Abstract: Circuits comprising at least one energy storage device, a resistor and switch arranged in series with the resistor are described. The energy storage device is arranged in parallel with the series connection of the switch and the resistor, and the switch is arranged to selectively switch the resistor into a parallel connection to the energy storage device. In some examples, the switch comprises a series connection of semiconductor switching elements. In some examples, the circuit may comprise a sub-module for use in a multilevel modular converter.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a DC-DC converter having input voltage feedforward for reducing the effects of input voltage signal transients. In embodiments, a feedback circuit receives an output voltage and generates a feedback signal and a modulation circuit receives the feedback signal and generates a control signal for a switching element configured to generate the output voltage, which is boosted from an input voltage. A feedforward module combines the input voltage and current information for an inductive energy storage element, which forms a boost circuit for generating the output voltage, and provides a feedforward signal to the modulation circuit. The modulation circuit can generate the control signal from a ramp signal and the feedforward signal.

Abstract: A control circuit for a switching regulator can include: an ON signal generator that generates an ON signal; an OFF signal generator that generates a first control signal according to an input voltage and an output voltage of the switching regulator; an on time regulator that generates an adjustment signal according to a switching signal and the first control signal; and a logic circuit configured to generate an off signal according to the first control signal, and to generate the switching signal according to the ON signal and the OFF signal, where the on time of the first switch is regulated according to the off time of the first switch when the off time of the first switch is less than the reference time, in order to regulate a duty cycle of the switching signal.

Abstract: A digital linear voltage regulator includes a power stage (208), arranged in a hierarchical grouping of power stage units. The power stage (208) is configured to deliver power to a load (212). The digital linear voltage regulator further includes a mixed-signal controller (206), configured to control each power stage unit in the power stage (208) by conditionally adjust a number of active power stage units in the power stage (208) based on a comparison of a feedback voltage of the load (212) and a reference voltage; wherein the hierarchical grouping of power stage units comprises N levels; wherein the power stage (208) comprises a number of MN Nth level units, and an Nth level unit comprising a number of MN?1 (N?1)th level units; and wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to 3, and MN and MN?1 are integers greater than or equal to 1.

Abstract: Provided are an electronic circuit, a linear regulating circuit, and a DC-DC converting circuit. An embodiment of the inventive concept includes a linear regulating circuit unit for generating, by comparing output voltages and corresponding reference voltages, a transient signal indicating that at least one of the output voltages is in a transient state, or a steady signal indicating that each of the output voltages is in a steady state, and for controlling the output voltages on the basis of the steady signal and the transient signal, an energy storing unit for storing energy used to generate the output voltages, a ground switch unit for controlling connection between the energy storing unit and a ground terminal, an input switch unit for controlling connection between at least one input terminal and the energy storing unit, and an output switch unit for controlling connection between output loads and the energy storing unit.

Abstract: A method and synchronous rectifier controller uses minimum off and on time blanking to avoid switching the switching transistor at incorrect times responsive to transients in the current sense signal. The minimum off time timer is commenced only when the current sense signal is above a reset threshold, and is reset when the current sense voltage falls below the reset threshold. Resetting the minimum off time timer in this manner avoids false starts of the minimum off time timer due to transients and allows the SRC to properly synchronize with the conduction and blocking phases of rectifier operation.

Abstract: System controller and method for regulating a power converter. For example, the system controller includes a first controller terminal and a second controller terminal. The system controller is configured to: receive, at the first controller terminal, an input signal; generate a drive signal based at least in part on the input signal, the drive signal being associated with an on-time period and an off-time period, the on-time period including a first beginning and a first end; and output, at the second controller terminal, the drive signal to a switch to close the switch during the on-time period and open the switch during the off-time period to affect a current associated with a secondary winding of the power converter. The system controller is further configured to detect a demagnetization period associated with the secondary winding based at least in part on the input signal.

Abstract: A method includes comparing, by a voltage-second (VS) controller, a first duty cycle used to control a first switch at a primary side of a power transformer of a DC-to-DC converter with a threshold. The method further includes if a value of the first duty cycle is less than the threshold, controlling, by the VS controller, a second duty cycle used to control a second switch at a secondary side of the power transformer, and maintaining a voltage level at an output voltage node at a non-zero value, and if the value of the first duty cycle is greater than the threshold, controlling, by an output voltage loop, the second duty cycle based on the first duty cycle, and monotonically increasing the voltage level the at the output voltage node from the non-zero value to a predetermined value.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture for negative output voltage active clamping using a floating bandgap reference and temperature compensation are disclosed. An example load switch includes a floating bandgap reference circuit to generate a bandgap reference voltage. A resistor divider is to generate a resistor divider voltage. A temperature compensator to apply a temperature compensation current to the resistor divider to create a temperature compensated resistor divider voltage. A power transistor is to be enabled when the temperature compensated resistor divider voltage is less than the bandgap reference voltage. The example load switch can work under negative output voltage clamping and get better accuracy drain to source clamped voltage of power transistor for inductive load condition.

Abstract: An apparatus may include an input circuit to receive an AC input voltage having a first magnitude within a range of AC input voltages, and generate a first DC voltage; a boost converter to receive the first DC voltage and output a second DC voltage having a fixed magnitude that is not dependent upon the first magnitude of the AC input voltage; an output circuit to receive the second DC voltage and convert the second DC voltage into welding type power; a control DC-DC converter to receive the first DC voltage and output a control power signal as a third DC voltage; a boost converter control component to receive the control power signal and generate a control signal to control operation of the boost converter; and an auxiliary AC power source to receive the second DC voltage output by the boost converter and to generate an AC auxiliary output voltage.

