Abstract: A method of driving a switching element in a switching circuit, where the switching element comprises a plurality of power transistors coupled in parallel, can include: determining a state of a load in the switching circuit; decreasing a driving voltage of at least one power transistor in order to reduce driving loss of the switching element when a load is in a first load state; and maintaining driving voltages of the plurality of power transistors at a first threshold when the load is in a second load state.

Abstract: A method of controlling a switching converter having a plurality of interleaved parallel branches, can include controlling conduction phases of power switches of the plurality of interleaved parallel branches to be overlapped when a load changes from a light load to a heavy load, in order to improve dynamic response performance of the switching converter. A control circuit for a switching converter with a plurality of interleaved parallel branches, can control conduction phases of power switches of the interleaved parallel branches to be overlapped when a load changes from a light load to a heavy load, in order to improve dynamic response performance of the switching converter.

Abstract: A multi-phase parallel converter can include: sampling circuits corresponding to power stage circuits to form a plurality of phases of the multi-phase parallel converter, where each sampling circuit samples an inductor current of a corresponding power stage circuit, and generates a sense signal; a current-sharing circuit that generates a current-sharing control signal according to a superimposed signal that is generated by adding the sense signal to a bias voltage signal; switching control circuits corresponding to the power stage circuits, where each switching control circuit receives the current-sharing control signal, and controls a switching operation of a corresponding power stage circuit; and a bias voltage generator that generates the bias voltage signal to gradually increase/decrease when a selected phase is to be disabled/enabled.

Abstract: A converter can include: (i) a first switch having a first terminal for receiving an input voltage, and a second terminal coupled to a first terminal of a second switch; (ii) an inductor having a first terminal coupled to a common node of the first and second switches, and a second terminal coupled to a first terminal of a third switch, where second terminals of the second and third switches are coupled to ground; and (iii) a plurality of output channels coupled to a common node of the inductor and the third switch, where the converter operates in a buck-boost mode, a buck mode, or a boost mode based on the relationship between the input voltage and output voltages of the plurality of output channels.

Abstract: A voltage regulation circuit can include: a power stage circuit with a single inductor and a plurality of output circuits; each output circuit having an output control switch configured to control a duration of an on time of the output circuit, and an output switch control circuit configured to control the output control switch in accordance with an output voltage sampling signal, a reference current signal that represents an output current of the output circuit, and a clock signal, in order to maintain an output voltage of the output circuit as constant and to decrease interference from load variations of any other of the plurality of output circuits; and where the output control switches are controlled to be on in sequence in each switching period.

Abstract: A method of controlling a switching converter having a plurality of interleaved parallel branches, can include controlling conduction phases of power switches of the plurality of interleaved parallel branches to be overlapped when a load changes from a light load to a heavy load, in order to improve dynamic response performance of the switching converter. A control circuit for a switching converter with a plurality of interleaved parallel branches, can control conduction phases of power switches of the interleaved parallel branches to be overlapped when a load changes from a light load to a heavy load, in order to improve dynamic response performance of the switching converter.

Abstract: A method of controlling a switching converter having a plurality of interleaved parallel branches, can include controlling conduction phases of power switches of the plurality of interleaved parallel branches to be overlapped when a load changes from a light load to a heavy load, in order to improve dynamic response performance of the switching converter. A control circuit for a switching converter with a plurality of interleaved parallel branches, can control conduction phases of power switches of the interleaved parallel branches to be overlapped when a load changes from a light load to a heavy load, in order to improve dynamic response performance of the switching converter.

Abstract: A method of controlling a switching converter having a plurality of interleaved parallel branches, can include controlling conduction phases of power switches of the plurality of interleaved parallel branches to be overlapped when a load changes from a light load to a heavy load, in order to improve dynamic response performance of the switching converter. A control circuit for a switching converter with a plurality of interleaved parallel branches, can control conduction phases of power switches of the interleaved parallel branches to be overlapped when a load changes from a light load to a heavy load, in order to improve dynamic response performance of the switching converter.

Abstract: A voltage regulation circuit can include: a power stage circuit with a single inductor and a plurality of output circuits; each output circuit having an output control switch configured to control a duration of an on time of the output circuit, and an output switch control circuit configured to control the output control switch in accordance with an output voltage sampling signal, a reference current signal that represents an output current of the output circuit, and a clock signal, in order to maintain an output voltage of the output circuit as constant and to decrease interference from load variations of any other of the plurality of output circuits; and where the output control switches are controlled to be on in sequence in each switching period.

Abstract: A voltage regulation circuit can include: a power stage circuit with a single inductor and a plurality of output circuits; each output circuit having an output control switch configured to control a duration of an on time of the output circuit, and an output switch control circuit configured to control the output control switch in accordance with an output voltage sampling signal, a reference current signal that represents an output current of the output circuit, and a clock signal, in order to maintain an output voltage of the output circuit as constant and to decrease interference from load variations of any other of the plurality of output circuits; and where the output control switches are controlled to be on in sequence in each switching period.

Abstract: A multi-phase parallel converter can include: sampling circuits corresponding to power stage circuits to form a plurality of phases of the multi-phase parallel converter, where each sampling circuit samples an inductor current of a corresponding power stage circuit, and generates a sense signal; a current-sharing circuit that generates a current-sharing control signal according to a superimposed signal that is generated by adding the sense signal to a bias voltage signal; switching control circuits corresponding to the power stage circuits, where each switching control circuit receives the current-sharing control signal, and controls a switching operation of a corresponding power stage circuit; and a bias voltage generator that generates the bias voltage signal to gradually increase/decrease when a selected phase is to be disabled/enabled.

