Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of controlling current through a transistor includes measuring a voltage across the transistor, measuring a current through the transistor, determining a safe operating current for the measured voltage across the transistor, and adjusting a voltage of a control node of the transistor using a feedback controller until the measured current through the transistor is not greater than the determined safe operating current.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a periodic voltage by a power converter comprising a plurality of converter cells and, in a series of time frames of equal duration, alternating an average power level of power converted by at least one converter cell of the plurality of converter cells. Each of the series of time frames corresponds to a time period between sequential zero crossings of the periodic voltage.

Abstract: A power circuit is described that includes a semiconductor body having a common substrate and a Gallium Nitride (GaN) based substrate. The GaN based substrate includes one or more GaN devices adjacent to a front side of the common substrate. The common substrate is electrically coupled to a node of the power circuit. The node of the power circuit is at a particular potential that is equal to, or more negative than, a potential at one or more load terminals of the one or more GaN devices.

Abstract: A system is described that includes a half-bridge, a first driver, a second driver, and a controller unit. The half-bridge includes a first switch coupled to a second switch at a switching node. The first driver is configured to drive the first switch and the second driver is configured to drive the second switch. The controller unit is configured to determine whether a hard commutation event is likely to occur at the half-bridge during a future switching cycle, and responsive to determining that the hard commutation event is likely to occur during the future switching cycle, control the first driver and the second driver to activate at least one hard commutation countermeasure.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method of controlling a switch driver includes energizing a first inductor in a first direction with a first energy; transferring the first energy from the first inductor to a second inductor, wherein the second inductor is coupled between a second switch-driving terminal of the switch driver and a second internal node, and the second inductor is magnetically coupled to the first inductor; asserting a first turn-on signal at the second switch-driving terminal using the transferred first energy; energizing the first inductor in a second direction opposite the first direction with a second energy after asserting the first turn-on signal at the second switch-driving terminal; transferring the second energy from the first inductor to the second inductor; and asserting a first turn-off signal at the second switch-driving terminal using the transferred second energy.

Abstract: A power converter circuit includes a chopper circuit configured to receive an input voltage and generate a chopper voltage with an alternating voltage level based on the input voltage, an autotransformer including at least one tap, the autotransformer being coupled to the chopper circuit and configured to generate a tap voltage at the at least one tap, and a selector circuit configured to receive a plurality of voltage levels. At least one of these the voltage levels is based on the at least one tap voltage. The selector circuit is further configured to generate a selector output voltage based on the plurality of voltage levels such that the selector circuit selects two of the plurality of voltage levels and switches at a switching frequency between the two voltage levels.

Abstract: A power converter circuit includes a transformer. The transformer includes a primary winding and a secondary winding. The power converter circuit uses energy conveyed from the primary winding of the transformer through the secondary winding of the transformer to produce an output voltage to power a load. Control circuitry of the power converter circuit initiates conveying a portion of the received energy through the secondary winding back through the primary winding to control a magnitude of the output voltage. For example, if the magnitude of the output voltage is above a desired setpoint value, such as due to a transient load condition or change in the setpoint of the output voltage, the control circuitry reduces the magnitude of the output voltage by conveying excess energy from an output capacitor (that stores the output voltage) through the secondary winding to the primary winding.

Abstract: A method includes converting power by a power converter comprising a plurality of converter cells and at least one filter cell, receiving a cell input power at a cell input and providing a cell output power at a cell output of at least one of the plurality of converter cells, and operating the filter cell in one of an input power mod, in which the filter cell receives an input power, and an output power mode, in which the filter cell provides an output power.

Abstract: A power circuit is described that includes a transformer arranged to store energy. The power circuit further includes a parallel switch device arranged in parallel to a secondary side winding of the transformer, an output port coupled to a device and the secondary side winding of the transformer, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to receive, from the device, information indicative of a required voltage associated with the device, and control, based on the information, the parallel switch device to generate, based on an amount of energy stored at the transformer, the required voltage as an output voltage at the output port.

Abstract: A power converter circuit includes an input and an output. A supply circuit is configured to receive an input signal from the input and to generate a number of supply signals from the input signal. A number of converter units are provided. Each of the plurality of converter units is configured to receive one of the plurality of supply signals and to output an output signal to the output.

