Patents Assigned to Monolithic Power Systems
  • Patent number: 8896278
    Abstract: A multi-phase switching converter and control method thereof. The multi-phase switching converter includes a plurality of switching circuits and a controller. The output terminals of the plurality of switching circuits are coupled together to provide an output voltage to a load. The controller is configured to generate a plurality of control signals to turn on the plurality of switching circuits successively. When a load current increase is detected, the controller operates in an overlap mode and at least two switching circuits subsequent to the current switching circuit are turned on simultaneously. After the overlap mode, the controller resumes to the interleave mode and turns on the plurality of switching circuits successively from the switching circuit subsequent to the at least two switching circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Qian Ouyang, Lijie Jiang, Xiaokang Wu, Bo Zhang, Suhua Luo
  • Patent number: 8896363
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an analog switching circuit having a first terminal receiving an input signal, a second terminal providing an output signal and a control terminal receiving a switching control signal. The analog switching circuit has a first logic circuit providing a first control signal and a second control signal based on the switching control signal; an NMOS and a PMOS coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal, and controlled by the first control signal and the second control signal respectively; a first control circuit controls the backgate voltage of the NMOS based on the input signal and the switching control signal; and a second control circuit controls the backgate voltage of the PMOS based on the input signal and the switching control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Da Chen, Zhengwei Zhang, Wei Mao
  • Patent number: 8891258
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a switch mode power supply comprising a switch and a control circuit is disclosed. The control circuit may comprise a multi-function pin configured to receive a first current sampling signal and a first voltage sampling signal. A first comparing signal may be provided by comparing the first voltage sampling signal with a first threshold signal when the switch is turned OFF, and a second comparing signal may be provided by comparing the first current sampling signal with a second threshold signal when the switch is turned ON. The control circuit may be configured to control the switch in accordance with the first comparing signal and the second comparing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc
    Inventors: Yongliang Zhang, Xiaoyu Xi, Jiali Cai
  • Patent number: 8885362
    Abstract: A fast startup switching converter having a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, a first capacitor, and a controller controlling the ON and OFF switching of the second and third switches. The first terminal of the first switch is coupled to the input terminal of the switching converter, the second terminal is coupled to the first terminal of the second switch. The first terminal of the third switch is coupled to the second terminal of the first switch and the first terminal of the second switch. The first capacitor is coupled to the second terminal of the third switch and the controller to provide a power supply voltage for the controller. The switching converter charges the first capacitor through the first and third switches in a first working state, and transfers energy to a load through the first and second switches in a second working state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naixing Kuang, Jiali Cai, Hongxia Yu
  • Patent number: 8880969
    Abstract: The present invention provides a switching converter with pulse skipping mode. The switching converter comprises a switching circuit having at least one switch, a controller and a feedback circuit. The controller comprises an error amplifying circuit, a logic circuit, a ramp signal generator and a pulse skipping circuit. The error amplifying circuit generates a compensation signal based on comparing the feedback signal with a reference signal. The logic circuit generates a control signal to control the ON and OFF switching of the at least one switch based on the compensation signal. The ramp signal generator generates a ramp signal. The pulse skipping circuit generates a pulse skipping signal based on the compensation signal, the ramp signal and a threshold voltage. The logic circuit skips one or more switching pulses of the control signal in accordance with the pulse skipping signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Xiaoyu Xi
  • Publication number: 20140319608
    Abstract: A high voltage FET device provides drain voltage information with less overall silicon area consumption by forming a spiral resistance poly structure over a drift region of the high voltage FET device. The spiral resistance poly structure has an inner most end coupled to a drain region, and an outer most end coupled to a reference ground.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Joseph Urienza
  • Patent number: 8872440
    Abstract: The embodiments of the present circuit and method disclose a circuit to bypass a target circuit when an open status is detected. The present circuit may comprise a sample circuit, a monitoring circuit and a bypass circuit. The sample circuit may comprise a capacitor coupled to the target circuit. The monitoring circuit may be coupled to the capacitor and may have an output configured to generate an output signal selectively indicating the open status. The bypass circuit may comprise a switch, wherein the switch has a control terminal coupled to the output of the monitoring circuit and wherein the switch may be configured to be selectively turned ON to bypass the target circuit in accordance with the output of the monitoring circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Frank Xi, Zhengwei Zhang
  • Patent number: 8872501
    Abstract: A switch-mode voltage converter has a switching transistor coupled between an input voltage (Vin) and the ground and a controller coupled directly between the input voltage (Vin) and the ground. The controller periodically turns on the switching transistor for a generally constant period of time. The controller is further coupled to a DC bias voltage (Vbias) and generates a control current based on the input voltage (Vin) and the DC bias voltage (Vbias) for generating a switching signal to the switching transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Yan Dong, Peng Xu, James H. Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20140307491
    Abstract: An offline power converter provides low EMI and quick reaction by slowly turning off a power switch at normal operation, and fast turning off the power switch when surge event happens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph Urienza, Peng Liu
  • Publication number: 20140300336
    Abstract: A switching converter and a load regulation compensation module for improving load regulation accuracy of the switching converter. The switching converter regulates its output voltage through controlling a switch module to switch on and off based on a first reference signal and a feedback signal indicative of the output voltage. The on and off switching of the switch module generates a switching current, resulting in an average offset voltage between an internal reference ground and a package ground pin of the switching converter. The load regulation compensation module is configured to monitor the switching current, and to compensate a second reference signal having a bandgap reference voltage referenced to the internal reference ground based on the monitored switching current to generate the first reference signal, so that the average offset voltage is substantially cancelled out from the first reference signal with respect to the package ground pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lei Li, Yike Li
