Patents Examined by Alex Torres-Rivera
  • Patent number: 11621625
    Abstract: A burst-mode controller for a DC-DC converter includes an output module configured to provide a switch control signal to the DC-DC converter. The switch control signal includes a plurality of burst windows, each burst window corresponding to a period of a fixed-frequency burst clock and having a number of switching cycles. The burst-mode controller includes an on-time-control-module configured to receive a compensation signal based on the output voltage of the DC-DC converter, and set an on-time of the switching cycles of the switch control signal based on the compensation signal. The burst-mode controller also includes a burst-control-module configured to regulate the on-time of the switching cycles of the switch control signal by setting the number of switching cycles for each burst window of the switch control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Ravichandra Karadi, Matthias Rose, Hendrik Johannes Bergveld, Marcel Dijkstra
  • Patent number: 11621636
    Abstract: A control circuit for controlling a switching converter having a low quiescent current. The control circuit has an error amplifying circuit, an on time generator, a first comparing circuit and a second comparing circuit. When the switching converter operates in a light load operation mode, the error amplifying circuit and the on time generator are deactivated. Meanwhile, the first comparing circuit compares a current sensing signal indicative of inductor current with a current reference signal to provide an off time control signal during an on state of a low side switch to determine an on moment of a high side switch. The second comparing circuit compares the voltage feedback signal with a voltage reference signal to provide an on time control signal to determine an off moment of the high side switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Lei Li
  • Patent number: 11621649
    Abstract: A phase sequence adjustment system includes a power conversion circuit and a control circuit. The power conversion circuit is connected to a main power supply with a phase sequence. The control circuit respectively provides a first and a second excitation signals to the power conversion circuit, so as to short the power conversion circuit with the main power supply twice. The control circuit includes a current detection circuit and a control unit. The current detection circuit obtains two current signals respectively during two short-circuit operations. The control unit calculates two current phase angles respectively according to these two current signals and determines whether the phase sequence is positive or negative accordingly. The control unit selects one from the two current phase angles, calculates a voltage phase angle of the main power and a phase angle difference there-between to adjust a feedback phase sequence accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Lin-Yu Lu, Ming-Tsung Chen
  • Patent number: 11616431
    Abstract: A control circuit of a power converter includes a sensing circuit, a ramp signal generation circuit and a PWM circuit. The sensing circuit, coupled to an output circuit, provides a current sensing signal. The ramp signal generation circuit includes a transient circuit and a signal generation circuit. The transient circuit receives the current sensing signal and generates a variable reference voltage. The signal generation circuit provides a ramp signal according to the variable reference voltage. The PWM circuit provides a PWM signal to the output circuit according to the ramp signal. When current sourcing occurs, it continues for a first default time. A transient state during current sourcing continues for a second default time less than first default time. The variable reference voltage is changed from a default value to an adjusted value during the second default time and restored to the default value after the second default time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: UPI SEMICONDUCTOR CORP.
    Inventors: Chih-Lien Chang, Wei-Hsiu Hung, Chun-Ming Lu, Min-Rui Lai
  • Patent number: 11611274
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to start converter into a pre-biased voltage. The disclosed methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture provide an apparatus comprising: an error amplifier including a feedback network and a differential difference amplifier (DDA), the DDA coupled to a power converter, a voltage generator, and the feedback network coupled to the third input of the DDA, the fourth input of the DDA, and the output of the DDA; a multiplexer coupled to the voltage generator, the second input of the DDA, and the first input of the DDA; a first switch coupled in parallel to the feedback network; a second switch coupled to a delay cell and an oscillator; and a trigger including an output, the trigger coupled to the voltage generator, the power converter, and the output of the trigger coupled to the multiplexer, first switch, and the second switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Stefan Wlodzimierz Wiktor, Brian Thomas Lynch
  • Patent number: 11606033
    Abstract: The switching power supply device includes first and second switches connected in series between an application end of an input voltage and an application end of a low voltage lower than the input voltage, and third and fourth switches connected in series between an application end of the input voltage and an application end of the low voltage, and a control unit configured to control the on/off state of each of the first to fourth switches. The first to fourth switches are configured such that an inductor is provided between a first connection node connecting the first switch and the second switch and a second connection node connecting the third switch and the fourth switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shingo Hashiguchi, Isao Takobe, Keita Itohara, Akihiro Kawano, Hironori Sumitomo
  • Patent number: 11606018
    Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to dynamic bandwidth control of a variable frequency modulation circuit by selective contribution of a crossover frequency tuning engine (XFTE) in response to a transient in a switching frequency. In an illustrative example, the XFTE may generate a transient control signal (Ctrans) in response to a transient in a control output signal trans, (Cout) indicative of switching frequency and received from a feedback control circuit. The XFTE may generate Ctrans, for example, according to a predetermined relationship between a crossover frequency and the switching frequency of the modulation circuit. The feedback control circuit may, for example, generate Cout from a predetermined reference and a control input signal. Cout may, for example, correspond to a pulse-width modulated output delivered to a load through an inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Alpha and Omega Semiconductor International LP
