Abstract: A comparing circuit and a control loop are used to maintain the peak level of current flowing through an inductor of a flyback converter. An inductor switch control signal controls a switch through which the inductor current flows. The inductor current increases at a ramp-up rate during a ramp time and stops increasing at the end of the ramp time. The comparing circuit generates a timing signal that indicates a target time at which the inductor current would reach a predetermined current limit if the inductor current continued to increase at the ramp-up rate. The control loop then receives the timing signal and compares the target time to the end of the ramp time. The pulse width of the inductor switch control signal is increased when the target time occurs after the end of the ramp time. Adjusting the frequency and pulse width controls the peak of the inductor current.

Abstract: A comparing circuit and a control loop are used to maintain the peak level of current flowing through an inductor of a flyback converter. An inductor switch control signal controls an inductor switch through which the inductor current flows. The inductor current increases at a ramp-up rate during a ramp time and stops increasing at the end of the ramp time. The comparing circuit generates a timing signal that indicates a target time at which the inductor current would reach a predetermined current limit if the inductor current continued to increase at the ramp-up rate. The control loop then receives the timing signal and compares the target time to the end of the ramp time. The pulse width of the inductor switch control signal is increased when the target time occurs after the end of the ramp time. Adjusting the pulse width controls the peak of the inductor current.

Abstract: A comparing circuit and a control loop are used to maintain the peak level of current flowing through an inductor of a flyback converter. An inductor switch control signal controls a switch through which the inductor current flows. The inductor current increases at a ramp-up rate during a ramp time and stops increasing at the end of the ramp time. The comparing circuit generates a timing signal that indicates a target time at which the inductor current would reach a predetermined current limit if the inductor current continued to increase at the ramp-up rate. The control loop then receives the timing signal and compares the target time to the end of the ramp time. The pulse width of the inductor switch control signal is increased when the target time occurs after the end of the ramp time. Adjusting the frequency and pulse width controls the peak of the inductor current.

Abstract: A comparing circuit and a control loop are used to maintain the peak level of current flowing through an inductor of a flyback converter. An inductor switch control signal controls an inductor switch through which the inductor current flows. The inductor current increases at a ramp-up rate during a ramp time and stops increasing at the end of the ramp time. The comparing circuit generates a timing signal that indicates a target time at which the inductor current would reach a predetermined current limit if the inductor current continued to increase at the ramp-up rate. The control loop then receives the timing signal and compares the target time to the end of the ramp time. The pulse width of the inductor switch control signal is increased when the target time occurs after the end of the ramp time. Adjusting the pulse width controls the peak of the inductor current.

Abstract: A lower-cost and more precise control methodology of regulating the output current of a Flyback converter from the primary side is provided. The methodology regulates the output current accurately in both continuous current mode (CCM) and discontinuous mode (DCM) and can be applied to most small, medium, and high power applications such as cell phone chargers, power management in desktop computers and networking equipment, and, generally, to a wide spectrum of power management applications. Two highly integrated semiconductor chips based on this control methodology are also described that require very few components to build a constant current Flyback converter.

Abstract: A lower-cost and more precise control methodology of regulating the output voltage of a flyback converter from the primary side is provided, which works accurately in either continuous voltage mode (CCM) and discontinuous mode (DCM), and can be applied to most small, medium and high power applications such cell phone chargers, power management in desktop computers and networking equipment, and, generally, to a wide spectrum of power management applications. Two highly integrated semiconductor chips based on this control methodology are also described that require very few components to build a constant voltage flyback converter.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a buck converter controller, a PFET, an NFET that is coupled in common drain configuration to the PFET, a first microbump that is connected to the source of the PFET, a second microbump that is connected to the source of the NFET, a third microbump that is connected to the common drain node, a fourth microbump that is connected to a feedback input lead of the controller, and a plurality of other microbumps. The other microbumps are utilized to supply signals to and/or to conduct signals from the controller. A respective one of the four microbumps is disposed to occupy a respective one of the four corners of a square pattern. The other microbumps are disposed in a regular grid along with the four microbumps, but none of the other microbumps is disposed between any two of the four microbumps.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) and fabrication method thereof is provided that include the steps of specifying a plurality of required tile modules suitable for a particular end-application, each of the modular tiles being configured to perform a predetermined function and constructed to have approximately the same length and width dimensions. The modular tiles are used to form the IC in a standard-IC fabrication process. In many implementations, the physical layout of the IC does not include the step of routing. Capabilities also include configuring the modular tiles to have programmable performance parameters and configuring the modular tiles to cooperate usefully with one another based on a programmable parameter.

Abstract: A method of constructing an integrated circuit involves selecting modular tiles and then generating a functional circuit layout using the tiles. Modular tiles that perform predetermined functions and that have approximately the same length and width dimensions are selected from a library of validated tiles. The tiles have input-output terminals embedded in their upper active layers. A functional circuit layout for the integrated circuit is generated using the tiles. In many implementations, the physical layout of the integrated circuit does not include the step of routing. Then an interconnect layer is added over the functional circuitry of the tiles and connects the input-output terminals to bond pads located at the perimeter of the functional circuit layout. Chip data corresponding to the functional circuit layout is generated, and then mask reticles corresponding to the chip data are generated. The integrated circuit is formed on a wafer based on the mask reticles.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a plurality of tiles. One tile is a master tile. Other tiles contain writable registers of memory structures. Information for configuring circuitry of the tile is stored in the register in the tile. An individual one of the registers can be written via the master tile. Each memory structure of a register includes a non-volatile floating gate cell (that stores the configuration information) as well as a volatile cell. All transistors have the same gate insulator thickness. Although a programming pulse signal is applied to all memory structures, the state of the non-volatile cell of a memory structure is only changed if the state stored by the associated non-volatile cell differs from the state stored by the volatile cell. Floating gates are automatically refreshed by the programming pulse signal. By storing configuration information in each tile, inefficiencies associated with using blocks of non-volatile memory are avoided.