  • Publication number: 20140292299
    Abstract: A converter circuit and associated control method are disclosed hereby. The converter circuit has an error amplifier to provide an error signal; a proportional amplifier to provide a gain signal according the error signal and an output voltage of the converter circuit; a first comparator, generating a pulse signal according to the gain signal and a comparison signal; and a timer, generating a timing signal according to the pulse signal to indicate the on time and the off time of the converter circuit; and wherein either the gain signal or the comparison signal comprises a ramp component, and wherein the on time of the converter circuit is constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: CHENGDU MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: CHENGDU MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
  • Patent number: 8848945
    Abstract: The present technology relates generally to a closed-loop power stage and audio amplifier circuits comprising the same. The present technology further provides a method for controlling an amplifier circuit. The closed-loop power stage is configured to receive a PWM input signal having a first frequency and a first duty cycle, a power supply voltage, and a bias signal related to the power supply voltage, and to output a square-wave signal having a second frequency and a second duty cycle. The closed-loop power stage comprises a feedback loop which is configured to regulate the second duty cycle of the square-wave signal in response to a variation in the power supply voltage. The audio amplifier circuit comprising the closed-loop power stage may have a stable output voltage and thus have good power supply rejection performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Yunping Lang, Huijie Zhao, Huafei Ding
  • Publication number: 20140285163
    Abstract: A PFC circuit includes: a switching circuit having a power switch; an on time control circuit for controlling an on time period of the power switch; a first off time control circuit; a second off time control circuit; and a logic circuit selectively controls the power switch working under CCM or DCM; when working under CCM, the first off time control circuit controls an off time period of the power switch and when working under DCM, the second off time control circuit controls the off time period of the power switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: CHENGDU MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sicon Lin, Yiqing Jin, Yuancheng Ren, Junming Zhang
  • Publication number: 20140285170
    Abstract: A controller used in a buck-boost converter includes a logic control circuit, a pulse width increasing circuit, a pulse width decreasing circuit, a first driving circuit and a second driving circuit. The pulse width increasing circuit generates a sum control signal based on a logic control signal generated by the logic control circuit. The pulse width increasing circuit increases the pulse width of the logic control signal by a first value to generate the pulse width of the sum control signal. The pulse width decreasing circuit generates a difference control signal based on the logic control signal. The pulse width decreasing circuit decreases the pulse width of the logic control signal by a second value to generate the pulse width of the difference control signal. The first and second driving circuit respectively generates driving signals based on the sum control signal and the difference control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: CHENGDU MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chenggang Deng
  • Publication number: 20140266092
    Abstract: A switching regulator circuit and a reference compensation module employed for compensating a reference signal in the switching regulator circuit. The switching regulator circuit with a reference ground having an average offset voltage referenced to a package ground pin, wherein the average offset voltage is proportional to an output current of the switching regulator circuit with a first factor. The reference compensation module may be configured to receive a second reference signal having a bandgap reference voltage with respect to the reference ground and a reference compensation signal proportional to the output current with a second factor, and configured to provide the first reference signal based on compensating the second reference signal with the reference compensation signal to substantially cancel out the average offset voltage from the first reference signal with respect to the ground pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Paul Ueunten, Wangrui Guo
  • Patent number: 8836304
    Abstract: The present technology is related generally to a switching mode power supply with virtual current sensing. The switching mode power supply comprises a power stage that includes a first power switch and a second power switch coupled in series. The switching mode power supply senses a first current flowing through the first power switch during on-time and provides a virtual current sense signal that is proportional to a second current flowing through the second power switch during on-time. The switching mode power supply further combines the real current sense signal and the virtual current sense signal to form a current sense signal, which is sent to the controller to realize desired control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Honggang Sheng, Jinghai Zhou, Peng Xu, Chia-Hsin Chang
  • Patent number: 8836310
    Abstract: A controller having an on-time controller, an off-time controller, a switch control signal generator, and a jittering signal generator, wherein the jittering signal generator couples jitter into the on-time or the off-time of a primary switch of the power supply. Therefore the EMI performance may be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yike Li, Xiangyong Xu
  • Publication number: 20140253079
    Abstract: A switching converter having a power stage with a main switch to convert an input voltage to an output voltage; a current sense circuit generating a current sense signal indicative of a current flowing through the main switch; a PWM generator generating a PWM signal; an OFF time controller generating an OFF time control signal relating to the input voltage and the output voltage; and a logic circuit generating a switching signal based on the OFF time control signal and the PWM signal to control the main switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chuan Ding, Tianzhu Zhang
  • Publication number: 20140239934
    Abstract: A switching converter with slope compensation circuit, the slope compensation circuit has a first voltage source, a first operation circuit, a first switch, a first capacitor, a second switch and a first controlled current source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Bo ZHANG
  • Patent number: 8810013
    Abstract: An integrated circuit for implementing a switch-mode power converter is disclosed. The integrated circuit comprises at least a first semiconductor die having an electrically quiet surface, a second semiconductor die for controlling the operation of said first semiconductor die stacked on said first semiconductor die having said electrically quiet surface and a lead frame structure for supporting said first semiconductor die and electrically coupling said first and second semiconductor dies to external circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Yang, Jinghai Zhou, Hunt Hang Jiang