    Inventor: Chris M. Young
  • Patent number: 11606020
    Abstract: A system includes a first device and N number of second devices. The first device generates, based on a DC input signal, a first DC output voltage and a first enabling signal, enabled by which, a first one of the second devices generates a second DC output voltage and a second enabling signal based on the DC input signal. In a similar manner, an ith one of the second devices is enabled by an (i?1)th one of the second devices to generate an (i+1)th DC output voltage and an (i+1)th enabling signal based on the DC input signal. A starting time point of a logic-high level portion of each enabling signal is later than a peak time point corresponding to a peak voltage of the corresponding DC output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Top Victory Investments Limited
    Inventor: Li-Wei Lin
  • Patent number: 11601053
    Abstract: An integrated circuit. The integrated circuit comprises a timebase generator and a switch mode direct current-to-direct current (DC-to-DC) converter coupled to the timebase generator. The timebase generator comprises a linear feedback shift register (LFSR) having an output and a logic circuit comprising a first logic inverter, a first AND logic gate, and a first multiplexer, wherein the first logic inverter has an input coupled to a most significant bit of the output of the LFSR, wherein the first AND logic gate has a first input coupled to a second most significant bit of the output of the LFSR and a second input coupled to an output of the first logic inverter, wherein a selector input of the first multiplexer is coupled to an output of the first AND logic gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Joerg Erik Goller
  • Patent number: 11601049
    Abstract: A multi-phase hybrid DC-DC converter using a switched-capacitor technique is described. The multi-phase hybrid converter can reduce the volt-seconds on the inductors of the converter, which can allow for a reduction in the size of the inductors. In addition, the multi-phase hybrid converter can utilize inductors as current sources to charge and discharge the flying capacitors, which can reduce the size of the mid capacitor and increase solution density. Because charging and discharging are performed by inductors, the multi-phase hybrid converter can eliminate the capacitor-to-capacitor charge transfer. As such, the multi-phase hybrid converter does not need high capacitance to achieve high efficiency operation, which can further increase solution density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Owen Jong, Ya Liu, Yingyi Yan, Jindong Zhang
  • Patent number: 11594948
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a resonant LLC power converter unit to provide a plurality of power outputs. The power converter unit includes multiple transformers arranged such that at least one primary winding of each transformer is connected in parallel and configured to provide a power output to a secondary that powers one of the plurality of outputs. One of these transformers, or a parallel choke across an output bus, can be used to provide lower power to the output bus during a standby state (i.e., during a light- or no-load condition). The power converter unit includes a first switching section for providing a first power input during normal operation and a second switching section for providing a second power input during no- or light-load conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Excelsys Tecnologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Richard Morrison, Andrejs Gasilovs, Phelim Seamus Bradley
  • Patent number: 11594966
    Abstract: A converter circuit includes a half-bridge power circuit with a first and a second switch between an input node and a current node and between the current node ground, respectively. An inductor is coupled between the current node and an output node. Logic control circuitry is configured to switch the first and second switches to a current recirculation state and to a current charge state. The logic circuitry is configured to switch the switches from the current recirculation state to the current charge state as a result of a voltage indicator signal from an output voltage comparator being asserted while starting an on-time counter signal having an expiration value, and from the current charge state to the current recirculation state as a result of the on-time counter signal having reached its expiration value in combination with the voltage indicator signal from the voltage comparator being de-asserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Adalberto Mariani
  • Patent number: 11588388
    Abstract: A control device of a power supply system includes a processor configured to set a sampling period, at which measurement values of a reactor current flowing through a reactor of a DC-DC converter and measured by an ammeter are sampled, so as to minimize a sum of differences between the length of a first period in a switching cycle of a switching element of the DC-DC converter and an integer multiple of the sampling period and between the length of a second period in the switching cycle and an integer multiple of the sampling period, the reactor current increasing during the first period and decreasing during the second period; sample, at intervals of the sampling period, measurement values of the reactor current measured by the ammeter; and average measurement values sampled in the switching cycle, thereby measuring an average of the reactor current in the switching cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daiki Yaginuma, Masato Nonaka, Keidai Minami, Masaharu Kimura, Tomohiko Kaneko
  • Patent number: 11588404
