Patents by Inventor Gwan-Bon Koo

Gwan-Bon Koo has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7768802
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a switching mode power supply (SMPS) includes a rectifier for generating an input DC voltage from an input AC voltage. A switching transistor, coupled to a primary coil of a transformer, converts the input DC voltage and supplies power to a secondary side of the transformer according to an operation of the switching transistor. A switching controller receives a feedback voltage corresponding to a voltage of the secondary side of the transformer, a sense signal corresponding to current flowing at the switching transistor, and a first signal corresponding to a voltage difference between first and second electrodes of the switching transistor. The switching controller controls the turning on and off of the switching transistor. After the switching transistor is turned off, the switching controller detects and counts a number of times that a voltage level of the first signal and a reference voltage are equal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventors: J. Hoon Lee, Hang-Seok Choi, Gwan-Bon Koo
  • Publication number: 20100188871
    Abstract: A synchronous rectifier network unit and synchronous rectifying method. The synchronous rectifier network unit includes a first body diode to which a first current flows at a first time when the first current flows to a first coil, and a first transistor which is turned on after the first body diode is conducted, and to which the first current flows, and it rectifies the first current by differently controlling the turn-off time of the first transistor according to the first current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: Jin-Tae KIM, Gwan-Bon KOO, Jinho CHOI
  • Publication number: 20100134091
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an abnormal switching monitoring device and method. A time point when a high-side switch in which a first electrode receives an input voltage is turned on, a time point when a low-side switch that is connected to a second electrode of the high-side switch is turned on, a time point when a charge current begins to flow to a bootstrap circuit, and a time point when a charge current stops flowing to the bootstrap circuit are compared so as to determine whether or not non-zero voltage switching occurs. The bootstrap circuit supplies an operating current to a gate driver controlling a switching operation of the high-side switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventors: Hyun-Chul EOM, Jin-Tae KIM, Gwan-Bon KOO
  • Patent number: 7710085
    Abstract: An energy transfer element includes a first winding coupled to an input circuit and a second winding coupled to an output circuit. The first winding has a first unit and a second unit, and the second winding is wound between the first unit of the first winding and the second unit of the first winding. The energy transfer element further includes a third winding provided between the first unit of the first winding and the second winding. The third winding is used to supply a bias voltage of the input circuit, and a winding width of the third winding is greater than a winding width of the first unit of the first winding and a width of the second winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-Bae Park, Jin-Tae Kim, Gwan-Bon Koo
  • Patent number: 7710746
    Abstract: A switching mode power supply includes: a power supply unit that comprises a switch that is coupled to a primary coil at a primary side of a transformer for converting an input DC voltage, and that supplies power to a secondary coil and a tertiary coil at a secondary side of the transformer according to an operation of the switch; a switching controller that receives a feedback voltage corresponding to a first voltage generated in the secondary coil at the secondary side of the transformer, and receives a detection signal corresponding to a current flowing to the switch to control an on/off operation of the switch; and a feedback signal generator that receives the first voltage and the switching control signal, samples the first voltage by using first pulse strings, and generates the feedback voltage according to a level of the first voltage sampled by a first pulse in the first pulse strings, wherein a toggling time of the first pulse strings is changed in a first period for sampling the first voltage, and a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-Bae Park, Gwan-Bon Koo, Hang-Seok Choi
  • Patent number: 7701735
    Abstract: A converter and a driving method thereof are provided. The converter includes a main switch and a switching controller. The switching controller controls on/off of the main switch by using a first voltage corresponding to an output voltage and a first current flowing to the main switch. The switching controller determines a reference count according to the first voltage, and determines a peak value of the first current corresponding to a reference count and a switching frequency of the main switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-Bae Park, Gwan-Bon Koo
  • Patent number: 7672146
