Abstract: A controller for a power converter can generate a drive signal to control a secondary switch coupled to an output winding of the power converter. The power converter also includes an input winding, to which a primary switch is coupled, and is operable in a discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) in which current flow through the input winding and current flow through the output winding become substantially zero by the end of a switching cycle. The controller can prevent the secondary switch from being turned ON in a next switching cycle in response to the controller determining that the voltage of the output winding dropped below a threshold voltage at least N times after DCM operation began. This can prevent cross-conduction, which is a condition in which the primary switch and the secondary switch conduct current simultaneously as a result of both switches being ON at the same time.

Abstract: A switch controller coupled to control a transistor. The switch controller comprising an interface coupled to receive a command signal in response to an event sensed in a control system. The command signal is representative of a first command to control the transistor with a first drive strength or a second command to control the transistor with a second drive strength. The switch controller is coupled to adjust a fall time or a rise time, or to adjust both the fall time and the rise time, of a voltage across the transistor in response to the command signal. The fall time or the rise time, or both the fall time and the rise time in response to the second command is shorter than the fall time or the rise time, or both the fall time and the rise time in response to the first command.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure describe power converters. A power converter in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure may comprise a first stage, a second stage electrically coupled to the first stage, the second stage including an energy transfer element, and a sensor. The sensor may include a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit and the second circuit may respond differently to an output of the energy transfer element. The sensor may be configured to selectively provide power to the first stage based on a difference in response of the first circuit and the second circuit.

Abstract: A charging device, comprising a first power converter configured to provide a first output current, a second power converter configured to provide a second output current, a switch coupled to an output of the first power converter and an output of the second power converter, a first socket coupled to the output of the first power converter, a second socket coupled to the output of the second power converter, and a power delivery (PD) controller configured to control a turn ON of the switch in response to a coupling of the first socket to a first powered device and an absence of coupling of the second socket to a second powered device.

Abstract: A controller for use in a power converter comprising a control circuit coupled to generate a secondary drive signal to control a secondary switch. An enable circuit coupled to generate an enable signal to enable or disable the control circuit from generating the secondary drive signal. The enable circuit further comprising a winding signal detection circuit coupled to receive a discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) signal representative of a determination that the secondary switch has stopped conducting and a winding signal representative of a voltage of an output winding. The winding signal detection circuit is coupled to determine if the winding signal is less than a threshold at least an N number of times. The enable circuit is coupled to disable the control circuit from generation of the secondary drive signal to turn ON the secondary switch in response to the winding signal detection circuit.

Abstract: An electric drive system for a vehicle includes an inverter having at least one phase leg, wherein a first of the phase legs includes a first power switch; an internal voltage supply configured to generate an internal supply voltage regulated with respect to a voltage on a rail and a second voltage, wherein the internal voltage supply is configured to reduce a voltage difference between the internal supply voltage and the second voltage in response to a signal indicating a shut-down or a fault; and a gate drive channel configured to drive the first power switch into conductance by applying the voltage difference between the internal supply voltage and the second voltage between a control terminal and a main terminal of the power switch, gate drive channel configured to continue the driving of the first power switch for a time duration after the signal indicating the shut-down or the fault.

Abstract: A device comprising a plurality of switches and a plurality of driver units. Each driver unit is coupled to drive a respective switch of the plurality of switches. A system controller is coupled to each of the driver units by a bus, wherein the system controller is configured to coordinate driving of the respective switches by the driver units. The device further comprises at least one communication channel coupled to each of the driver units, wherein the driver units are configured to communicate with each other over the communication channel without mediation by the system controller.

Abstract: Presented herein is a circuit path configuration for enhancing overvoltage protection in a switching power supply, the switching power supply comprising a bridge rectifier, a primary side switch, and a controller. The circuit path configuration implements input OVP by availing a clamping voltage indicative of a drain-to-source voltage of the primary side switch. The bridge rectifier provides a rectified voltage to a first node. The primary side switch comprises a drain; and the drain is electrically coupled to the first node via a first circuit path. The first circuit path comprises a first circuit path node between the first node and the drain. The controller comprises a voltage monitor input electrically coupled to the first circuit path node via a second circuit path; and the second circuit path provides a monitor voltage to the voltage monitor input.

Abstract: Parallel connected power converters using push-pull feedback networks are described herein. The power converters may be switch-mode (switching) power converters (SMPSs) controlled by load dependent signals such that switching frequency increases as a function of load. The load dependent signals (i.e., controller signals) may drive the push-pull feedback networks to adjust the voltage regulation feedback signals and to equalize the output current (i.e., output power) from the parallel-connected power converters.

Abstract: A method for making an energy transfer element provides a magnetic core having a gap in a magnetic path, positions in the gap magnetizable material that produces an initial flux density, cures the suspension medium, and wraps one or more power windings around the magnetic path. When the magnetizable material is magnetized, a flux density produced by the magnetized material is offset from the initial flux density. The magnetizable material comprises a mixture of a suspension medium that includes uncured epoxy and magnetizable particles. The magnetizable particles are capable of permanent magnetic properties when magnetized. The particles of magnetic material having magnetic permeability of at least 1000?o. The particles of magnetic material that have a magnetic permeability of at least 1000?o and the particles of magnetizable particles are uniformly distributed in the suspension medium.

