Switched (e.g., On-off Control) Patents (Class 323/271)
  • Patent number: 8970191
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a constant on-time or constant off-time (COT) switching regulator configured to generate an output signal. The switching regulator includes a switch that is turned on or off for a specified amount of time during each of multiple switching cycles. The apparatus also includes a modulator configured to modulate the specified amount of time that the switch is turned on or off during at least some of the switching cycles. The specified amount of time that the switch is turned on or off during each of the switching cycles could be equal to tON/OFF+?tMODF(?MOD), where tON/OFF denotes a constant amount of time, ?tMOD denotes an amplitude of the second signal, ?MOD denotes a frequency of the second signal, and F( ) denotes a modulation function. This could help to modulate switching noise over a range of frequencies and spread electro-magnetic interference generated by the switching regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Lik-Kin Wong, Issac Kuan-Chun Hsu, Tze-Kau Man
  • Patent number: 8970189
    Abstract: A voltage generation circuit supplies an internal power supply voltage to an internal circuit via an output terminal and includes a regulator, a second drive element, and a control circuit. The regulator includes a first drive element disposed between an external power supply VDD (first power supply) and an output terminal, and supplies a voltage based on a reference voltage to the output voltage by controlling the first drive element. The second drive element is disposed between the external power supply VDD and the output terminal, and supplies a voltage of the external power supply VDD to the output terminal when activated. When a voltage of the external power supply is a previously set detection voltage value or less, the control circuit activates the first and the second drive element, and when the voltage of the external power supply exceeds the detection voltage value, deactivates the second drive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Shingo Nakashima
  • Patent number: 8970190
    Abstract: A common (ground) of a low voltage regulator is connected to a virtual common (ground) of an integrated circuit device that is also connected to transistor sources but isolated from a true ground connected to the substrate of the integrated circuit device. The regulated output voltage from the low voltage regulator rises the same as the virtual ground voltage rises when back-biased sufficient to reduce leakage current to an acceptable level in a given process technology. Therefore, the output of the low voltage regulator will maintain a normal operating voltage for the logic during a power saving back-biased condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: James Muha, Tim Wilson, D C Sessions, Yong Yuenyongsgool
  • Patent number: 8970790
    Abstract: A switching power supply device has a switching controller adapted to generate an output voltage from an input voltage by turning on and off a switching device by a non-linear control method according to a comparison signal and a timer signal, a main comparator adapted to generate the comparison signal by comparing a feedback voltage based on the output voltage with a predetermined reference voltage, a timer adapted to output the timer signal as a one-shot pulse when a predetermined fixed period elapses after the switching device is turned from on to off or vice versa, and a reverse current detector adapted to detect a reverse current to the switching device to forcibly turn off the switching device. The timer and the reverse current detector are turned on at a pulse edge in the comparison signal, and are turned off on ending their respective operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Murakami
  • Patent number: 8970186
    Abstract: A voltage conversion circuit apparatus that adjusts a timing skew between the switching control of the first switching element and the switching control of the second switching element includes: a skew storage portion that stores a timing skew between the switching controls of the first and second switching elements after the voltage conversion circuit apparatus is manufactured; and a timing adjustment portion that corrects the stored timing skew and thereby adjusts the timing relation between a first pulse signal and a second pulse signal so as to bring within a permissible range the timing skew that occurs when the switching controls of the first and second switching elements are performed by using the first pulse signal and the second pulse signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kota Manabe, Takahiko Hasegawa, Tomohiko Kaneko, Khalid Hassan Hussein, Shinji Hatae
  • Publication number: 20150054478
    Abstract: An average current mode buck-boost DC to DC converter has a buck stage coupled between an input voltage source terminal and an output terminal. A boost stage is coupled between the input voltage source terminal and the output terminal. A current ramp control circuit generates a ramp signal for driving the buck and boost stages, the ramp signals being coupled to the buck and boost stages. A constant voltage related to the desired output voltage by a constant is applied directly to both a voltage control feedback loop for adjusting the output voltage and directly to an input to the current ramp control circuit, whereby the output voltage can be shifted from one voltage to another by feedforward control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Franz Prexl, Juergen Neuhaeusler
  • Publication number: 20150054477
