Abstract: An overvoltage protection circuit for a transistor device is presented. The overvoltage protection circuit comprises a first pin coupled to a gate terminal of the transistor device, an electrostatic discharge protection circuit coupled between a second pin and a source terminal of the transistor device, a first diode coupled between the first pin and the second pin, and a second diode coupled in parallel to the first diode between the first pin and the second pin. The forward direction of the first diode is opposite to the forward direction of the second diode. In addition, A method of measuring a gate leakage current of a transistor device and a method of bonding a transistor device coupled to such an overvoltage protection circuit are presented.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter ADC and a method to convert an analog input signal into a digital output signal comprising N bits on, n?{0, . . . , N?1} is presented. The ADC contains a controller, a digital-to-analog converter DAC, and a comparator. The comparator generates a binary signal by comparing the analog input signal with an analog output signal of the DAC. The controller receives the binary signal generated by the comparator and generates, based on the binary signal, a digital control signal comprising N bits cn, n?{0, . . . , N?1}. The DAC generates the analog output signal based on the digital control signal generated by the controller. The controller has a register which stores a previous sum value and an adder to determine a test sum value by adding.

Abstract: The disclosure describes a DC-DC switching converter providing a peak-current servo, employing a pulse-frequency modulation (PFM) control signal and a constant on-time. A Buck, Boost, Buck-Boost, or similar switching converter that supports PFM mode is required, using a fixed on-time scheme for PFM. A final value of the coil current is sampled, and the sampled value of the coil current is compared to a target value for the coil current, to establish whether it is greater or less than the target value. The on-time of the high side device is adjusted to bring the final value of the coil current closer to the target value, using an adaptive coil current measurement.

Abstract: An electronic device is provided that includes an integrated circuit (IC) configured to regulate an output voltage for powering a light emitting diode (LED). A first transistor is configured to be switched on or off by the IC to inductively couple or decouple a main power supply bus voltage from a primary winding of a transformer to a secondary winding of the transformer connectable to the LED. A second transistor is coupled between the IC and the main power supply bus voltage, and configured to be switched on or off by the IC to selectively provide an IC power supply input voltage to the IC.

Abstract: A circuit for controlling a power supply is disclosed. The circuit has a storage element for storing energy harvested from energy sources, a backup battery, and a comparator to compare a voltage of the storage element to a reference voltage. The circuit also contains a first switch for selectively connecting the storage element to an output. A second switch connects the backup battery to the output. A switch control circuit controls the first switch to disconnect the storage element from the output and the second switch to connect the backup battery to the output, if the voltage of the storage element is below the reference voltage. The backup battery is disconnected from the output while the voltage of the storage element is below the reference voltage. The control circuit controls the second switch to disconnect the battery from the output while the voltage of the storage element is below the reference.

Abstract: A battery fuel gauge circuit for determining the state of charge of a rechargeable battery is presented. The circuit comprises: a coulomb counter for providing values that are indicative of a charging current or discharge current provided to/by the battery; a voltage sensor; a first pre-processing unit to provide a current change estimate based on the values provided by the coulomb counter; an event filter unit to confirm whether the current change estimate exceeds a certain threshold; an electromotive force unit to determine an electromotive force value of the battery; a state of charge estimator unit to determine the state of charge of the battery based on the electromotive force value.

Abstract: A power converter comprises an inductor coupled between a switching terminal and an output terminal of the power converter, a high side switching element coupled between an input terminal of the power converter and the switching terminal, a low side switching element coupled between the switching terminal and a reference terminal, and a feedback circuit comprising a continuous comparator unit configured to compare a ramp signal with an error signal using a first enable signal, a latched comparator unit configured to compare the ramp signal with the error signal using a second enable signal, wherein the error signal is based on a difference between a reference voltage and an output voltage at the output terminal of the power converter.

Abstract: A buck-boost converter and a method are presented. The buck-boost converter comprises an inductor, a buck converter, and a boost converter. The buck converter controls switches according to a buck duty cycle, whereas the boost converter controls switches according to a boost duty cycle. The converter contains a voltage feedback loop for regulating an output voltage of the converter. A buck comparator generates the buck duty cycle signal by comparing the error voltage with a ramp voltage. A boost comparator generates the boost duty cycle signal by comparing a boost error voltage with the ramp voltage, wherein the boost error voltage is indicative of a sum of the error voltage and an offset voltage and the boost ramp voltage is indicative of a sum of the ramp voltage and the offset voltage. There is a duty cycle feedback loop for adjusting the buck and boost duty cycles.

Abstract: A circuit and method providing switching regulation configured to provide a pulse frequency modulation (PFM) mode of Operation with reduced electromagnetic interference (EMI) comprising an output stage configured to provide switching comprising a first and second transistor, a sense circuit configured to provide output current information sensing from an output stage and a current limit reference, a first digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to provide signal to the current limit reference, an adder function configured to provide a signal to the first digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and a linear shift feedback register (LSFR) configured to provide a signal to an adder function followed by the first digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and the LSFR receives a clock signal from said output stage.

