winding interconnect terminal is disposed on the circuit board remote from the magnetic component, and the circuit board defines an air gap between the winding interconnect terminal and the magnetic component to provide electrical isolation between the winding interconnect terminal and the magnetic component. Corresponding methods of assembling circuit boards and magnetic components are also disclosed.

Abstract: A power supply comprises a main circuit board and a multilayer power transmission board electrically coupled to the main circuit board. The multilayer board includes a conductive neutral layer having an inner side, a conductive line layer having an inner side facing the inner side of the conductive neutral layer, and a dielectric medium positioned between the conductive neutral layer and the conductive line layer. The power supply also comprises a first conductive outer layer positioned adjacently to an outer side of the conductive neutral layer, a second conductive outer layer positioned adjacently to an outer side of the conductive line layer, and a conductive plating material positioned within a slot formed in the multilayer power transmission board and covering an interior portion of the multilayer power transmission board facing the slot. The conductive plating material electrically couples the first and second conductive outer layers.

Abstract: According to some aspects of the present disclosure, resonant converter power supplies and control methods for reducing unbalanced currents in resonant power supplies are disclosed. Example resonant converter power supplies include an input, an output, a transformer, and a bridge circuit coupled between the input and a primary winding of the transformer. The power supply also includes first and second rectifier rails each coupled between a secondary winding of the transformer and the output, and at least one sensor coupled to generate an error signal representing unbalanced currents in the first and second rectifier ails. The power supply further includes a controller configured to receive the error signal, and adjust a duty cycle of at least one of a first switch and a second switch of the bridge circuit based on the error signal to reduce the unbalanced currents in the first and second rectifier rails.

Abstract: A back-feed protection circuit includes input circuits and a control circuit. Each input circuit includes an input for receiving an input DC voltage. The control circuit is configured to enable one of the first input circuit and the second input circuit having the highest input DC voltage, and disable the other input circuit to substantially prevent current from back feeding to the first input circuit and/or the second input circuit. Each input circuit additionally and/or alternatively includes a positive rail, a reference rail and a plurality of switching devices. A set of the switching devices are coupled in series in the positive rail of each input circuit, and another set of the switching devices are coupled in series in the reference rail of each input circuit. Other example back-feed protection circuits, and electric power supplies including back-feed protection circuits are also disclosed.

Abstract: According to some aspects of the present disclosure, power modules having current sensing circuits, and corresponding sensing methods, are disclosed. Example power modules include a printed circuit board (PCB) having a PCB trace, an output choke inductor, and an output pin. The power module also includes a first sense terminal coupled to the PCB trace, a second sense terminal coupled to the output pin such that a resistance between the first sense terminal and the second sense terminal is defined by a resistance of the PCB trace and a resistance of the output pin, and a control coupled to the first sense terminal and the second sense terminal. The control is adapted to measure a voltage between the sense terminals, and to determine a current through the PCB trace and the output pin based on the measured voltage and the resistance between the sense terminals.

Abstract: A dc-dc power converter is for use in data communications and for connection between a front end ac-dc power supply and a point-of-load circuit. The dc-dc power converter includes either an unregulated flyback converter or an unregulated buck converter. Each flyback and buck converter has an input for connection to an output of the front end ac-dc power supply and an output for connection to an input of the point-of-load circuit. A switch controller has an input connected to either the flyback converter input or the buck converter. The switch controller has an output connected to either a switch of the flyback converter or a switch of the buck converter.

Abstract: A switch-mode DC-DC power converter includes one or more input terminals for receiving an input voltage from a voltage source, one or more output terminals for supplying an output voltage to a load, and a transformer coupled between the input and output terminals. The transformer includes at least one primary winding and at least one secondary winding. The converter also includes a primary switch coupled to control current through the at least one primary winding, a synchronous rectifier coupled to control current through the at least one secondary winding, and means for controlling switching operation of the synchronous rectifier by disabling switching of the synchronous rectifier for a defined time delay in response to receiving an input signal indicative of a startup of the DC-DC power converter, and enabling switching of the synchronous rectifier after the defined time delay has elapsed.