    Abstract: Power switches with current limitation and zero Direct Current (DC) power consumption. In an embodiment, an integrated circuit includes switching circuitry coupled between a voltage supply node and a given one of a plurality of power domains, the switching circuitry configured to limit an amount of current drawn by the given power domain from the voltage supply node during a transition period, the switching circuitry further configured to consume zero DC power outside of the transition period. In another embodiment, a method includes controlling, via a switching circuit coupled between a voltage supply and an integrated circuit, an amount of current drawn by the integrated circuit from the voltage supply during a transition period; and causing the switching circuit to consume no static power during periods of time other than the transition period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Ivan Carlos Ribeiro Nascimento
  • Publication number: 20150054479
    Abstract: A step up/down switching regulator converts an input voltage of an input terminal into a predetermined setting voltage in a step up/down manner and outputs the setting voltage as an output voltage from an output terminal. The step up/down switching regulator includes a bypass mode in which the input voltage is directly bypassed to the output terminal without performing a step up/down switching, and a step up/down switching mode in which the step up/down switching is performed. The step up/down switching regulator includes a step up/down output unit, a step up/down control unit, and a mode select terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yohichi Shiwaya, Shinya Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8963520
    Abstract: A system includes a feedback module that communicates with a capacitor connected across an output of a power converter and that generates a feedback voltage indicating a pre-bias voltage across the capacitor before power is supplied to the power converter. A comparator compares the feedback voltage to a reference voltage and determines whether the pre-bias voltage across the capacitor is greater or less than a desired output voltage of the power converter when power is supplied to the power converter. A ramp generator module generates a first or second ramp if the pre-bias voltage is less or greater than the desired output voltage. A control module drives high-side and low-side switches to charge or discharge the capacitor from the pre-bias voltage to the desired output voltage based on the first or second ramp and controls the power converter after a voltage across the capacitor reaches the desired output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Salvatore Leone, Andrea Milanesi
  • Patent number: 8963519
    Abstract: A switching voltage regulator includes a comparison module configured to receive a reference voltage and a feedback voltage and to generate a comparison signal based on a difference between the reference voltage and the feedback voltage, and a control module configured to generate a gain control threshold signal based on at least one of the reference voltage and the feedback voltage. The control module may be configured to control a duration of a PWM pulse based on the at least one of the reference voltage and the feedback voltage. The feedback voltage may a regulated output voltage of the switching voltage regulator. The switching voltage regulator may be implemented in an analog or a digital manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Osvaldo Enrico Zambetti, Daniele Giorgetti
  • Patent number: 8963515
    Abstract: A current sensing circuit and the control circuit thereof and a power converter circuit. The current sensing circuit includes a sample and hold circuit (1), a rising edge detecting circuit (2), a falling edge detecting circuit (3), a timing control circuit (4), a synchronous detecting circuit (5) and a low pass filter (6). The power converter circuit uses the current sensing circuit to sense and process the current flowing through a main switch (S1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Sunsun Lighting China Co. Ltd
    Inventor: Jianning Sun
  • Patent number: 8963518
    Abstract: A system for providing power from solar cells whereby each cell or cell array is allowed to produce its maximum available power and converted by an operatively connected DC/DC converter. Each cell or cell array has its own DC/DC converter. In one form the system includes one or more solar generators wherein each solar generator has one to nine solar cells; a maximum power tracker operatively associated with each solar generator, each maximum power tracker including a buck type DC/DC converter without an output inductor, each maximum power tracker being operatively connected in series with each other; an inductor operatively connected to the series connected maximum power trackers; and means for providing electrical power from the inductor to load means, wherein each maximum power tracker is controlled so that the operatively associated solar generator operates at its maximum power point to extract maximum available power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Tigo Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Wolfs
  • Patent number: 8963517
    Abstract: A transistor includes a gate, a source, and a drain, the gate is electrically connected to the source or the drain, a first signal is input to one of the source and the drain, and an oxide semiconductor layer whose carrier concentration is 5×1014/cm3 or less is used for a channel formation layer. A capacitor includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the transistor, and a second signal which is a clock signal is input to the second electrode. A voltage of the first signal is stepped up or down to obtain a third signal which is output as an output signal through the other of the source and the drain of the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Hiroyuki Miyake, Masashi Tsubuku, Kosei Noda
  • Patent number: 8964428
