Abstract: According to an embodiment, a power conversion system includes a plurality of converters and a control unit. The plurality of converters are provided in parallel for each phase of a multi-phase alternating current power system. The control unit uses a plurality of carrier signals having a prescribed phase difference from each other in carrier comparison type pulse width modulation (PWM) control. The control unit detects a current of a primary side of the plurality of converters at each of four or more even-numbered timings when the four or more even-numbered timings are defined at prescribed time intervals during one cycle of a specific carrier signal among the plurality of carrier signals. The control unit generates a reference voltage for the PWM control using a value of the detected current of the primary side and a value of a reference current of the primary side and updates the reference voltage at each of the four or more even-numbered timings.

Abstract: Techniques and apparatus for driving transistor gates of a switched-mode power supply (SMPS) circuit. One example power supply circuit generally includes a switching converter having a switching transistor and a gate driver having an output coupled to a gate of the switching transistor. The gate driver includes a first switching device coupled between the output of the gate driver and a first voltage rail; a second switching device coupled between the output of the gate driver and a voltage node of the gate driver; a third switching device coupled between the voltage node of the gate driver and a second voltage rail; and a voltage clamp coupled in series with a fourth switching device, the voltage clamp and the fourth switching device being coupled between a third voltage rail and the voltage node (or the output of the gate driver).

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for logarithmic current to voltage conversion are disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, a logarithmic current to voltage converter includes an input terminal that receives an input current, an output terminal that provides a logarithmic output voltage, a first field-effect transistor (FET) having a gate connected to the input terminal, a first bipolar transistor having a collector connected to the input terminal and an emitter connected to the output terminal, and a stacked transistor connected to the output terminal and to the first FET to form a feedback loop. For example, the stacked transistor can correspond to a second bipolar transistor having a collector connected to the output terminal and a base connected to the source of the first FET, or to a second FET having a drain connected to the output terminal and a gate connected to the source of the first FET.

Abstract: A DC/DC converter circuit for phase-modulated communication comprises a push-pull driver to which a reference clock having a fixed predefined frequency can be applied on the input side; a transformer having a primary and secondary coil, wherein the push-pull driver is connected to the primary coil on the output side; a synchronous rectifier connected to the secondary coil on the AC-side; a resonant circuit having a capacitance and an inductance, wherein the resonant circuit is designed such that a part of the resonant circuit is on a primary side of the transformer and another part of the resonant circuit is on a secondary side of the transformer; a decoupling inductor connected on a secondary side of the transformer and downstream of the synchronous rectifier, which is not part of the resonant circuit; and an output capacitor connected in series with the decoupling inductor via which an output voltage is provided.

Abstract: A voltage driver includes a voltage input. A voltage regulation controller is operatively connected to receive input voltage from the voltage input and includes an on/off input. The voltage regulation controller is configured to control a switching converter in a first mode, a second mode, at least one buck mode, and at least one boost mode. The switching converter is configured to operate as an open pass switch in the first mode, configured to operate as a closed pass switch in the second mode, configured to operate as an overcurrent and overvoltage protection switch in the at least one buck mode, and configured to operate as an undercurrent and undervoltage protection switch in the at least one boost mode.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for adaptive switch driving. In an example aspect, the apparatus includes a switching circuit configured to selectively be in a first state that provides an input voltage as an output voltage, be in a second state that provides a ground voltage as the output voltage, or be in a third state that causes the output voltage to change from the input voltage to the ground voltage according to a slew rate. The third state enables the switching circuit to transition from the first state to the second state. The switching circuit is also configured to adjust the slew rate of the output voltage for the third state responsive to at least one of the following: a change in a magnitude of a direct-current supply voltage or a change in a magnitude of an input current.

Abstract: A power control device comprising: a step-down converter configured to step down DC power supplied from a DC power source; a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the step-down converter or a temperature correlated therewith; and a control device configured to control an operation of the step-down converter based on a target value for an output voltage of the step-down converter. The control device is configured to change the target value between at least two values in response to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

Abstract: A method for controlling a switched-mode power supply having a current limiting control for limiting output current of the switched-mode power supply to a predetermined maximum limiting current value, and having a current boost control for setting the predetermined maximum limiting current value to a predetermined overcurrent value for a predetermined boost time. The output current is passed through a measuring resistor and the measuring voltage, dropping across the measuring resistor, is compared with a first comparison voltage as a measured value proportional to the output current. The first comparison voltage is set to a nominal comparison voltage, correlating with the maximum current value, or to a boost comparison voltage, higher than the nominal comparison voltage and correlating with the higher overcurrent value and the comparison result serves as a control signal limiting the output current to the maximum current value or the overcurrent value.

Abstract: In some examples, an apparatus comprises: an amplifier having an amplifier output and first and second amplifier inputs, the first amplifier input coupled to a reference voltage terminal, and the second amplifier input coupled to a power input terminal; a ramp generation circuit having a reset input and a ramp output; a comparator having a comparator output and first and second comparator inputs, the first comparator input coupled to the amplifier output, and the second comparator input coupled to the ramp output; and a switching signal generation circuit having a circuit input and a circuit output, the circuit input coupled to the comparator output, and the circuit output coupled to a power control terminal.

Abstract: A driver includes a low-resistance charging path between a supply voltage rail and a first output node, a high-resistance charging path between the supply voltage rail and the first output node, an inverter coupled to the first output node and configured to enable and disable the low-resistance charging path, and a high-resistance discharging path between the first output node and a second output node. The first output node is coupled to a control terminal of a pass gate transistor in some implementations. The low-resistance charging path charges a voltage on the first output node to a threshold voltage of the pass gate transistor, and the high-resistance charging path charges the voltage on the first output node greater than the threshold voltage of the pass gate transistor. The high-resistance discharging path discharges the voltage on the first output node.