    Abstract: A switching mode power supply includes a switching transistor, coupled to a primary coil at a primary side of a transformer for converting an input DC voltage, supplying power to a secondary and a tertiary coil at a secondary side of the transformer according to an operation of the switching transistor; a switching controller receiving a feedback voltage corresponding to a first voltage generated in the secondary coil and receiving a detection signal corresponding to a current of the switching transistor to generate a switching control signal for controlling the turn on/off of the switching transistor; and a feedback signal generator receiving the first voltage and the switching control signal to set a sampling period, and storing the first voltage, sampled with a last pulse of the first pulse string within the sampling period as a feedback voltage. The output voltage is thereby accurately detected without opto-couplers or shunt regulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-Bae Park, Gwan-Bon Koo
  • Publication number: 20090296437
    Abstract: A converter is provided including: a first switch; an energy transmitting element for converting input energy into output energy according to the switching of the first switch; and a switching controller for detecting a time when a voltage between a first terminal and a second terminal of the first switch reaches a valley of a resonance waveform, and actuating the first switch corresponding to one of the detected valleys of the resonance waveform. The switching controller includes: a valley detector for changing the state of the output signal whenever a voltage between a first terminal and a second terminal of the first switch reaches a valley of the resonance waveform; and a PWM controller for actuating the first switch corresponding to an output signal of the valley detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor Ltd.,
    Inventors: Shanmei Li, Jin-Tae Kim, Gwan-Bon Koo, Gyoung-Soo Park
  • Publication number: 20090251926
    Abstract: A converter is disclosed for using at least one switch to convert an input signal to a square wave signal, and using the square wave signal to generate an output voltage. The converter converts the square wave signal by a switching operation of a switch and generates the output voltage, and includes a switch controller for controlling the switching operation. The switch controller generates a first signal VCT having a first period that varies according to an output voltage, controls the switching operation of the switch by using the first signal, detects the output voltage, a first current Ids2 flowing through the switch, and a level of the first signal, and controls a burst mode according to the detection results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Inventors: Hang-Seok Choi, Young-Bae Park, Jae-Hwoan Chi, Gwan-Bon Koo
  • Publication number: 20090231894
    Abstract: In a power converter, a primary coil receives an input voltage, and a switch includes a first electrode, a second electrode coupled to the primary coil, and a control electrode. An output unit includes a secondary coil, and outputs an output voltage. The primary coil and the secondary coil form a transformer, and the input voltage is converted to the output voltage by the transformer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Inventors: Sang-Cheol Moon, Gwan-Bon Koo, Jin-Tae Kim, Young-Bae Park
  • Publication number: 20090206809
    Abstract: In an interleaved switching converter, a first converter including a first switch is coupled to a second converter including a second switch. A switching controller for controlling the first switch and the second switch outputs a second control signal for operating the second switch based a first control signal for operating the first switch. A phase shift between the first control signal and the second control signal is 180 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Inventors: Gwan-Bon Koo, Young-Bae Park, Hang-Seok Choi
  • Publication number: 20090206805
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a converter and a driving method thereof. The converter includes a switch controller that controls switching operation of a master switch and a slave switch. The switch controller detects a center point of one switching operation period of the master switch by using an internal triangular wave having a period that is the same as that of the one switching operation period, and starts the switching operation of the slave switch at the detected point. The internal triangular wave signal has a waveform that varies within one period, and detects a crossing point of an average value of the internal triangular wave and the internal triangular wave as a center point of one switching operation period of the master switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Inventors: Hang-Seok Choi, Gwan-Bon Koo, Young-Bae Park
  • Publication number: 20090028235
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a frequency modulation device and a switching mode power supply using the frequency modulation device. To prevent electromagnetic interference (EMI), it is required to slightly vary a switching operation frequency in an SMPS operation. In some embodiments, at least one first signal having a predetermined cycle is generated, a second signal corresponding to a level of a first signal is generated at a turn-off time of a switch, a first reference voltage having at least two different levels is generated according to the second signal, and an oscillator signal for increasing along a first slope during a first period and decreasing along a second slope during a second period between the first reference voltage and a second reference voltage having a level that is different from the first reference voltage is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Inventors: Young-Bae Park, Gwan-Bon Koo
  • Publication number: 20080290850
