Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for a circuit with power factor correction (PFC) are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed method comprises providing, by a single-stage power converter, a delay in phase between a peak current command and a rectified input voltage such that a phase of a transformer current intentionally lags behind a phase of the rectified input voltage to maintain a power factor (PF) level and a total harmonic distortion (THD) level for the single-stage power converter. In one or more analog embodiments, a resistor and a capacitor are implemented into a conventional single-stage power converter to provide the delay in phase between the peak current command and the rectified input voltage. In one or more digital embodiments, a controller within a conventional single-stage power converter exclusively provides the delay in phase between the peak current command and the rectified input voltage.

Abstract: A switching power converter is provided that adaptively changes the on-time period for an auxiliary switch transistor to locate a boundary between sufficient and insufficient energy.

Abstract: Power converters, charge pumps and methods which are capable of regulating output voltage are presented. A power converter has a capacitive element, a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, and a fourth transistor. The first transistor is coupled between an input terminal and a first terminal of the capacitve element. The second transistor is coupled between the first terminal of the capacitve element and an output terminal. The third transistor is coupled between the output terminal and a second terminal of the capacitive element. The fourth transistor is coupled between the second terminal of the capacitive element and a reference potential. The power converter has a control circuit to control, during a first time interval of a voltage regulation mode, one of the four transistors such that the one of the four transistors is operated as a controllable power source for regulating an output voltage.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a light output from a LED-based lighting solution is provided that may receive phase-cut AC signals and/or external digital control signals. The invention is capable of receiving both a phase-cut AC signal and an external digital control signal simultaneously and providing a desired light output from a LED-based lighting solution. The system generally includes a power source electronically connected to one or more dimmers and an AC power output of the dimmer connected to a solid state lighting device such as an LED. The system is capable of receiving signals from a wired and/or wireless external digital control device to additionally control the desired light output from a LED-based lighting solution.

Abstract: Control circuitry for controlling the duty cycle of a magnetizing switch of a power converter containing a demagnetizing switch is described. The magnetizing switch and the demagnetizing switch are switched on within a sequence of commutation cycles in a mutually exclusive manner. The control circuitry is configured, within a commutation cycle from the sequence of commutation cycles, to determine a sensed current signal indicative of a current through the magnetizing switch. The control circuitry determines a ramp signal by adding a slope compensation signal to the sensed current signal. The control circuitry determines a threshold signal and determines a duty cycle for the magnetizing switch for the commutation cycle by comparing the ramp signal with the threshold signal. The threshold signal and/or the slope compensation signal depend on the duty cycle for the magnetizing switch of a preceding commutation cycle from the sequence of commutation cycles.

Abstract: Power converters and method with reverse charge capability are presented. A power converter operates either in a buck mode for transferring electrical power from a first terminal of the power converter to a second terminal of the power converter, or in a boost mode for transferring electrical power from the second terminal of the power converter to the first terminal of the power converter. The power converter has several switching elements, a flying capacitor, an inductor, and a control unit. The switching elements couple the first terminal of the power converter and the flying capacitor, couple the first terminal of the flying capacitor and a first terminal of the inductor, couple the first terminal of the inductor and a second terminal of the flying capacitor and couple the second terminal of the flying capacitor and a reference potential. The control unit controls the switching elements.

Abstract: A DC-DC current-control mode switching converter is disclosed, with peak-mode control circuitry, configured to compare a coil current to a variable current limit, to turn off a high side device when the coil current exceeds the variable current limit. The DC-DC switching converter includes a compensation ramp generator, configured to provide a compensation ramp signal, and an offset circuit, configured to provide an offset current. The DC-DC switching converter further includes an amplifier, configured to generate a control current proportional to the difference between an output voltage and a target voltage, and an adder, to combine the control current, the compensation ramp signal, and the offset current. A DC-DC current-control mode switching converter, with valley-mode control circuitry, configured to compare a coil current to a variable current limit, to turn off a low side device when the coil current falls below the variable current limit, is also disclosed.

Abstract: A multi-phase switching power converter is disclosed in which the duty cycle of active phases following a phase shedding transition is temporarily adjusted to increase the operating speed of the multi-phase switching power converter.

Abstract: A switching mode power converter circuit is disclosed, comprising a first high-side switch and a first low-side switch coupled in series between an input voltage level and a reference voltage level, a second high-side switch and a second low-side switch coupled in series between the input voltage level and the reference voltage level, and a control circuit for controlling switching operation of the first and second high-side switches and the first and second low-side switches. The first high-side switch has a larger on-state resistance than the second high-side switch and the first low-side switch has a larger on-state resistance than the second low-side switch. The control circuit is configured to, during an on-state of the first and second low-side switches, control the second low-side switch to switch to the off-state and control the first high-side switch to switch to the on-state, so that the first high-side switch and the first low-side switch are both in the on-state.

Abstract: A DC-DC switching converter, with a low IQ hysteretic-PWM automated hybrid control architecture, switching from a first mode to a second mode, when load current changes, is described. The DC-DC switching converter provides a simple architecture for a Boost converter, with efficiency high over the entire load range, and with a hybrid hysteretic-PWM control providing a way to automatically switch between modes, without the addition of a sensing element or system complexity. The switching converter uses a voltage comparator to detect the output current is below a certain threshold. A comparator on the error voltage detects the average value of the error signal with relation to the sawtooth signal. If the average value of the error signal is below a threshold for longer than a programmable timer, the main loop is turned off and the system goes into burst mode.