Abstract: A power converter includes a power converter circuit and a microcontroller that controls the power converter circuit. The microcontroller includes a power control unit and a processing unit. The power control unit adjusts the switching frequency of the power converter circuit based on thresholds of a resonant capacitor of the power converter circuit. The power control unit also generates event signals indicative of breaches of the thresholds by the resonant capacitor. When the processing unit receives an event signal from the power control unit indicative of a breach of one of the thresholds by the resonant capacitor, the processing unit determines whether the switching frequency falls outside a defined range based on the event signal. In response to determining that the switching frequency falls outside the defined range, the processing unit instructs the power control unit to clamp the switching frequency of the power converter circuit.

Abstract: A control circuit for a DC-DC converter has an over-current comparison circuit, an adaptive voltage position (AVP) control circuit and a switching control circuit. The over-current comparison circuit provides an over-current comparison signal by comparing an output current with a current limit value. The AVP control circuit provides a position signal based on a voltage identification code, an output voltage, an output current and the over-current comparison signal. The switching control circuit controls the DC-DC converter based on the position signal. When the output current is smaller than the current limit value, the output voltage varies along a first voltage position curve, and otherwise, the output voltage varies along a second voltage position curve.

Abstract: In an embodiment a control device includes a first input configured to receive a measurement signal representative of an output voltage of a switching circuit of a voltage regulator, a state determination block coupled to the first input and configured to generate a signal of actual operating condition of the voltage regulator and a driving signals generation module configured to generate at least one switching command signal for the switching circuit from an error signal representative of a difference between the output voltage and a nominal voltage, wherein the driving signals generation module includes an error-compensation circuit having a transfer function and configured to generate a control signal from the error signal and the actual operating condition signal, the control signal being a function of the actual operating condition.

Abstract: A converter includes first and second input terminals; an integrated circuit (IC) that is a non-resonant, step-down, and point-of-load IC, that is connected to the first and second input terminals, and that includes a feedback terminal and switch-output terminal; a voltage-sense circuit connected to the feedback terminal and the switch-output terminal; a transformer that includes a primary winding connected to the switch-output terminal; a capacitor connected in series with the primary winding; a rectifier connected to a secondary winding of the transformer; and first and second output terminals connected to the rectifier. The converter is operated in a resonate mode.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes high-side and low-side switching elements connected in series to form a switching arm, a high-side driver IC for driving the high-side switching element, and, on a chip separate from the high-side switching element, a low-side driver IC for driving the low-side switching element. The driver IC includes a first controller for monitoring a switching voltage appearing at the node where the high-side and low-side switching elements are connected together. When a first driving control signal fed in from outside the semiconductor device instructs to turn on the high-side switching element, the first controller determines whether or not to permit the high-side switching element to be turned on based on a result of checking the switching voltage.

Abstract: A programmable switch converter controller for a power stage with a switch, an inductor, and a diode, includes a pulse-width modulator. The pulse-width modulator is configured to: generate an on-time interval (Ton) that is fixed or proportional to a demand signal proportional to a load adapted to be coupled to an output of the power stage; generate an off-time interval (Toff) that is inversely proportional to the product of a voltage across the inductor while the switch is off and a demand signal proportional to the load; initiate Ton when Toff elapses; and initiate Ton responsive to an external trigger signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for wireless power transfer systems are described. A controller can be coupled to a power rectifier configured to rectify alternating current power into direct current power. The power rectifier can include a first high side transistor, a second high side transistor, a first low side transistor, and a second low side transistor. The controller can be configured to selectively switch on one or more of the first high side transistor, the second high side transistor, the first low side transistor, and the second low side transistor to operate a wireless power receiver under one of a full bridge rectifier mode and a voltage doubler mode.

Abstract: A method of measuring a load current provided to a load of a switching converter includes obtaining a first reference voltage defining a peak of an inductor current passing through an inductor of the switching converter, generating a pulse based on the first reference voltage and an on-time of at least one power switch of the switching converter, generating an output signal by filtering the pulse, and setting a second mode from a first mode when a value of the load current is less than a first threshold value based on the output signal. The generating of the pulse further includes generating the pulse having a width extended in proportion to the on-time in the second mode.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus includes: an amplifier to compare a reference voltage to a feedback voltage and to output a comparison signal based on the comparison; a first loop circuit coupled to the amplifier to receive the comparison signal and output a first feedback voltage for the amplifier to use as the feedback voltage in a first mode of operation; and a second loop circuit coupled to the amplifier. The second loop circuit may be configured to receive the comparison signal and output a second feedback voltage for the amplifier to use as the feedback voltage in a second mode of operation. The second feedback voltage may be greater than the first feedback voltage, and the second loop circuit may output a regulated voltage based on the comparison signal.

Abstract: A system has an input and an output. The system includes a voltage converter, including first transistor coupled to the input and to a first switching node, second transistor coupled to the first switching node and to ground, third transistor coupled to a second switching node and to the output, fourth transistor coupled to the second switching node and to ground, and an inductor having a first terminal coupled to the first switching node and a second terminal coupled to the second switching node. The system also includes a controller coupled to the voltage converter, the controller including a state machine and a plurality of drivers to control the transistors of the voltage converter. The state machine is adaptable to cause the second and fourth transistors to conduct and the first and third transistors not to conduct, in response to current through the inductor being less than a current threshold.