Abstract: A control circuit, applicable to a voltage regulator including a power switch. The control circuit includes a variable resistance generating unit and a detecting circuit. The variable resistance generating unit provides a variable resistor with resistance that varies over time. A reference current representing the current flowing through the power switch flows through the resistor to generate a first feedback voltage. The detecting circuit reduces the conduction of the power switch when the first feedback voltage is detected as being equal to or exceeding a predetermined voltage level.

Abstract: A single-stage switching power supply includes a transformer, a voltage level generation circuit, a first switching circuit, a second switching circuit, a rectifying and filtering circuit, a feedback circuit and a control circuit. The rectifying and filtering circuit is connected to the secondary winding assembly and the system circuit for generating an output voltage. The feedback circuit generates a feedback signal in response to the output voltage. In response to the feedback signal and an operating-status signal issued by the system circuit, the first and second switching circuits are alternately enabled under control of the control circuit such that electric energy of a first DC voltage is transmitted from the first primary winding assembly to the secondary winding assembly. The first switching circuit is disabled but the second switching circuit is enabled under control of the control circuit when the operating-status signal is at a standby operating status.

Abstract: Various techniques directed to the digital control of a switching regulator are disclosed. In one aspect, a power supply regulator includes a compare circuit to be coupled to receive a feedback signal representative of an output level of a power supply. This causes a feedback state signal to be generated having a first feedback state that represents an output level of the power supply that is above a threshold level and a second feedback state that represents an output level of the power supply that is below the threshold level. An adjustment circuit is coupled to the compare circuit to adjust the feedback state signal in response to at least one of adjusting the threshold level or adjusting the feedback signal. The adjustment to the feedback state signal tends to cause the feedback state signal to revert from a state at the time of adjustment to a state immediately preceding the adjustment.

Abstract: A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit. During each switching period of the switching circuit, the current for the slave is checked; namely, after the beginning of a low-side conduction period, and before the beginning of a high-side conduction period.

Abstract: A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes a master controller and one or more slaves, and the master controller and each slave can communicate using a ring communication scheme. A command generated by the master controller can be passed from the master controller to the subsequent slaves.

Abstract: An adapter connection structure, which includes a first converter and a second converter. The first converter is connected to at least one input terminal to receive an input power and converts the input power into a transitional power. The second converter is connected to the first converter via a transit cable to transmit the transitional power, converts the transitional power into a DC output power and outputs the DC output power via a DC power cable. As the transitional power transmitted from the first converter to the second converter is in the form of a high-voltage and high-frequency AC power or a high-voltage DC power, the power transmission loss in the transit cable is reduced. Therefore, the present invention reduces transmission loss.

Abstract: A method for optimizing operation of a feedback system may include generating a control signal according to a control parameter, regulating an output of the feedback system via the control signal, and monitoring the control parameter. In response to the monitoring indicating that the present value of the control parameter is outside a specific range of values, a first parameter that impacts an operating characteristic of the feedback system may be adjusted until the present value of the control parameter is within the specific range of values. The specific range of values of the control parameter may correspond to a target level of the operating characteristic of the feedback system with respect to the first parameter.

Abstract: A power control system (25) uses two separate currents to control a startup operation of the power control system (25). The two currents are shunted to ground to inhibit operation of the power control system (25) and one of the two currents is disabled to minimize power dissipation. The two independently controlled currents are generated by a multiple output current high voltage device (12) responsively to two separate control signals (23,24).

Abstract: An inductive power transfer system includes a base unit comprising a first inductive element for providing input power to a second inductive element of a target unit providing output power, a positioning structure provided on at least one of the base unit and the target unit for removably positioning the second inductive element at a predetermined orientation and distance relative to the first inductive element, a switch element configured for selectively applying a time varying electric current to the first inductive element to produce a time varying magnetic field for inducing an electric current in the second inductive element, and a control circuit for monitoring one parameter indicative of an efficiency of power transfer and automatically selectively adjusting at least one characteristic of the time varying electric current responsive to the parameter to maximize an efficiency of power transfer from the base unit to the target unit.

Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed for providing an optimized feedback loop compensation for a buck/boost switching converter circuit. The buck/boost switching converter circuit may be operating in either a continuous conduction mode boost mode, or a continuous conduction mode buck mode, or a discontinuous conduction mode. A compensation circuit is provided that includes an error amplifier circuit that includes at least one compensation capacitor that provides an additional capacitance that adjusts a location of at least one dominant pole and at least one compensation zero of the buck/boost switching converter circuit to provide optimized feedback loop compensation.

Abstract: A power factor correction (PFC) controller and method uses a finite state machine to adjust the duty cycle of a pulse width modulation (PWM) switching control signal. The PFC controller has a target current generator that receives the link output voltage and generates a target current proportionate to the rectified line input voltage. The PFC controller further includes a comparator which outputs a two-level current comparison result signal. The finite state machine responsive to the two-level current comparison result signal, generates a switch control signal that has a duty cycle which is adjusted for controlling the switch so that the sensed current is approximately proportionate to the rectified line input voltage, such that power factor correction is performed.