Abstract: A voltage regulator is presented. The output node of the voltage regulator is coupled to an output capacitor via a conductive path that exhibits a parasitic inductance. The voltage regulator has an output amplification stage for deriving the output current at the output node from the input voltage at the input node in dependence of a drive voltage at an intermediate node of the voltage regulator. The voltage regulator has an intermediate amplification stage for providing the drive voltage at the intermediate node based on a differential output voltage. A differential amplification stage determines the differential output voltage in dependence of the output voltage and in dependence of a reference voltage. The voltage regulator has a sensing unit to provide a load indication which is indicative of the output current and a variable impedance coupled to the intermediate node, where the variable impedance is dependent on the load indication.

Abstract: A servo block in a Buck, Boost, or switching converter allows a positive offset to be applied to the DAC voltage. In a typical switching converter application, the load will have a positive current, sourced from the switching converter to ground through the load. This will cause the output voltage of the switching converter to fall with the output impedance. The servo block corrects the output voltage by adjusting the DAC voltage upwards. In the case where current is forced back into the switching converter, causing the output voltage to rise, the servo block will have affect. The behavior of the servo block is desirable as it reduces the negative affect the servo block may have on load transients occurring when the switching converter is in over voltage. In particular, the idea of shifting the DAC voltage for several different loops with a single servo block is disclosed.

Abstract: A switching power converter and a method for receiving an input power at an input node and outputting an output power at an output node is presented. The switching power converter has a high-side switching device coupled between the input node and the output node, a low-side switching device coupled between the input node and a predetermined voltage level, and an active snubber circuit for suppressing voltage peaks at the input node. The active snubber circuit has a first capacitor coupled to the output node. The first capacitor is charged during a first dead time after the low-side switching device has been switched OFF and before the high-side switching device is switched ON.

Abstract: A gate drive circuit arranged to receive an input signal and provide an output signal to drive a gate of a transistor is presented. The gate drive circuit comprises a filter circuit arranged to attenuate a frequency band from the input signal when deriving the output signal from the input signal. The filter circuit contains programmable resistive elements, comprising: a first programmable resistive element arranged to adjust a low frequency gain and bandwidth of the gate drive circuit; a second programmable resistive element arranged to adjust a high frequency gain of the gate drive circuit; and a pair of programmable resistive elements arranged to adjust a driving gain of the gate drive circuit. A method of receiving an input signal and deriving an output signal from an input signal is also presented. The step of deriving an output signal comprises attenuating a frequency band from the input signal.

Abstract: A circuit and a method using a pass device that is coupled between a supply voltage level and a load-connectable node of the circuit for providing a load current. A sense device forms a current mirror with the pass device. The sense device has transistor devices that can be switched to an active state, to adjust a mirror ratio of the current mirror. A first feedback loop regulates a voltage drop across the pass device to a predetermined value. A second feedback loop regulates a voltage drop across the sense device to the voltage drop across the pass device. Measurement circuitry sets a mirror ratio of the current mirror based on an indication of a current flowing through the sense device and generates an indication of current flowing through the pass device based on the set mirror ratio and the indication of the current flowing through the sense device.

Abstract: A current sensing circuit is described. The current sensing circuit is for sensing a high side current through a high side switch and/or for sensing a low side current through a low side switch of a half bridge comprising the high side switch and the low side switch, which are arranged in series between a high side potential and a low side potential. The high side switch and the low side switch are in respective on-phases in a mutually exclusive manner. The high side sensing circuit comprises mirroring circuitry to mirror a current from a first node of the high side sensing circuit to an output node of the high side sensing circuit. The current sensing circuit comprises a low side sensing circuit to provide a sensed low side current which is indicative of the low side current during an on-phase of the low side switch.

Abstract: A flyback converter controller is provided with a single terminal through which the flyback converter controller senses for over-voltage faults for an input voltage and also senses for open circuit faults for an auxiliary winding. A first voltage divider provides a divided version of the input voltage to the single terminal. The controller compares a voltage for the single terminal to at least one over-voltage threshold to detect the over-voltage fault for the input voltage.

Abstract: An output voltage calibration circuit and technique is disclosed to increase the accuracy and precision of the constant-voltage mode for a flyback converter.

Abstract: A power converter for converting an input voltage at an input port into an output voltage at an output port of the power converter is described. The power converter comprises an inductor having a first inductor port and a second inductor port, wherein the second inductor port is coupled to the output port. Furthermore, the power converter comprises a flying capacitor having a first capacitor port and a second capacitor port, and a switching cell. In addition, the power converter comprises a control unit to operate the switching cell in a first sequence of operation phases to perform step-up conversion; and in a second sequence of operation phases to perform step-down conversion.

Abstract: A solid state lighting SSL assembly comprises an SSL device, a capacitor, a directional conducting device and a supply switch. The capacitor is coupled in parallel with the SSL device. The directional conducting device is coupled between an output terminal of the capacitor and a supply terminal which provides a supply voltage for the SSL assembly. The directional conducting device is configured to conduct in a direction from the output terminal to the supply terminal and to isolate in the opposite direction. The supply switch is coupled between the output terminal and ground. In addition, a method for operating a solid state lighting SSL assembly is proposed.