Abstract: A switched capacitor converter includes a first leg between ground and a first voltage node, a second leg between ground and a second voltage node, a first flying capacitor connected between a first switch common node and a third switch common node of the first leg, a second flying capacitor connected between a first switch common node and a third switch common node of the second leg, a third flying capacitor connected between the first voltage node and the second voltage node, a first upper switch connected between the first voltage node and ground, and a second upper switch connected between the second voltage node and an input terminal.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first winding and a first switch connected in series between an input terminal and ground, a second winding magnetically coupled to the first winding and coupled to an output terminal through a second switch, a third winding magnetically coupled to the first winding and connected in series with a fourth switch, a fourth winding magnetically coupled to the first winding and connected in series with a third switch, and an energy storage device connected between a common node of the third winding and the fourth winding, and ground.

Abstract: A method includes detecting a first current flowing through a first clamping device coupled to a gate of a power switch, determining whether an inductor current reduces to zero based upon a first comparison between the first current and a first predetermined current level, and after determining the inductor current reduces to zero, determining whether a drain voltage of the power switch enters a valley of a resonant ringing based upon a second comparison between the first current and the first predetermined current level.

Abstract: An ESD protection apparatus includes a discharge resistor and a transistor connected in series between a first voltage rail and a second voltage rail, a first coupling capacitor, a diode and a first bias resistor connected in series between the first voltage rail and the second voltage rail, wherein a common node of the diode and the first bias resistor is connected to a gate of the transistor, and an ESD protection device connected between the first voltage rail and the second voltage rail.

Abstract: A method includes connecting an output of a switched capacitor converter to a battery, the switched capacitor converter comprising a first switch, a second switch, a third switch and an upper circuit connected in series, and a flying capacitor connected between a common node of the first switch and the second switch, and a common node of the third switch and the upper circuit, in a first short circuit testing step, determining whether the third switch is shorted by comparing a voltage on the common node of the third switch and the upper circuit with a first predetermined voltage reference, and in a second short circuit testing step, determining whether the first switch and the second switch are shorted by comparing a voltage on the common node of the first switch and the second switch with a second predetermined voltage reference and a third predetermined voltage reference, respectively.

Abstract: A converter includes a first phase comprising a plurality of first phase switches connected in series between an input power source and ground, a second phase comprising a plurality of second phase switches connected in series between the input power source and ground, and a first flying capacitor of the first phase and a first flying capacitor of the second phase cross-coupled between the first phase and the second phase, wherein switches of the first phase and switches of the second phase are configured such that a ratio of an input voltage of the hybrid dual-phase step-down power converter to an output voltage of the hybrid dual-phase step-down power converter is equal to N/D, and wherein N is an integer, and D is a duty cycle of the hybrid dual-phase step-down power converter.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of binary weighted capacitors coupled between a first input terminal of a comparator and a plurality of signal buses, wherein the plurality of binary weighted capacitors has a binary weight increasing by two times from a first capacitor to an (N?K)th capacitor, and a constant binary weight from the (N?K)th capacitor to a (N?K?2+2(K+1))th capacitor, an offset voltage generator configured to generate a digitally controlled offset voltage having 2(K+1) steps fed into a second input terminal of the comparator, and a successive approximation logic block configured to receive an output signal of the comparator, and generate an N-bit control signal for controlling the plurality of binary weighted capacitors.

Abstract: A single-stage battery charging system includes a hybrid converter comprising a plurality of first power switches connected in series, an inductor and a first flying capacitor, wherein the inductor is connected to a midpoint of the plurality of first power switches, a switched capacitor converter comprising a plurality of second power switches connected in series, and a second flying capacitor, and an isolation switch coupled between the midpoint of the plurality of first power switches and a midpoint of the plurality of second power switches.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus includes a signal processing circuit configured to process a signal obtained from a voltage bus, a high voltage circuit configured to withstand a voltage stress when a high voltage is applied to the voltage bus, and a bypass circuit configured to bypass the high voltage circuit when a low voltage is applied to the voltage bus.

Abstract: A method includes comparing a ramp signal with an output signal of an error amplifier to determine an initial turn-on time of a boost converter, generating a turn-on time of the boost converter through multiplying the initial turn-on time by a predetermined constant greater than or equal to 1, and maintaining a switching frequency of the boost converter substantially constant through varying a value of the predetermined constant.

Abstract: A method includes connecting an input voltage bus of a switched capacitor converter to a power source through a load switch, in a first short circuit testing step, determining whether the load switch or a second switch is shorted by comparing a voltage on the input voltage bus with a first predetermined voltage reference, after passing the first short circuit testing step, in a second short circuit testing step, determining whether a first switch or a fourth switch is shorted by comparing a voltage on the common node of the third switch and the fourth switch with a second predetermined voltage reference, and after passing the second short circuit testing step, in a third short circuit testing step, determining whether a third switch is shorted by comparing the voltage on the common node of the third switch and the fourth switch with a third predetermined voltage reference.