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a semiconductor device and a step-down multi-phase DC/DC converter. A DC/DC converter having higher load response performance and efficiency is provided. The step-down multi-phase DC/DC converter includes multiple output-stage circuits, which generate multiple switch voltages in rectangular waves by means of switching an input voltage, and an output voltage is obtained by means of rectifying and smoothing the multiple switch voltages. An error voltage is generated on the basis of a feedback voltage corresponding to the output voltage and a reference voltage, multiple feedback pulsating voltages variant with the multiple switch voltages are generated on the basis of the feedback voltage, and an on timing sequence including multiple on timings is generated according to the generated voltages. The multiple output circuits are switch-driven sequentially according to the on timing sequence, so as to set phase differences for the switch-driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Osamu Yanagida
  • Patent number: 11581796
    Abstract: Pulse width modulation (PWM) controllers for hybrid converters are provided herein. In certain embodiments, a PWM controller for a hybrid converter includes a threshold generation circuit for generating a threshold signal based on an output voltage of the hybrid converter, a threshold adjustment circuit for generating an adjusted threshold signal based on sensing a voltage of a flying capacitor of the hybrid converter, and a comparator that generates a comparison signal based on comparing the adjusted threshold signal to an indication of an inductor current of the hybrid converter. The output of the comparator is used for generating PWM control signals used for turning on and off the switches (for instance, power transistors) of the hybrid converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Yingyi Yan, San Hwa Chee
  • Patent number: 11575306
    Abstract: A method for increasing performance of a voltage-buck switched-mode voltage regulator includes generating a first pulse-width modulation signal based on a clock signal, decreasing a frequency of the clock signal to form a modified clock signal, passing the modified clock signal to a digital modulation circuit as a regulated clock signal; and generating a second pulse-width modulation signal based on the regulated clock signal using the digital modulation circuit. The first pulse-width modulation signal includes a period T1 and an off duration D2 corresponding to a first duty cycle. The off duration D2 is an intrinsic pulse-width modulation signal generation latency. The second pulse-width modulation signal includes a period T2 and the off duration D2. The decreased frequency of the modified clock signal causes T2 to be greater than T1 such that a second duty cycle of the second pulse-width modulation signal is increased relative to the first duty cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (GRENOBLE 2) SAS
    Inventors: David Chesneau, Francois Amiard, Helene Esch
  • Patent number: 11575329
    Abstract: A switching circuit for a current source inverter includes a first inverter leg, a second inverter leg, and a controller. The first inverter leg includes a first reverse-voltage-blocking (RB) switch, a second RB switch, and a third RB switch that are connected in series between a first bus line and a second bus line. The second inverter leg includes a fourth RB switch, a fifth RB switch, and a sixth RB switch are connected in series between the first bus line and the second bus line. The controller is configured to control a switch between an on-state and an off-state for each RB switch. When in the on-state, a reverse voltage is blocked by a respective RB switch, and a current with a positive polarity is conducted through the respective RB switch. When in the off-state, a voltage and the current are blocked by the respective RB switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Thomas Merlin Jahns, Hang Dai, Bulent Sarlioglu, Renato Amorim Torres
  • Patent number: 11575304
    Abstract: A power stage in a multi-phase switching power supply incorporates a current sense circuit coupled to the output voltage disconnect transistor to conduct a portion of an inductor current flowing in the output inductor of the power stage. The current sense circuit is controlled by the same control signal controlling the output voltage disconnect transistor. The portion of the inductor current being conducted by the current sense circuit includes an upslope current and a downslope current of the inductor current. A phase redundant controller generates a sense current signal indicative of the portion of the inductor current conducted by the current sense circuit. Accurate current sensing is implemented for the power stage where the current sense value dose not require temperature compensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Alpha and Omega Semiconductor International LP
    Inventor: Prabal Upadhyaya
  • Patent number: 11575324
    Abstract: A control circuit for a boost converter can include: a comparison circuit configured to compare an input voltage of the boost converter against an output voltage of the boost converter, and to generate first and second control signals; an option circuit configured to provide a third control signal generated by a drive circuit of the boost converter to a control terminal of a synchronous power transistor of the boost converter, in accordance with the first and second control signals, when the output voltage is greater than the input voltage; and the option circuit being configured to provide a DC voltage to the control terminal of the synchronous power transistor, in accordance with the first and second control signals, in order to provide a current path for an inductor current of the boost converter through the synchronous power transistor, when the output voltage is not greater than the input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventor: Liangwei Sun
  • Patent number: 11569744
    Abstract: A converter stage having a control pin, an input voltage pin, an output pin, a ground pin, a high-side switch coupled between the input voltage pin and the output pin, a low-side switch coupled between the output pin and the ground pin, a current sensor configured to detect a current at the output pin, and control logic coupled to the control pin and the current sensor. The control logic is configured to control switching of the high-side and the low-side switches in continuous conduction mode, discontinuous conduction mode, and body braking control for the converter stage in response to a first signal received via the control line and a second signal received from the current sensor. A driver controls switching, based on the detected current and sequential event tracking, between an on state and an off state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Scott Edward Ragona, Rengang Chen, Preetam Charan Anand Tadeparthy, Evan Michael Reutzel