Abstract: A multi-phase parallel converter can include: sampling circuits corresponding to power stage circuits to form a plurality of phases of the multi-phase parallel converter, where each sampling circuit samples an inductor current of a corresponding power stage circuit, and generates a sense signal; a current-sharing circuit that generates a current-sharing control signal according to a superimposed signal that is generated by adding the sense signal to a bias voltage signal; switching control circuits corresponding to the power stage circuits, where each switching control circuit receives the current-sharing control signal, and controls a switching operation of a corresponding power stage circuit; and a bias voltage generator that generates the bias voltage signal to gradually increase/decrease when a selected phase is to be disabled/enabled.

Abstract: A converter can include: (i) a first switch having a first terminal for receiving an input voltage, and a second terminal coupled to a first terminal of a second switch; (ii) an inductor having a first terminal coupled to a common node of the first and second switches, and a second terminal coupled to a first terminal of a third switch, where second terminals of the second and third switches are coupled to ground; and (iii) a plurality of output channels coupled to a common node of the inductor and the third switch, where the converter operates in a buck-boost mode, a buck mode, or a boost mode based on the relationship between the input voltage and output voltages of the plurality of output channels.

Abstract: A converter can include: (i) a first switch having a first terminal for receiving an input voltage, and a second terminal coupled to a first terminal of a second switch; (ii) an inductor having a first terminal coupled to a common node of the first and second switches, and a second terminal coupled to a first terminal of a third switch, where second terminals of the second and third switches are coupled to ground; and (iii) a plurality of output channels coupled to a common node of the inductor and the third switch, where the converter operates in a buck-boost mode, a buck mode, or a boost mode based on the relationship between the input voltage and output voltages of the plurality of output channels.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of over voltage protection control can include: (i) determining whether an output voltage of a buck-boost converter is in an over voltage condition, where the buck-boost converter includes a first switch coupled to an input terminal and an inductor, a second switch coupled to ground and a common node of the first switch and the inductor, a third switch coupled to ground and a common node of a fourth switch and the inductor, where the fourth switch is coupled to an output terminal of the buck-boost converter; and (ii) simultaneously controlling the first, second, third, and fourth switches in the buck-boost converter by turning on the second and third switches, and turning off the first and fourth switches, in response to the over voltage condition.

Abstract: An apparatus can include: (i) a first switch coupled to an external interface and an inductor; (ii) a second switch coupled to ground and a common node between the first switch and the inductor; (ii) a third switch coupled to ground and a common node between the inductor and a fourth switch, where the inductor and first, second, third, and fourth switches form a power converter; (iii) a charge and discharge control circuit coupled to the power converter, and being configured to control the first, second, third, and fourth switches; and (iv) a chargeable battery coupled to the fourth switch, where the power converter is configured to provide a current to the battery when the external interface is coupled to an external power supply, and where the power converter is configured to provide a current to a load when the external interface is coupled to the load.

Abstract: A voltage regulation circuit can include: a power stage circuit with a single inductor and a plurality of output circuits; each output circuit having an output control switch configured to control a duration of an on time of the output circuit, and an output switch control circuit configured to control the output control switch in accordance with an output voltage sampling signal, a reference current signal that represents an output current of the output circuit, and a clock signal, in order to maintain an output voltage of the output circuit as constant and to decrease interference from load variations of any other of the plurality of output circuits; and where the output control switches are controlled to be on in sequence in each switching period.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of controlling a converter can include: (i) when first and fourth switches are on, and second and third switches are off, generating an on time signal according to an input voltage and a stable output voltage of the converter; (ii) generating an off time signal according to the input voltage and the stable output voltage of the converter; (iii) generating a reference time voltage according to a reference current signal and a reference voltage signal; and (iv) controlling the first, second, third, and fourth switches based on whether the on time signal is activated to indicate that the converter is operating in a buck mode, the off time signal is activated to indicate that the converter is operating in a boost mode, or the reference time signal is activated to indicate that the converter is operating in a buck-boost mode.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of over voltage protection control can include: (i) determining whether an output voltage of a buck-boost converter is in an over voltage condition, where the buck-boost converter includes a first switch coupled to an input terminal and an inductor, a second switch coupled to ground and a common node of the first switch and the inductor, a third switch coupled to ground and a common node of a fourth switch and the inductor, where the fourth switch is coupled to an output terminal of the buck-boost converter; and (ii) simultaneously controlling the first, second, third, and fourth switches in the buck-boost converter by turning on the second and third switches, and turning off the first and fourth switches, in response to the over voltage condition.

Abstract: A multi-phase interleaved converter can include: (i) a plurality of phases, where each phase of the multi-phase interleaved converter includes a buck-type power stage having a power switch, a freewheeling switch and an inductor, a switching control circuit and a reference signal generator, and where each switching control circuit includes: (ii) an adder that receives a ramp signal and a feedback signal that represents an output voltage, and generates a feedback voltage signal; (iii) a comparator that receives the feedback voltage signal and a reference voltage signal, and generates a comparator output signal; and (iv) a logic circuit that receives the comparator output signal and an output from an on time control circuit, and controls a switching operation of the power switch.