Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a switched-mode power converter includes measuring an input voltage of the switched-mode power converter; determining an on-time of a switch of the switched-mode power converter; determining an off-time of the switch of the switched-mode power converter; and determining an output voltage of the switched-mode power converter based on the measured input voltage, the determined on-time and the determined off-time. The output voltage includes a voltage at a first node having a DC path to a load path of the switch.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a switched-mode power converter includes measuring an input voltage of the switched-mode power converter; determining an on-time of a switch of the switched-mode power converter; determining an off-time of the switch of the switched-mode power converter; and determining an output voltage of the switched-mode power converter based on the measured input voltage, the determined on-time and the determined off-time. The output voltage includes a voltage at a first node having a DC path to a load path of the switch.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a switched-mode power converter includes measuring an input voltage of the switched-mode power converter; determining an on-time of a switch of the switched-mode power converter; determining an off-time of the switch of the switched-mode power converter; and determining an output voltage of the switched-mode power converter based on the measured input voltage, the determined on-time and the determined off-time. The output voltage includes a voltage at a first node having a DC path to a load path of the switch.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and integrated circuits are disclosed for a driver controller that determines whether an input is AC or DC and controls a driver in either an AC-adapted control mode or a DC-adapted control mode. An example method includes detecting whether an input is primarily AC or DC. The method further includes controlling an output current in an AC-adapted control mode in response to detecting that the input is primarily AC, and controlling the output current in a DC-adapted control mode in response to detecting that the input is primarily DC.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a switched-mode power converter includes a switch, a freewheeling diode coupled between an output terminal of the switch and a power supply input node, an inductor coupled between the output terminal of the switch and a power supply output node, and a passive network having a first terminal coupled to the output terminal of the switch, a second terminal coupled to a power supply output node, and a third terminal coupled to a reference terminal of the switch. A method includes measuring a first voltage at a fourth terminal of the passive network when the switch is on; measuring a second voltage at the fourth terminal of the passive network when the switch is off; and estimating an output voltage between the power supply output node and the reference terminal of the switch based on the first voltage and the second voltage.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a switched-mode power supply includes controlling a first switch coupled between an inductor and a reference node. Controlling includes modulating a first switching signal to control a first current through the first switch to a first predetermined current, and attenuating a current supplied by the first switch to the inductor in accordance with an attenuation factor to form an attenuated current. Attenuating includes providing a pulse modulated signal to a second switch coupled between the first switch and the inductor, where the attenuation factor is related to a pulse density of the pulse modulated signal.

Abstract: In accordance with various embodiments a converter is provided, including: a transformer comprising a primary side and a secondary side; a primary side circuit arrangement coupled to the primary side of the transformer; a secondary side circuit arrangement coupled to the secondary side of the transformer, wherein the secondary side circuit arrangement is configured to provide at least one of an output voltage and an output current; a coupling component configured to provide information about at least one of the output voltage and the output current to the primary side circuit arrangement; a first energy supply configured to provide the coupling component with a first current; and second energy supply configured to provide the coupling component with a second current, wherein the second current is lower than the first current.

Abstract: A method in a switched-mode power supply (SMPS) and SMPS circuits are provided. The method and circuits use bang-bang regulation to provide for an auxiliary power supply that can be used to power a controller of the SMPS. The additional circuitry required to achieve the method and circuits is minimal and represents advantages over techniques that require an additional power supply or require an auxiliary winding in a transformer. The bang-bang regulation controls switch devices within the SMPS such that a normally-on switch device is enabled while a normally-off switch device is disabled for some period of time. During this period, current is supplied to the SMPS controller and an associated energy-storage device.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and integrated circuits are disclosed for a driver controller that internally calculates average output current. In one example, a method includes receiving an output voltage of an output line. The method further includes performing a calculation of an average output current at the output line based at least in part on the output voltage. The method further includes controlling an interval timing of a switch based at least in part on the calculation of the average output current at the output line, wherein the switch is configured for switching current to the output line.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a switched-mode power converter includes a switch, a freewheeling diode coupled between an output terminal of the switch and a power supply input node, an inductor coupled between the output terminal of the switch and a power supply output node, and a passive network having a first terminal coupled to the output terminal of the switch, a second terminal coupled to a power supply output node, and a third terminal coupled to a reference terminal of the switch. A method includes measuring a first voltage at a fourth terminal of the passive network when the switch is on; measuring a second voltage at the fourth terminal of the passive network when the switch is off; and estimating an output voltage between the power supply output node and the reference terminal of the switch based on the first voltage and the second voltage.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a switched-mode power converter includes measuring an input voltage of the switched-mode power converter; determining an on-time of a switch of the switched-mode power converter; determining an off-time of the switch of the switched-mode power converter; and determining an output voltage of the switched-mode power converter based on the measured input voltage, the determined on-time and the determined off-time. The output voltage includes a voltage at a first node having a DC path to a load path of the switch.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and integrated circuits are disclosed for a driver controller that determines whether an input is AC or DC and controls a driver in either an AC-adapted control mode or a DC-adapted control mode. An example method includes detecting whether an input is primarily AC or DC. The method further includes controlling an output current in an AC-adapted control mode in response to detecting that the input is primarily AC, and controlling the output current in a DC-adapted control mode in response to detecting that the input is primarily DC.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a switched-mode power supply includes controlling a first switch coupled between an inductor and a reference node. Controlling includes modulating a first switching signal to control a first current through the first switch to a first predetermined current, and attenuating a current supplied by the first switch to the inductor in accordance with an attenuation factor to form an attenuated current. Attenuating includes providing a pulse modulated signal to a second switch coupled between the first switch and the inductor, where the attenuation factor is related to a pulse density of the pulse modulated signal.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and integrated circuits are disclosed for a driver controller that internally calculates average output current. In one example, a method includes receiving an output voltage of an output line. The method further includes performing a calculation of an average output current at the output line based at least in part on the output voltage. The method further includes controlling an interval timing of a switch based at least in part on the calculation of the average output current at the output line, wherein the switch is configured for switching current to the output line.