Abstract: A power supply includes a main circuit board and a multilayer power transmission board for transmitting power from one area of the main circuit board to another area of the main circuit board. The main circuit board includes a power input connector having power connections. The multilayer power transmission board includes conductive layers electrically coupled to the power connections of the power input connector, and a dielectric medium positioned between each of the conductive layers. The conductive layers of the multilayer board may include at least two conductive neutral layers and at least two conductive line layers positioned in an alternating configuration. Other example power supplies, multilayer boards and methods of manufacturing power supplies are also disclosed.

Abstract: A switching power converter includes a power circuit and a control circuit for receiving an analog signal representing a parameter of the power circuit. The control circuit includes an ADC for converting the analog signal into a digital signal, and a switch driver for generating a control signal for controlling a switch in the power circuit over multiple switching cycles. The control circuit is configured to adaptively determine a trigger point for activating the ADC within a switching cycle to sample the analog signal, and activate the ADC at the determined trigger point so a control parameter generated based on the digital signal is provided to the switch driver a minimal period of time before the next switching cycle begins. The adaptively determined trigger point optimizes phrase margin loss and bandwidth in the control circuit. Other example switching power converters and control circuits are also disclosed.

Abstract: A switch-mode DC-DC power converter includes one or more input terminals and output terminals, and a transformer coupled between the input and output terminals. The transformer includes a plurality of winding sets. Each winding set includes a primary winding and a secondary winding magnetically coupled with one another. The primary winding and the secondary winding include the same number of turns. The primary windings of the plurality of winding sets are connected in series and the secondary windings of the plurality of winding sets are connected in parallel. The power converter also includes at least one spacer positioned to separate an adjacent pair of the plurality of winding sets. A magnetic coupling between the adjacent pair of the plurality of winding sets is less than the magnetic coupling between the primary winding and the secondary winding within each winding set.

Abstract: A control circuit for controlling multiple power supplies having their outputs coupled in series is configured to in response to an output current reaching a defined current threshold of a power supply of the power supplies, control the power supply to operate in its constant current mode so that the output current is regulated at the defined current threshold as the remaining power supplies operate in their constant voltage mode, and in response to the output voltage of the power supply reaching a defined voltage threshold, control the power supply to operate in its constant voltage mode so that the power supply provides a first regulated output voltage to its output as the remaining power supplies provide a second regulated output voltage different than the first regulated output voltage to their output. Various other systems, power supplies, control circuit and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electric power system includes a centralized switched mode power supply (SMPS) and a network bridge. The centralized SMPS includes AC/DC PFC power converters, DC/DC power converters and a control circuit having a communication interface. The control circuit is configured to control power switch(es) of the AC/DC PFC power converters and power switch(es) of the DC/DC power converters. The network bridge is in communication with the communication interface for receiving remote access control commands between a device remote from the centralized SMPS and the control circuit for controlling the power switch(es) of the AC/DC PFC power converters and the power switch(es) of the DC/DC power converters. Other example electric power systems and methods of detecting when at least one of a plurality of LED strings malfunctions in an electric power system are also disclosed.

Abstract: A rectifier circuit for a power supply includes a diode bridge, a first metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) and a second MOSFET each coupled in parallel with corresponding diodes of the diode bridge to reduce losses associated with bridge diode voltage drops and increase conversion efficiency. A self-driven driver circuit is coupled for controlling switching operation of the first MOSFET and the second MOSFET to operate the first MOSFET and the second MOSFET as high-side floating synchronous rectifiers. Methods of supplying power via a rectifier circuit of a power supply are also described.

Abstract: A horticulture facility includes a first set of LED luminaires disposed in a grow room of the horticulture facility, a second set of LED luminaires disposed in another grow room of the horticulture facility, a centralized power supply and power transfer switches. The power supply includes DC/DC power converters each having an output. The power transfer switches include a first power transfer switch coupled to the output of one respective DC/DC power converter of the DC/DC power converters. The first power transfer switch is configured to switch between a first position for coupling the output of the respective DC/DC power converter to the first set of LED luminaires, and a second position for coupling the output of the respective DC/DC power converter to the second set of LED luminaires. Other example horticulture facilities and electric power systems are also disclosed.