    Abstract: A power conversion device according to embodiments includes a plurality of switch groups, a plurality of inductors, and a snubber circuit. The switch groups are respectively provided for input phases and each of the switch groups has a plurality of one-way switches that connects the corresponding input phase and output phases. The plurality of inductors are respectively connected between the input phases and the switch groups, and are coupled to one another so that current flowing through the one-way switch of one switch group moves to and continues to flow through the turned-on one-way switch of the other switch group when the one-way switch of the one switch group is turned off. The snubber circuit clamps a voltage based on the maximum voltage occurring on the plurality of inductors to a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventor: Katsutoshi Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20150048811
    Abstract: A switching power converter includes a converter input configured to receive a first electrical signal, and a converter output configured to supply a second electrical signal at a desired voltage. The switching power also converter includes a control circuit for controlling one or more switches to produce the desired voltage. The control circuit is configured to control the one or more switches using one of pulse-frequency modulation and pulse-width modulation, such that an oscillating signal is generated using a combination of random frequency-hopping and random phase-chopping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: Ayman Adel Fayed, Chengwu Tao
  • Publication number: 20150048810
    Abstract: A bidirectional DC-DC converter includes a series circuit of a first winding of a first reactor, a second reactor, and a first switch connected to both ends of a first DC power source, a series circuit of a second switch and a second DC power source connected to both ends of the first switch, a series circuit of a second winding of the first reactor, a third reactor, a first selector switch, and a first diode connected to both ends of a series circuit of the second reactor and the first switch, a series circuit of a second selector switch, a second diode, and the second DC power source connected to both ends of a series circuit of the first selector switch and first diode, and a controller turning on/off the switches and the selector switches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicants: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd., National University Corporation Shimane University
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Terui, Hideki ASUKE, Hideharu Takano, Masayoshi Yamamoto, Takahiro Kawashima
  • Publication number: 20150048809
    Abstract: A regulator includes a capacitor connected between a ground terminal and an output terminal at which a first voltage is supplied. The first voltage is higher than a power source voltage supplied to the regulator. A feedback circuit in the regulator is configured to output a boost signal corresponding to a comparison between the first voltage and a threshold voltage value. A clock generating circuit includes an oscillator circuit that outputs an oscillation signal and a buffer circuit that outputs a clock signal according to the oscillation signal. The clock signal has an electric current level that is controlled in accordance with the boost signal. A charge pump outputs the first voltage in accordance with the clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Takayuki TERAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 8957645
    Abstract: A method for providing non-resonant zero-voltage switching in a switching power converter. The switching power converter converts power from input power to output power during multiple periodic switching cycles. The switching power converter includes a main switch and an auxiliary capacitor adapted for connecting to the main switch, and an inductor connectible to the auxiliary capacitor. When the main switch is on, a previously charged (or previously discharged) auxiliary capacitor is connected to the main switch with auxiliary switches. The main switch is switched off with zero voltage while discharging non-resonantly (charging) the auxiliary capacitor by providing a current path to the inductor. The auxiliary capacitor is disconnected from the main switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventor: Tzachi Glovinski
  • Patent number: 8957650
    Abstract: A step-up/down DC-DC converter and switching control circuit are described. According to one implementation, a switching control circuit generates an on/off signal of a first switching device supplying a current to a voltage conversion inductor of a step-up/down DC-DC converter and a second switching device receiving the current from the inductor. The switching control circuit includes an error amplifier circuit, an inverting amplifier circuit, a waveform generator circuit, a first voltage comparator circuit, a second voltage comparator circuit, and a peak-value detector circuit. The peak-value detector circuit detects a peak value of triangle waves generated at the waveform generator circuit and supplies a voltage corresponding to the peak value to the inverting amplifier circuit as a reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keizo Kumagai, Takashi Hiroshima
  • Patent number: 8957547
    Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) includes a rectifier, a buck converter, a solar energy module, a boost converter, a controller, and a power distribution unit (PDU). The solar energy module receives solar energy and converts the solar energy to a first DC voltage. The controller compares the first DC voltage with a preset voltage, and outputs a control signal to turn the boost converter on or off. When the boost converter is turned off, the rectifier receives an AC voltage from the AC power source and converts this to a rectified DC voltage which is output to the buck converter. When the boost converter is turned on, the boost converter converts the first DC voltage to a second DC voltage. The buck converter converts the rectified DC voltage or the first DC voltage to a working DC voltage and outputs to a power supply unit through the PDU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuo-Hsiang Chang, Yu-Chi Tsai
