Abstract: A power converter can include an input PFC stage that receives a rectified input voltage coupled to a flyback stage including a center-tapped primary winding magnetically coupled to a secondary winding and a main switch coupled in series with the primary winding. The output of the PFC stage can be coupled to the center tap of the primary winding, and an output of the power converter can be coupled to the secondary winding of the flyback stage. The converter can further include control circuitry coupled to the main switch and an auxiliary switch in the PFC stage that operates the main switch to regulate an output voltage of the power converter, selectively enables the auxiliary switch responsive to a low line voltage condition at the input of the power converter, and operates the enabled auxiliary switch synchronously with the main switch.

Abstract: A transformer-based switching power converter can include a slew rate limiter coupled to the switching stage and configured to limit rate of change of voltage across one or more switching devices of the switching stage, thereby reducing voltage spikes appearing on the secondary winding. The slew rate limiter may be configured to selectively operate to limit rate of change of voltage across one or more switching devices of the switching stage during startup of the switching stage, upon waking from burst mode, or at any time when zero voltage switching of the one or more switching devices is unavailable. The slew rate limiter can include at least one circuit element configured to selectively alter a time constant of a gate drive circuit of at least one switching device in the switching stage to increase a turn-on transition time of the at least one switching device.

Abstract: A leakage energy steering circuit for a flyback converter can include a leakage energy steering capacitor and a leakage energy steering diode configured to be coupled between a first output terminal and a first secondary winding terminal of a flyback converter. The leakage energy steering circuit can further include a reset circuit having an impedance element and a diode configured to be coupled between a junction of the leakage energy steering capacitor and the leakage energy steering diode and a junction of a second secondary winding terminal and a second output terminal of the flyback converter. The impedance element may be a resistor or an inductor.

Abstract: A DC-DC switching converter device (101), in particular a quarter-brick or eighth-brick device having an industry standard pin out, comprises a pulse-width modulation circuit (132) for driving a power converting switch, a trim connector (109) for adjusting an output voltage of the device, where the device (101) is designed such that the pulse-width modulation circuit (132) is synchronizable to an external oscillator by an external synchronization signal applied to the trim connector. A DC-DC converting circuit comprises a plurality of DC-DC switching converters (101) featuring trim connectors (109) for adjusting output voltages of the converters (101), whereby the converters (101) are connected such that they share a common input bus. It further features a system EMI (electromagnetic interference) filter common to all the DC-DC switching converters (101) and an external oscillator delivering an external synchronization signal to the plurality of DC-DC switching converters (101).

Abstract: A circuit for, and method of, reducing a preload current required to maintain a duty cycle of an asymmetrical DC/DC converter and a DC/DC converter incorporating the circuit or the method. In one embodiment, the circuit includes an auxiliary inductor, coupled in series with an output capacitor of the converter in an output current doubler thereof, that reduces ripple current in the output current doubler and thereby maintains the duty cycle.