Abstract: In accordance with various embodiments a converter is provided, including: a transformer comprising a primary side and a secondary side; a primary side circuit arrangement coupled to the primary side of the transformer; a secondary side circuit arrangement coupled to the secondary side of the transformer, wherein the secondary side circuit arrangement is configured to provide at least one of an output voltage and an output current; a coupling component configured to provide information about at least one of the output voltage and the output current to the primary side circuit arrangement; a first energy supply configured to provide the coupling component with a first current; and second energy supply configured to provide the coupling component with a second current, wherein the second current is lower than the first current.

Abstract: A method and a device for controlling gas discharge lamps using a direct current/alternating current inverter (DC/AC inverter) that is operated at a predetermined frequency and that generates an AC output voltage U for operating the gas discharge lamps from a DC input voltage which has a residual ripple. The DC/AC inverter is operated in zero voltage switching (ZVS) mode, wherein the DC input voltage is used as the control variable for the lamp current IL, wherein fluctuations in the lamp current IL caused by the residual ripple of the DC input voltage are compensated by a variation in the switch-on times and/or switch-off times of the switching elements QH, QL of the DC/AC inverter.

Abstract: A method for use in a lamp ballast includes obtaining a measurement signal representative of a voltage at an output of a half-bridge circuit. The half-bridge circuit includes first and second semiconductor switching elements, a resonant circuit connected to the half-bridge circuit, and a snubber capacitance connected in parallel with one of the semiconductor switching elements. The method also includes providing a comparison signal by comparing the measurement signal with a reference value. The method further includes detecting one of a first type of non-zero-voltage switching operation and a second type of non-zero-voltage switching operation based on evaluations of the comparison signal, wherein the evaluations of the comparison signal occurs in each case before the first semiconductor element is switched on and in each case before the second semiconductor element is switched on.

Abstract: A method for use in a lamp ballast includes obtaining a measurement signal representative of a voltage at an output of a half-bridge circuit. The half-bridge circuit includes first and second semiconductor switching elements, a resonant circuit connected to the half-bridge circuit, and a snubber capacitance connected in parallel with one of the semiconductor switching elements. The method also includes providing a comparison sinal by comparing heeasurem ment signal with a reference value. The method further includes detecting one of a first type of non-zero-voltage switching operation and a second type of non-zero-voltage switching operation based on evaluations of the comparison signal, wherein the evaluations of the comparison signal occurs in each case before the first semiconductor element is switched on and in each case before the second semiconductor element is switched on.

Abstract: A method detects a non-zero-voltage switching operation of a lamp ballast, the lamp ballast including a half-bridge circuit with a first and a second semiconductor switching element, a resonant circuit connected to the half-bridge circuit, and a snubber capacitance connected in parallel with one of the semiconductor switching elements. The method includes obtaining a voltage measurement signal representative of a voltage at an output of the half-bridge circuit. The method also includes providing a comparison signal representative of a comparison of the voltage measurement signal with a reference value. The method further includes evaluating the comparison signal in each case before the first semiconductor element is switched on and in each case before the second semiconductor element is switched on, and detecting one of a first and second non-zero-switching operations based on these evaluations.

Abstract: A control circuit for a switch unit of a clocked power supply receives an auxiliary signal from a resonant transformer driven by the switch unit and detects reference crossing moments when the auxiliary signal crosses a reference value. A driver is controllable to switch the switch unit, and a synchronization circuit synchronizes a turn-on of the switch unit within a predetermined time interval around a zero crossing of a voltage present across the switch unit, or of a current flowing through the switch unit. The synchronization circuit receives information about the reference crossing moments and provides a turn-on signal to the driver with a fixed phase delay at the reference crossing moments, so as to define turn-on moments at which the driver is to turn on the switch unit.