  • Publication number: 20150042298
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a buck switching regulator including a power stage, a driver circuit and a bootstrap capacitor. The power stage includes an upper-gate switch, a lower-gate switch and an inductor. The upper-gate switch is electrically connected between an input terminal and a switching node. The lower-gate switch is electrically connected between the switching node and ground. The bootstrap capacitor is electrically connected between a boost node and the switching node, wherein the boost node is electrically connected to a voltage supply. When a voltage across the bootstrap capacitor is smaller than a reference voltage, the lower-gate switch is turned on to charge the bootstrap capacitor from the voltage supply. When the charging operation to the bootstrap capacitor has been conducted over a predetermined time period or when the current of the inductor has reached a predetermined value, the charging operation to the bootstrap capacitor is ceased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nien-Hui Kung, Chia-Hsiang Ling, Yu-Huei Lee
  • Publication number: 20150042299
    Abstract: A switching power supply system includes a switching converter, to convert an input voltage into an output voltage and to generate a switching signal; a feedback circuit, to generate a feedback signal; an error amplifier to generate an error signal; a triangle signal generator to generate a triangle signal; a constant on time control circuit to receive error signal and the triangle signal, and to generate a constant on time control signal to control power switch; in the system. The triangle signal has a DC bias based on either a soft start signal or a second reference signal. The system could perform soft start function and meanwhile keep matching between the error signal and the triangle signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventor: Lei Li
  • Publication number: 20150042297
    Abstract: A voltage converting device with a self-reference feature for an electronic system includes a differential current generating module, implemented in a Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processing for generating a differential current pair according to a converting voltage; and a voltage converting module, coupled to the differential current generating module, a first supply voltage and a second supply voltage of the electronic system for generating the converting voltage according to the differential current pair, the first supply voltage and the second supply voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: NOVATEK Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Min-Hung Hu, Pin-Han Su, Chen-Tsung Wu, Chiu-Huang Huang, Chun-Wei Huang
  • Patent number: 8953352
    Abstract: A controller (2) and a method for a DC converter (1), wherein the DC converter (1) comprises an input (E), an output (A), a connection to ground (GND), and also at least two half-bridges with two switching elements each (TR1 . . . TR4) connected in series and an inductance (L1, L2) each connected with the point connecting the two switching elements. In accordance with the invention the controller (2) is equipped to measure the current (IL1, IL2) through the inductances (L1, L2), and controls the switching elements (TR2, TR4)/(TR1, TR2) positions on the ground side/input side always with negative/positive current through the inductance (L1, L2) into an off-state. Finally a DC converter (1) connected with the controller (2) is also specified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: BRUSA Elektronik AG
    Inventor: Axel Krause
  • Publication number: 20150035839
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for providing positive and negative voltages using a single inductor. In one aspect, the apparatus includes a single inductor having a first end and a second end. The first end is coupled to a first switch and configured to connect to either a power source or a negative output node depending on the state of the first switch. The second end is coupled to a second switch and is configured to connect to either a ground potential or a positive output node depending on the state of the second switch. The apparatus further includes a controller adapted to configure the switches into one of a plurality of configurations at a time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Mems Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Didier H. Farenc, Paul Penchin Pan
  • Publication number: 20150035504
    Abstract: A Buck switching regulator includes first Buck switching regulator circuitry is operable to generate a first output voltage from an input voltage and operable to generate a first sensed voltage having a value that is proportional to an output current being provided by the first Buck switching regulator circuitry. The first Buck switching regulator circuitry receives an input current and operates at a first duty cycle determined by a duty cycle signal. Input current sensing circuitry includes second Buck switching regulator circuitry coupled to the first Buck regulator switching circuitry to receive the duty cycle signal and to receive the first sensed voltage as an input voltage to the second Buck switching regulator circuitry. The second Buck switching regulator circuitry is operable responsive to the duty cycle signal to generate a second output voltage from the first sensed voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventor: Robert L. LYLE, JR.