Abstract: Electronic leakage reduction techniques are provided, whereby an electrical outlet with a programmable computing unit is programmed to detect the current, resistance, power or pattern of current, resistance or power of an attached appliance in the on position and/or off position. Among other aspects, the electrical outlet with a programmable computing unit delivers a selected voltage below the original operational voltage and/or delivers voltage at particular durations for particular intervals to the appliance in the off position and compares detected current, resistance, power or pattern of current, resistance or power to programmed levels associated with the appliance in the on position and/or off position. If any or some of those characteristics match those programmed associated with the appliance in the on position, or fail to match those programmed associated with the off position by a set confidence interval, original operational voltage is provided to the appliance.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a power supply system for reducing reverse current, the system comprising a primary side circuit, for receiving alternating current; a transformer circuit, for transforming voltage; a secondary side rectifier circuit, for rectifying voltage; a secondary side filter circuit, for filtering voltage and providing direct current to a device; a first voltage division circuit, for providing a first voltage division signal; a switch circuit, for deciding the conducting condition based on the first voltage division signal and a reference voltage signal; a second voltage division circuit, for providing a second voltage division signal; and a control circuit, for deciding the charging condition based on the second voltage division signal; wherein the second voltage division circuit comprising a rectifier component and a filter component, for rectifying and filtering the source of the second voltage division signal.

Abstract: A method for operating a power controller is provided. The method includes activating a rectifying FET upon a detection of an activation body diode conduction current occurring in the rectifying FET. The method generates an activation signal for a corresponding primary FET. The method further includes deactivating the corresponding rectifying FET upon a reception of a deactivation signal. The method further includes then deactivating the corresponding primary FET after delaying the deactivation signal, wherein the delay lessens a conduction time of a deactivation body current of the corresponding rectifying FET. The method further includes generating a deactivation signal and deactivating the corresponding rectifying FET upon a reception of the deactivation signal and deactivating the primary FET after delaying the deactivation signal. The delaying lessens a conduction time of a deactivation body current of the corresponding rectifying FET.

Abstract: A power supply device has an input for an AC input voltage or for a DC input voltage and an output for a load-dependent DC output voltage electrically isolated therefrom. A step-up converter is connected to the input side, a charging coil, a first switching element, a freewheeling diode, a charging capacitor and means for regulating the voltage of a converter DC input voltage are provided on the output side at the step-up converter unit by a pulse-width-modulated activation of the first switching element. The power supply device has a switched-mode DC/DC converter connected to the step-up converter unit, a second switching element with a transformer for electrical isolation, and means for closed-loop controlled predefined, load-dependent voltage reduction of the DC output voltage by pulse-width-modulated activation. The second switching element is controlled by a constant converter pulse duty factor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for converting Direct Current (DC) to Alternating Current (AC). The method comprises performing system analysis on at least one of a DC current, DC voltage, or an AC voltage; utilizing the system analysis for selecting at least one conversion parameter; and converting DC to AC utilizing the at least one conversion parameter.

Abstract: A synchronous regulator includes a controller coupled to receive a reference signal and a feedback signal from the regulator operable to provide a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal at its output. The regulator includes at least one gate driver coupled to receive the PWM signal, and a synchronous output switch having a phase node there between controlled by the gate driver, and regulator input current measurement circuitry. The regulator input current measurement circuitry comprises a circuit operable for providing a signal representative of at least one phase node timing parameter, a sensing circuit operable for sensing inductor or output current provided by the regulator, and a calculation circuit coupled to receive the signal representative of the phase node timing parameters and the inductor or output current and is operable to determine the input current.

Abstract: Conduction loss in the body-diode of a low side MOSFET of a power switching stage of one phase of a coupled-inductor, multi-phase DC-DC converter circuit, associated with current flow in the output inductor of that one phase that is induced by current flow in a mutually coupled output inductor of another phase, during normal switching of that other stage, is effectively prevented by applying auxiliary MOSFET turn-on signals, that coincide with the duration of the induced current, to that low side MOSFET, so that the induced current will flow through the turned-on low side MOSFET itself, thereby by-passing its body-diode.

Abstract: A digital core embodied within a semiconductor die that requires plural separate power supply voltage domains is situated within any of a variety of integrated circuit packaging technologies. Within the integrated circuit package including this semiconductor die also exists a switch mode DC-to-DC voltage converter, preferably a synchronous step-down regulator powering the entire integrated circuit from one supply voltage. The components contained within the integrated circuit package along with the semiconductor die include the switch mode power supply's power switching transistors, inductor core and windings, digital open-loop output voltage fixing circuitry, output capacitors and substrate for mounting said components when integrated within a packaging technology that does not already include a substrate.

Abstract: A transformer is provided along with a combination of bridging tap-changers to provide a wide range of selectable output voltages in discrete, relatively small voltage steps where the highest voltage is more than double the lowest output voltage. Relatively inexpensive, off-the-shelf, bridging tap-changers are utilized in conjunction with transformer winding schemes to provide a low winding loss ratio.