Abstract: A power management circuit is provided with groups of switches and a single shared inductor and is selectively configured in a first mode to act as a buck regulator and a second mode to act as a buck-boost regulator. There is a two-stage circuit topology, where both charging and regular operation of the device can be optimized. There is a switching charger integrated circuit that can be dedicated to performing a charging function, and there is a DC-DC power management integrated circuit that can be dedicated to regulating the system voltage provided by the battery while the battery is discharging.

Abstract: A method of operating a charge pump where successive values of a charge pump output voltage are measured and compared is presented. The result of the comparison is used to adjust one or more parameters of the charge pump operation A charge pump's maximum efficiency is tracked by storing and comparing successive output voltage values, with sample and hold circuitry.

Abstract: A thermometer-coded Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) is described, whose output is changed with fast speed, and reduced output overshoot or undershoot. The thermometer-coded DAC has selection switches and an up/down counter, with DAC codes separated into higher and lower bits. The lower bits increase up to a maximum code, then decrease. The configuration of resistors in the DAC reduces output spike, especially at the DAC code changing point.

Abstract: A switched mode power converter is described, configured to convert electrical power between a first voltage at a first port and a second voltage at a second port, where the first and second voltages are relative to a reference potential. The power converter comprises an inductive element having a first side and a second side, where the first side of the inductive element is coupled to the first port. The power converter comprises a power switch configured to couple or to decouple the second side of the inductive element to or from the reference potential. The power converter comprises a capacitive element having a first side and a second side, where the first side of the capacitive element is coupled to the power switch and the second side of the capacitive element is coupled to the second port. The power converter comprises an auxiliary switch configured to couple or to decouple the second side of the capacitive element to or from the reference potential.

Abstract: A single configuration terminal of a device is used to configure multiple operating parameters of the device based on a resistor and a capacitor selectively connected to the configuration terminal. The device includes a detection circuit configured to monitor a voltage signal at the configuration terminal to determine multiple values in response to a regulated current source providing a current to the configuration terminal selectively connected to the resistor and the capacitor in parallel, and configure multiple operating parameters based on the determined values. A method for configuring operating parameters using a single configuration terminal of a device includes providing a current to the configuration terminal selectively connected to a resistor and a capacitor in parallel, monitoring a voltage signal at the configuration terminal, determining multiple values based on the monitoring, and configuring multiple operating parameter based on the determined values.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for adjusting an amplitude of a drive signal applied to a device are presented. The method of driving a device includes providing a drive signal to drive the device, monitoring a gradient value of the response signal; and changing an amplitude level of the drive signal based on the gradient value. The monitoring of the gradient value includes sensing an electrical parameter of the response signal and calculating the gradient value based on the electrical parameter.

Abstract: A half bridge circuit and a method for its operation are presented. The half bridge circuit contains a high-side switch, a latch for providing a drive signal for the high-side switch, a first transistor device acting as a level shifter for shifting a voltage level at an input of the latch. The first transistor device is coupled between a supply voltage level and ground, and the voltage level at the input of the latch is shifted in accordance with a current that flows through the first transistor device. A second transistor device is coupled between the supply voltage level and ground, in parallel to the first transistor device. There is a current mirror for mirroring a current that flows through the second transistor device. There is a circuit path for feeding the mirrored current to an intermediate node between the supply voltage level and the first transistor device.

Abstract: Adaptive-on-time techniques to improve the frequency variations inherent in constant-on-time COT converters are presented. A switching converter contains a power switch; a pulse generator adapted to generate a pulsed signal to switch the power switch on with a switching frequency; a ramp generator adapted to generate a ramp signal; and a controller adapted to detect a parameter of the ramp signal, compare the parameter with a reference value, and to generate a control signal based on the comparison to control the switching frequency. This allows controlling a switching frequency of the converter without increasing a noise level of the converter.

Abstract: An integrated circuit IC package with one or more pins protruding from the IC package for electrically connecting the IC package with a printed circuit board PCB is presented. The IC package has a first die with a first electronic component, a second die with a second electronic component, and a conductive plate having a plane surface. The first electronic component may be a semiconductor power device and the second electronic component may be a control circuit. The plane surface of the conductive plate is electrically connected to both a plane surface of the first die and one or more pins such that an electrical connection is established between the first die and the one or more pins. The second die may be arranged on top of the conductive plate. Alternatively, a third die with a third electronic component may be arranged on top of the conductive plate.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and circuits to achieve a buck-boost switching regulator that allows changing operation modes without causing large output ripples during transition of operation modes Increased error amplifier output voltage range over which the converter stays in its present operating mode (buck or boost or buck-boost), resulting in hysteresis between error amplifier output voltage and output voltage). The larger the hysteresis, the smaller will be the likeliness of having to switch between modes. A first embodiment is combining masking logic applied to signals driving the switches of the switching regulator and offset feedback to outputs of the error amplifier in order to providing hysteresis to suppress operation mode bounce and to minimize ripples while a second embodiment is monitoring pulse width of PWM pulses by a pulse width checker.

Abstract: A controller for a power converter to convert electrical power at an input voltage into electrical power at an output voltage and a method of operating such controller is presented. The controller for controlling a power converter has an input port to receive a voltage representative of the input voltage; an input voltage measuring unit to sample a measuring voltage and to determine a measurement value that is representative of the input voltage; a switch; and a diode connectable with a storage unit to provide a supply voltage for the controller during operation of the controller. The switch controls the charging of the storage unit from the voltage at the input port.