Abstract: Fast turn-on protection of a cascode switch is presented herein. A cascode circuit includes a depletion mode field effect transistor and an enhancement mode field effect transistor electrically coupled in cascode. During turn-on, a protection circuit detects an overcurrent fault by observing a plateau of a cascode node voltage. An overcurrent fault may be detected in response to the plateau existing for greater than a threshold time duration.

Abstract: A controller comprising a driver interface referenced to a first reference potential, a drive circuit referenced to a second reference potential, and an inductive coupling. The driver interface comprises a first receiver configured to compare a portion of signals having a first polarity on the first terminal of the inductive coupling with a first threshold, and a second receiver configured to compare a portion of signals having a second polarity on the second terminal of the inductive coupling with a third threshold. The drive circuit comprises a first transmitter configured to drive current in a first direction in the second winding to transmit first signals, and a second transmitter configured to drive current in a second direction in the second winding to transmit second signals, the second direction opposite the first direction.

Abstract: A housing or surface of a housing containing at least one heat dissipating device configured to be grasped or otherwise held by a user. The housing includes a first housing wall portion with a plurality of grasping features that protrude from the first housing wall portion and a second housing wall portion with a second plurality of grasping features that protrude from the second housing wall portion. The first plurality of grasping features and second plurality of grasping features prevent a user from contacting the first housing wall portion and the second housing wall portion.

Abstract: Coupled polysilicon guard rings for enhancing breakdown voltage in a power semiconductor device are presented herein. Polysilicon guard rings are disposed above the power device drift region and electrically coupled to power device regions (e.g., device diffusions) so as to spread electric fields associated with an operating voltage. Additionally, PN junctions (i.e., p-type and n-type junctions) are formed within the polysilicon guard rings to operate in reverse bias with a low leakage current between the power device regions (e.g., device diffusions). Low leakage current may advantageously enhance the electric field spreading without deleteriously affecting existing (i.e., normal) power device performance; and enhanced electric field spreading may in turn reduce breakdown-voltage drift.

Abstract: An energy transfer element comprises a magnetic core having a gap in a magnetic path. Magnetizable material producing an initial flux density is positioned in the gap. One or more power windings is wrapped around the magnetic path. When the magnetizable material is magnetized the flux density produced by the magnetized material is offset from the initial flux density. The core is a toroid magnetic core or is comprised of two core pieces. The magnetizable material is an unmagnetized magnet or a mixture of a suspension medium comprising uncured epoxy and magnetizable particles. The magnetizable particles are selected from a group comprising Neodymium Iron Boron (NdFeB) based materials or Samarium Cobalt (SmCo) based material.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for controllable networks to vary inter-stage power transfer in a multi-stage power conversion system are disclosed herein. By using controllable networks (111-113) within the first power converter stage (102), intermediate power delivered to a subsequent or second power converter stage (104) can be varied so that the multi-stage power conversion system (100) may respond to a full load step while offering improved light load power conversion efficiency. A power estimation circuit (122) within the second power converter stage (104) can provide a control signal (C1-CN) to each of the controllable networks (111-113); the controllable networks (111-113), in turn, can provide network signals (SI, S2) to control the intermediate power delivered to the second power converter stage (104).

Abstract: A power converter including a controller to control a synchronous rectifier (SR) switch. The controller includes a request control circuit and a discharge prevention circuit. The request control circuit is configured to generate a request signal in response to an output of the power converter. The request control circuit generates a secondary control signal to control the SR switch. The discharge prevention circuit is configured to prevent a parasitic capacitance discharge of a power switch caused by a turn on of the SR switch. The discharge prevention circuit is further generates a prevent signal to disable the secondary control signal from control of the synchronous rectifier switch when a period of the request signal is greater than a first time threshold, and enable the secondary control signal to control the synchronous rectifier switch when the period of the request signal is less than a second time threshold.

Abstract: An energy transfer element comprises a magnetic core having a gap in a magnetic path. Magnetizable material producing an initial flux density is positioned in the gap. One or more power windings is wrapped around the magnetic path. When the magnetizable material is magnetized the flux density produced by the magnetized material is offset from the initial flux density. The core is a toroid magnetic core or is comprised of two core pieces. The magnetizable material is an unmagnetized magnet or a mixture of a suspension medium comprising uncured epoxy and magnetizable particles. The magnetizable particles are selected from a group comprising Neodymium Iron Boron (NdFeB) based materials or Samarium Cobalt (SmCo) based material.

Abstract: A method for aligning a motor to a goal alignment position, comprising beginning an alignment sequence, receiving a phase current of the motor, sampling the received phase current, and comparing a sample of the received phase current to a previous sample of the received phase current. The method further comprises tracking a maximum value of the phase current in response to comparing the sample of the received phase current to the previous sample of the received phase current, comparing the maximum value of the received phase current to the sample of the received phase current, detecting a decrease in the received phase current in response to comparing the maximum value to the sample; and ending the alignment sequence in response to detecting the decrease.

Abstract: Detecting signals from cascode power devices is described herein. By sensing a gate signal from the high-voltage device, drain waveform characteristics may be monitored. In this manner a power switch may be controlled to avail enhanced performance in a power converter comprising a cascode power device.