Abstract: A Hamiltonian surface shaping power flow control (HSSPFC) method is used to analyze the meta-stability and adjust pulsed power loads on a DC electric power distribution network. Pulsed power loads are nonlinear, time-variant systems that cause nonlinear limit-cycles. During the on periods of a pulsed load, the system can be in an unstable state and is damped back to stability during the off state of the load. Therefore, over the entire period of the pulse the system may only be assessed as meta-stable. As shown through simulation, HIL and hardware results, the HSSPFC method is more accurate than the other small-signal approaches, such as Eigenvalues, Nyquist, and Floquet theory, and can reveal important details about the transient responses and performance.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a photovoltaic inverter that prevents degradation in the efficiency of photovoltaic generation by applying a reverse voltage of a DC voltage stored in a DC link capacitor to a solar cell array. The photovoltaic inverter includes: a DC link capacitor configured to store a DC voltage output from the solar cell array; a power conversion stage configured to generate an AC power by using the DC voltage stored in the DC link capacitor to transmit the generated AC power to a power system; and a controller configured to apply the DC voltage stored in the DC link capacitor to the power conversion stage or apply a reverse voltage of the DC voltage stored in the DC link capacitor to the solar cell array depending on whether a driving value of the solar cell array satisfies a predetermined driving condition.

Abstract: A controller for a power converter formed with a plurality of converter stages, and method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the controller includes a power system controller configured to determine an unequal current allocation among the plurality of converter stages based on an operation of the power converter. The controller also includes a converter stage controller configured to control an output current produced by each of the plurality of converter stages in response to the current allocation.

Abstract: A semiconductor device reducing parasitic loop inductance of system for the switching converter. The semiconductor device has an input voltage pin, a ground reference pin, a switching pin, and a semiconductor die, wherein the semiconductor die comprises a high-side power switch and a low-side power switch and a metal connection. The metal connection directly connects the high-side power switch and the first terminal of the low-side power switch, and is along and proximity to an edge of the semiconductor device to which the input voltage pin is distributed.

Abstract: A five-level inverter and its application circuit are provided. The five-level inverter is enabled to output multiple levels of voltage by controlling different conduction combinations of first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth switch transistors, as well as a clamping capacitor. Two conduction combinations may be selected for outputting a positive voltage, with currents flowing through the clamping capacitor in opposite directions in the two conduction combinations. Therefore the voltage of the clamping capacitor can be balanced by controlling the two conduction combinations. Similarly, when outputting a negative voltage, the voltage of the clamping capacitor can be balanced by controlling other two conduction combinations. Therefore, a balance of power capacitor voltage can be achieved at full power and full modulation without adding an extra hardware circuit.

Abstract: In a driving device for changing a semiconductor switching element, having an on-off control terminal, between an on state and an off state according to a power supply voltage input thereto, a constant-current driver generates a constant current based on the power supply voltage. The constant-current driver performs one of charging and discharging of the on-off control terminal of the semiconductor switching element based on the generated constant current so as to change the semiconductor switching element from one of the on state and off state to the other thereof. A rate varying unit adjusts, based on correlation information between the power supply voltage and the constant current, a value of the constant current so as to vary a rate of changing the semiconductor switching element from one of the on state and the off state to the other thereof.

Abstract: An inverter, a method and a device for controlling the inverter are provided, to improve efficiency of the inverter. The inverter includes a three-level active clamped topology including a first and second bus capacitors and an inverter circuit, the inverter circuit includes a first switch transistor to a sixth switch transistor. The inverter further includes a seventh switch transistor and an eighth switch transistor; the seventh switch transistor and the eighth switch transistor are connected in series between the positive direct current bus and the negative direct current bus in a same direction, and a serial point of the seventh switch transistor and the eighth switch transistor is connected to a serial point of the second switch transistor and the third switch transistor; and the seventh switch transistor and the eighth switch transistor are anti-parallel connected to corresponding diodes respectively.

Abstract: A synchronous rectifying controller on secondary side of insulating synchronous rectifying converter to control synchronous rectifying transistor, comprising: first comparator to compare drain voltage of the transistor with first negative threshold voltage, and assert set signal based on the comparison of them; second comparator to compare drain voltage with second negative threshold voltage, and assert reset signal based on the comparison of them; third comparator to compare drain voltage with third positive threshold voltage, and assert release signal based on the comparison of them; control circuit set in response to the assertion of the set signal and to adjust control pulse to have ON level, and reset in response to the assertion of the reset signal and to adjust the control pulse to have OFF level; and driver to drive the transistor, wherein set operation of the control circuit is inhibited until the release signal is asserted.

Abstract: A current detection apparatus is provided which detects a current flowing through a detection part in an electrical circuit. The current detection apparatus includes a first coil connected in series with the detection part, a second coil magnetically coupled with the first coil, a full-wave rectifier circuit connected to both ends of the second coil, a switching element having a first end connected to a positive electrode side output part of the full-wave rectifier circuit and a second end connected to a first resistor, and a second resistor that forms a closed circuit with the second coil regardless of an open or closed state of the switching element.

Abstract: In a multilevel converter, three circuit breakers are respectively connected between three arms and three reactors. One circuit breaker is a DC circuit breaker configured to interrupt direct current when a short circuit accident occurs between two DC power transmission lines. Each of the two circuit breakers is an AC circuit breaker configured to interrupt alternating current when the short circuit accident occurs. When the short circuit accident occurs, the two AC circuit breakers are brought into the non-conductive state and then the DC circuit breaker is brought into the non-conductive state, thereby interrupting the short circuit current.