Abstract: Techniques for an adaptive synchronous switch in switching regulators are described, one aspect of which is to achieve a more optimal on/off timing of a synchronous switch that is controlled by the comparator in a feedback control loop and thereby improves power conversion efficiency and system performance; One approach samples a node in the output of the switching regulator and generates a sampled error signal that is analyzed to determine if the current comparator offset is too high or too low relative to a target switching regulator output value at least in part based on the sampled error signal value, and accordingly generates a compensated feedback error signal and applied to the compensated feedback error signal to an input of the comparator to have the effect of a comparator offset adjustment signal.

Abstract: A lower-cost and more precise control methodology of regulating the output voltage of a Flyback converter from the primary side is provided, which works accurately in either continuous voltage mode (CCM) or discontinuous mode (DCM). The methodology can be applied to most small, medium and high power applications such as cell phone chargers, power management in desktop computers and networking equipment, and, generally, to a wide spectrum of power management applications. Two highly integrated semiconductor chips based on this control methodology are also described that require very few components to build a constant voltage Flyback converter.

Abstract: A hysteretic DC-DC converter is provided with high switching frequency, good load regulations, and fast load step response and in which the switching frequency is externally adjustable by a novel feedback network that enables substantial independence of duty cycle variation.

Abstract: A primary side controlled power converter having a voltage sensing means coupled to a transformer of the power converter and configured to provide a voltage feedback waveform representative of an output of the transformer is provided. A primary switching circuit operates to control energy storage of a primary side of the transformer. The primary switching circuit is operable during an on time and inoperable during an off time. The on and off time is switched at a system frequency. A feedback amplifier generates an error signal indicative of a difference between the voltage feedback waveform and a reference voltage. A sample and hold circuit samples the error signal at a periodic frequency during the off time. An error signal amplifier is configured to provide the sampled value to the primary switching circuit wherein the primary switching circuit controls the transformer and thereby regulates an output of the power converter.

Abstract: Techniques for near zero light-load supply current in switching regulators are described. In one aspect a voltage regulator operating a normal mode is generating an error signal indicating a difference between the output and the regulated voltage. A control signal, at least in part based on the error signal, actively controls the output of the regulator. The control signal is monitored over period of time. The monitoring activates a signal indicating when the control signal is inactive for the period of time indicating a light-load condition. The voltage regulator is then placed in a standby mode when the signal is active and the error signal indicates the output is substantially at the regulated voltage. Portions of the voltage regulator are then disabled permitting the voltage regulator to operate at the minimum current draw.

Abstract: Techniques for an adaptive synchronous switch in switching regulators are described, one aspect of which is to achieve a more optimal on/off timing of a synchronous switch that is controlled by the comparator in a feedback control loop and thereby improves power conversion efficiency and system performance; One approach samples a node in the output of the switching regulator and generates a sampled error signal that is analyzed to determine if the current comparator offset is too high or too low relative to a target switching regulator output value at least in part based on the sampled error signal value, and accordingly generates a compensated feedback error signal and applied to the compensated feedback error signal to an input of the comparator to have the effect of a comparator offset adjustment signal.

Abstract: A hysteretic DC-DC converter is provided with high switching frequency, good load regulations and fast load step response and in which the switching frequency is externally adjustable by a novel feedback network that enables substantial independence of duty cycle variation.

Abstract: A readily scalable modular progammable integrated circuit (IC) with improved power management is provided. An IC is described that contains one master controller module and a multiplicity of slave modules that include power-supplying functions, battery management functions, and analog and digital input-output functions. The master controller module configures the slave modules by writing data to the slave modules' configuration registers through the communication network. Each module contains a multiplicity of configuration registers that determine the module's operational and parametric characteristics. Programmability is achieved by configuring the modules to respond to appropriate signals on the configurable interconnection network.

Abstract: A lower-cost and more precise control methodology of regulating the output voltage of a Flyback converter from the primary side is provided, which works accurately in either continuous voltage mode (CCM) and discontinuous mode (DCM), and can be applied to most small, medium and high power applications such cell phone chargers, power management in desktop computers and networking equipment, and, generally, to a wide spectrum of power management applications. Two highly integrated semiconductor chips based on this control methodology are also described that require very few components to build a constant voltage Flyback converter.

Abstract: A lower-cost and more precise control methodology of regulating the output current of a Flyback converter from the primary side is provided, which works accurately in both continuous current mode (CCM) and discontinuous mode (DCM), and can be applied to most small, medium and high power applications such cell phone chargers, power management in desktop computers and networking equipment, and, generally, to a wide spectrum of power management applications. Two highly integrated semiconductor chips based on this control methodology are also described that require very few components to build a constant current Flyback converter.