    Abstract: A switch control device, a switch control method, and a converter using the same are disclosed. The converter includes: a switch; an energy transfer element that converts input energy into output energy according to a switching operation of the switch; and a switch control device that generates a first signal, which is maintained at a first level during a first interval starting from a first time at which the switch is turned on by using a feedback signal corresponding to the output energy and is then gradually lowered from the first level to the feedback signal during a second interval, and controls the switching operation of the switch by using a second signal corresponding to a current flowing at the switch and the first signal. A malfunction due to an LEC can be effectively prevented, and the converter and the converter controller can be implemented to be compact and low-priced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: Sidley Austin LLP
    Inventors: Jin-Tae Kim, Gwan-Bon Koo, Hang Seok Choi
  • Publication number: 20080278131
    Abstract: A switching mode power supply includes: a power supply unit that comprises a switch that is coupled to a primary coil at a primary side of a transformer for converting an input DC voltage, and that supplies power to a secondary coil and a tertiary coil at a secondary side of the transformer according to an operation of the switch; a switching controller that receives a feedback voltage corresponding to a first voltage generated in the secondary coil at the secondary side of the transformer, and receives a detection signal corresponding to a current flowing to the switch to control an on/off operation of the switch; and a feedback signal generator that receives the first voltage and the switching control signal, samples the first voltage by using first pulse strings, and generates the feedback voltage according to a level of the first voltage sampled by a first pulse in the first pulse strings, wherein a toggling time of the first pulse strings is changed in a first period for sampling the first voltage, and a
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Young-Bae Park, Gwan-Bon Koo, Hang-Seok Choi
  • Publication number: 20080266907
    Abstract: Disclosed are a switch controller, a switch control method, a converter using the same, and a driving method thereof. A first voltage is generated by using a voltage that is input to an input terminal, and a soft start signal is generated by using the first voltage during a soft start duration. A switching operation is controlled by using the soft start signal during the soft start duration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Jin-Tae Kim, Gwan-Bon Koo, Hang Seok Choi
  • Publication number: 20080258564
    Abstract: A switching mode power supply and a switch thereof are provided. The switch includes a plurality of first transistors, and a second transistor that is turned on/off by a control signal that is equal to that of the plurality of first transistors and in which a second current corresponding to a first current flowing to the plurality of first transistors flows, wherein a ratio of the first current to the second current sequentially changes from a time point at which the second transistor is turned on. Therefore, a switching mode power supply and a switch thereof that can always uniformly sustain a maximum limit current flowing to the switch regardless of a level of an input voltage without including a special additional circuit can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: Gwan-Bon Koo, Jin-Tae Kim, Yoo-Woong Hwang, Kyung-Oun Jang, Jin-Woo Moon, Sang-Hyun Lee
  • Publication number: 20080259659
    Abstract: A converter and a driving method thereof are provided. The converter can determine the output short state of the converter after the soft start is finished by using a detection signal that corresponds to an input signal while a switched is turned on and that corresponds to an output signal while the switch is turned off, so as to convert the input signal into the output signal according to a switching operation of the switch. The converter can determine the overload state of the converter by using a feedback voltage corresponding to the output signal, and terminate the switching operation when the converter is in an output short state or overload state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: Hang-Seok Choi, Young-Bae Park, Gwan-Bon Koo, Jin-Tae Kim
  • Publication number: 20080247206
    Abstract: An energy transfer element includes a first winding coupled to an input circuit and a second winding coupled to an output circuit. The first winding has a first unit and a second unit, and the second winding is wound between the first unit of the first winding and the second unit of the first winding. The energy transfer element further includes a third winding provided between the first unit of the first winding and the second winding. The third winding is used to supply a bias voltage of the input circuit, and a winding width of the third winding is greater than a winding width of the first unit of the first winding and a width of the second winding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: Young-Bae Park, Jin-Tae Kim, Gwan-Bon Koo
  • Publication number: 20080180973
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a converter and a driving method thereof. The converter includes a main switch and a switching controller. The switching controller controls on/off of the main switch by using a first voltage corresponding to an output voltage and a first current flowing to the main switch. The switching controller determines a reference count according to the first voltage, and determines a peak value of the first current corresponding to a reference count and a switching frequency of the main switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Young-Bae Park, Gwan-Bon Koo