Abstract: A system is described that includes a half-bridge, a first driver, a second driver, and a controller unit. The half-bridge includes a first switch coupled to a second switch at a switching node. The first driver is configured to drive the first switch and the second driver is configured to drive the second switch. The controller unit is configured to determine whether a hard commutation event is likely to occur at the half-bridge during a future switching cycle, and responsive to determining that the hard commutation event is likely to occur during the future switching cycle, control the first driver and the second driver to activate at least one hard commutation countermeasure.

Abstract: A driver of a power switch is described that is used to supply power to a load for at least a switching cycle of the power switch. The driver includes at least one output that contains a high-ohmic output and a low-ohmic output. The high-ohmic output is enabled during at least one portion of a first phase of the switching cycle when the power switch is switched-off. The low-ohmic output is enabled during a second phase of the switching cycle when the power switch is switched-on and during any remaining portion of the first phase other than the at least one portion of the first phase when the high-ohmic output is enabled.

Abstract: A system is described that includes a half-bridge, a first driver, a second driver, and a controller unit. The half-bridge includes a first switch coupled to a second switch at a switching node. The first driver is configured to drive the first switch and the second driver is configured to drive the second switch. The controller unit is configured to determine whether a hard commutation event is likely to occur at the half-bridge during a future switching cycle, and responsive to determining that the hard commutation event is likely to occur during the future switching cycle, control the first driver and the second driver to activate at least one hard commutation countermeasure.

Abstract: A method includes converting power by a power converter comprising a plurality of converter cells, and selectively operating at least one converter cell of the plurality of converter cells in one of an active and an inactive mode based on a level of a power reference signal.

Abstract: A power converter includes a plurality of first converter cells, a plurality of second converter cells, and a plurality of DC link capacitors. Each DC link capacitor links one of the plurality of first converter cells and one of the plurality of second converter cells. A failure management unit is configured to detect a faulty converter cell, and to deactivate the faulty converter cell while maintaining a power conversion operation of the power converter.

Abstract: A power converter circuit includes a transformer. The transformer includes a primary winding and a secondary winding. A primary circuit is coupled to the primary winding. A secondary circuit is coupled to the secondary winding. The primary circuit and the secondary circuit are referenced to different ground voltage potentials that may vary with respect to each other. During operation, the primary circuit controls input of energy to the primary winding of the transformer. The secondary circuit receives the energy through the secondary winding and uses it to produce an output voltage to power a load. The secondary circuit receives and/or generates state information at one of multiple different levels. The secondary circuit controls a flow of current through the secondary winding to convey the state information as feedback to the primary circuit. The primary circuit analyzes a voltage at a node of the primary winding to receive the feedback.

Abstract: A power converter circuit includes a transformer. The transformer includes a primary winding and a secondary winding. A primary circuit is coupled to the primary winding. A secondary circuit is coupled to the secondary winding. The primary circuit and the secondary circuit are referenced to different ground voltage potentials that may vary with respect to each other. During operation, the primary circuit controls input of energy to the primary winding of the transformer. The secondary circuit receives the energy through the secondary winding and uses it to produce an output voltage to power a load. The secondary circuit receives and/or generates state information at one of multiple different levels. The secondary circuit controls a flow of current through the secondary winding to convey the state information as feedback to the primary circuit. The primary circuit analyzes a voltage at a node of the primary winding to receive the feedback.

Abstract: A power converter circuit includes a transformer. The transformer includes a primary winding and a secondary winding. A primary circuit is coupled to the primary winding. A secondary circuit is coupled to the secondary winding. The primary circuit and the secondary circuit are referenced to different ground voltage potentials that may vary with respect to each other. During operation, the primary circuit controls input of energy to the primary winding of the transformer. The secondary circuit receives the energy through the secondary winding and uses it to produce an output voltage to power a load. The secondary circuit receives and/or generates state information at one of multiple different levels. The secondary circuit controls a flow of current through the secondary winding to convey the state information as feedback to the primary circuit. The primary circuit analyzes a voltage at a node of the primary winding to receive the feedback.

Abstract: A switching converter includes a transistor arrangement having a plurality of n transistors, with n?2, each including a gate terminal, and a load path between a source and a drain terminal, and at least m, with m?n and m?1 of the n transistors having a control terminal. The control terminal of each of the m transistors is configured to receive a control signal that adjusts an activation state of the transistor. The load paths of the plurality of n transistors are connected in parallel to form a load path of the transistor arrangement. A drive circuit is configured to adjust the activation state of the m transistors.

Abstract: A method includes converting power by a power converter comprising a plurality of converter cells, and selectively operating at least one converter cell of the plurality of converter cells in one of an active and an inactive mode based on a level of a power reference signal.