Abstract: Circuits and methods for providing at least a startup voltage for reversed-operation unidirectional power converters or bi-modal power converters sufficient to power at least an auxiliary circuit of such power converters while the normal supply voltage to at least the auxiliary circuit is insufficient to enable operation of the auxiliary circuit. Embodiments of the invention utilize an initial startup charge pump circuit to create a suitable startup voltage while the normal supply voltage to the auxiliary circuit is less than a specified voltage VMIN. Embodiments of the present invention also provide additional benefits, including small size since the initial startup charge pump circuit omits the use of an inductor, and high efficiency since the initial startup charge pump circuit may be disabled when the normal supply voltage to the auxiliary circuit is equal to or greater than VMIN.

Abstract: A high efficiency concurrent bidirectional charge balancing circuit (BCBC) for battery balancing that does not require high voltage transistors and which automatically transfers charge from a higher voltage cell to a lower voltage cell within a battery pack of multiple series-connected cells using a bi-phase charge pump, which may be an adiabatic-enabled bi-phase charge pump. The BCBC requires no complex external control logic to determine how the BCBCs are to be connected, charge balancing is performed without disturbing the series connections of the cells in a battery pack, and there is constant charge balancing across the entire charge range of cells in a battery pack. Because each BCBC spans only two cells, the voltage across each BCBC is the sum of the voltages from only those two cells; accordingly, the BCBC scales up to a large number of cells without requiring increasingly larger and more expensive high voltage transistors.

Abstract: Circuits and methods for providing at least a startup voltage for reversed-operation unidirectional power converters or bi-modal power converters sufficient to power at least an auxiliary circuit of such power converters while the normal supply voltage to at least the auxiliary circuit is insufficient to enable operation of the auxiliary circuit. Embodiments of the invention utilize an initial startup charge pump circuit to create a suitable startup voltage while the normal supply voltage to the auxiliary circuit is less than a specified voltage VMIN. Embodiments of the present invention also provide additional benefits, including small size since the initial startup charge pump circuit omits the use of an inductor, and high efficiency since the initial startup charge pump circuit may be disabled when the normal supply voltage to the auxiliary circuit is equal to or greater than VMIN.

Abstract: Circuits and methods for providing at least a startup voltage for reversed-operation unidirectional power converters or bi-modal power converters sufficient to power at least an auxiliary circuit of such power converters while the normal supply voltage to at least the auxiliary circuit is insufficient to enable operation of the auxiliary circuit. Embodiments of the invention utilize an initial startup charge pump circuit to create a suitable startup voltage while the normal supply voltage to the auxiliary circuit is less than a specified voltage VMIN. Embodiments of the present invention also provide additional benefits, including small size since the initial startup charge pump circuit omits the use of an inductor, and high efficiency since the initial startup charge pump circuit may be disabled when the normal supply voltage to the auxiliary circuit is equal to or greater than VMIN.

Abstract: A ping pong comparator voltage monitoring circuit which includes first and second comparators having inputs connected to a voltage Vin to be monitored, and second inputs connected to first and second nodes, respectively. A multiplexer alternately couples the first and second comparator outputs to an output in response to a periodic control signal. A ground-referenced voltage Vref1 is provided at a third node and a voltage Vref2 referenced to Vref1 is at a fourth node. A hysteresis hyst1 is switchably connected between the third and first nodes, and a hysteresis hyst2 is switchably connected between the fourth and second nodes. Hyst1 and hyst2 are switched in when the mux output toggles due to a rising Vin, and are switched out when the mux output toggles due to a falling Vin.

Abstract: A ping pong comparator voltage monitoring circuit which includes first and second comparators having inputs connected to a voltage Vin to be monitored, and second inputs connected to first and second nodes, respectively. A multiplexer alternately couples the first and second comparator outputs to an output in response to a periodic control signal. A ground-referenced voltage Vref1 is provided at a third node and a voltage Vref2 referenced to Vref1 is at a fourth node. A hysteresis hyst1 is switchably connected between the third and first nodes, and a hysteresis hyst2 is switchably connected between the fourth and second nodes. Hyst1 and hyst2 are switched in when the mux output toggles due to a rising Vin, and are switched out when the mux output toggles due to a falling Vin.