Abstract: A method of converting an analog input signal to a digital output signal includes adding a digitally controlled offset voltage into a comparison stage of a successive approximation analog-to-digital converter circuit, wherein the digitally controlled offset voltage has a periodic pattern including at least 2(K+1) steps, each of which has a value equal to an integer multiplying 2(?K) of an analog voltage corresponding to a least significant bit (LSB) of an N-bit digital signal, operating the successive approximation analog-to-digital converter circuit to sequentially generate at least a 2(K+1) number of N-bit digital signals based on the at least 2(K+1) steps of the digitally controlled offset voltage, summing the at least the 2(K+1) number of N-bit digital signals to obtain a summing result, and dividing the summing result through a divider block to obtain a digital signal having (N+K) bits.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first diode and a second diode connected in series between a first voltage terminal and a second voltage terminal, a switch connected between the first voltage terminal and the second voltage terminal, and a clamping threshold circuit connected between a common node of the first diode and the second diode, and a gate of the switch, wherein the clamping threshold circuit is configured such that in response to a voltage surge applied to the common node of the first diode and the second diode, the switch is turned on once the voltage surge is greater than a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A control circuit is configured to control a flyback circuit comprising a primary-side switch, a secondary-side rectifier and a transformer. The control circuit comprises a feedback control circuit configured to generate a secondary-side control signal based on a current ripple signal of the transformer, and at least one of a direct-current component of an output voltage signal and a direct-current component of an output current signal of a secondary side of the flyback circuit, wherein the secondary-side control signal is configured to control a turn-off of the secondary-side rectifier, an isolated transmission circuit coupled to the feedback control circuit and configured to generate a first primary-side control signal based on the secondary-side control signal, and a primary control circuit coupled to the isolated transmission circuit and configured to control a turn-on of the primary-side switch in response to receiving the first primary-side control signal.

Abstract: A synchronous rectifier control apparatus includes a continuous conduction mode detection circuit configured to receive a voltage across a synchronous rectifier switch and determine whether the synchronous rectifier switch operates in a continuous conduction mode based on a rising slope of the voltage across the synchronous rectifier switch, a turn-off timer control circuit configured to measure a conduction time of the synchronous rectifier switch and turn off the synchronous rectifier switch after the conduction time of the synchronous rectifier switch in a current cycle is substantially equal to the conduction time measured in an immediately previous cycle, and a drive voltage control circuit configured to reduce a gate drive voltage of the synchronous rectifier switch after the conduction time of the synchronous rectifier switch in the current cycle is substantially equal to the conduction time measured in the immediately previous cycle multiplied by a predetermined percentage.

Abstract: A hybrid dual-phase step-up power conversion system includes a step-up converter apparatus comprising a first leg, a second leg, a first capacitor and a second capacitor, wherein the first capacitor and the second capacitor are cross-coupled between the first leg and the second leg, and a plurality of expansion circuits coupled to the step-up converter apparatus, wherein the plurality of expansion circuits is configured to increase a power conversion ratio of the hybrid dual-phase step-up power conversion system.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first gate drive transistor and a second gate drive transistor connected in series, a common node of the first gate drive transistor and the second gate drive transistor connected to a gate of a power switch, the second gate drive transistor configured as a bulk switch having a bulk terminal connected to a bulk terminal of the power switch, a first auxiliary transistor connected between the bulk terminal and a source of the power switch, a second auxiliary transistor coupled between the gate of the power switch and a system ground, and a third auxiliary transistor coupled between a logic control ground and the system ground, wherein the second auxiliary transistor and the third auxiliary transistor are configured to pull the gate of the power switch and the logic control ground down to the system ground in response to a turn off of the apparatus.

Abstract: A single-stage battery charger system includes a switched capacitor converter coupled between an input power source and a load, an inductor coupled between a midpoint of the switched capacitor converter and the load, and an isolation switch coupled between the midpoint and the load, wherein the isolation switch is configured such that the single-stage battery charger system functions as a multilevel switching charger when the isolation switch is turned off, and the single-stage battery charger system functions as a switched capacitor charger when the isolation switch is turned on.

Abstract: A hybrid dual-phase step-up power conversion system includes a first leg including a first switch, a second switch and a third switch connected in series between an output terminal of the hybrid dual-phase step-up power conversion system and ground, a second leg including a fourth switch, a fifth switch and a sixth switch connected in series between the output terminal of the hybrid dual-phase step-up power conversion system and ground, and a first capacitor and a second capacitor cross-coupled between the first leg and the second leg, wherein switches of the first leg and switches of the second leg are configured such that a sum of a voltage across the first capacitor and a voltage across the second capacitor is fed into the output terminal of the hybrid dual-phase step-up power conversion system.