  • Publication number: 20150035503
    Abstract: One aspect includes power supply systems. The system includes an error amplifier system configured to generate an error voltage based on a feedback voltage of the power supply system relative to a reference voltage. The system also includes a PWM generator comprising a comparator configured to generate a PWM signal based on the error voltage and a ramp signal. The system further includes a power stage configured to generate the output voltage based on the PWM signal, the power stage comprising a transconductance amplifier configured to generate a temperature-compensated sense current associated with a magnitude of an output current associated with power stage. The ramp signal being generated based on the temperature-compensated sense current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: F. DONG TAN, Kwang M. Yi
  • Publication number: 20150035502
    Abstract: Aspects include a power supply system. The system includes an oscillator system configured to generate a clock signal at a clock node. The oscillator system includes a comparator configured to compare a first variable voltage at a first comparator node and a second variable voltage at a second comparator node. The first and second variable voltages can have respective magnitudes that are based on a state of the clock signal. The system also includes a pulse-width modulation (PWM) generator configured to generate a PWM signal based on an error voltage and the clock signal. The system further includes a power stage configured to generate an output voltage based on the PWM signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: F. Dong TAN, Kwang M. YI
  • Patent number: 8947063
    Abstract: An output voltage regulator of step-down switching power converters is described, with the regulator provided with digitally adjusted output voltage. It solves the problem of low regulation due to low error amplifier (EA) gain. This invention includes a power converter with the function of Digitally Error Correction, having Logic Control, EA, PWM comparator, Driver, power devices and passive components. A Digital Calibration Circuit whose input terminal is connected to the output voltage and output terminal is connected to the error signal. When the output voltage exceeds the tolerance range, this Digital Calibration Circuit will increase or decrease the error signal step by step, keeping the output voltage in the tolerance range. The Digital Calibration Circuit can be applied not only in nanometer scale process, but also in traditional process. For those power converters in traditional process, it is also quite promising in applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
    Inventors: Bo Zhang, Shaowei Zhen, Ping Luo, Xiaohui Zhu, Jiangkun Li
  • Patent number: 8947059
    Abstract: The invention relates to a switched-mode power supply delivering a first (VPOS) and a second (VNEG) voltage which are symmetrical. It comprises a power stage (30) comprising an inductor (L), and switches (A, B, C, D, E) controlled by control signals. It also comprises a control circuit (34), coupled to the power stage (30), that is able to produce error signals (Verr1, Verr2) as a function of the difference between a reference voltage (Vref) and the first (VPOS) and second (VNEG) voltages. The power supply comprises a synchronization circuit (38), coupled to the power stage (30) and to the control circuit (34), for generating the control signals in a manner that applies a control strategy adapted to minimize error signals, maintain a non-zero amount of energy in the inductor (L), and maintain the absolute value of the first (VPOS) and second (VNEG) voltages at substantially equal values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: ST-Ericsson SA
    Inventors: Xavier Branca, David Chesneau
  • Patent number: 8947058
    Abstract: A switching power supply device includes a switching power supply integrated circuit that includes a dead time generating unit that generates high-side and low-side drive signals having a dead time based on a PWM signal, a drive signal generating unit that generates first and second PWM signals based on the drive signals and a voltage of an output terminal, and a driver that includes high-side and low-side switch elements driven by the PWM signals; a filter that is connected to the output terminal; a first diode having a cathode connected to the source of the high-side switch element and an anode connected to the output terminal; and a second diode having a cathode connected to the source of the low-side switch element and an anode connected to the output terminal. The first and second diodes are arranged outside the switching power supply integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Dan Ozasa
  • Publication number: 20150028833
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a naturally freewheeling alternating (AC) current chopping main circuit structure. The naturally freewheeling AC chopping main circuit structure includes an AC chopping main circuit (1) and inductive load (2). The AC chopping main circuit includes a chopping switch element assembly (3), two inductance coils (L1 and L2), two diodes (D1 and D2), and a capacitor (C). The two inductance coils and the two diodes are connected to form a closed circulatory circuit while the circulatory circuit implements natural freewheeling of a chopping current in the two induction coils when the chopping switch element assembly is switched off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventor: Yalan Han
  • Publication number: 20150028830
    Abstract: A current-mode buck converter is disclosed, wherein the current-mode buck converter operates in a pulse width modulation (PWM) mode or a pulse frequency modulation (PFM) mode. When the current-mode buck converter enters into the PFM mode, the voltage level of the parking voltage is maintained at the voltage level of compensation voltage, so as to decrease switch loss of the current-mode buck converter operating between PWM mode and PFM mode, and stabilize the output voltage of the current-mode buck converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Chih-Ning CHEN
  • Publication number: 20150028832
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes switching regulator circuits and methods. In one embodiment, multiple switching regulator stages are coupled to an output. A first switching regulator stage is operated at a different frequency than a second switching regulator stage. In another embodiment, one switching regulator stage is operated at a different duty cycle. Embodiments of the present disclosure may include multiple switching regulator stages that cancel ripple at an output node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: David Christian Gerard Tournatory, Nicolas Stephane Monier
  • Publication number: 20150028829
    Abstract: A communication device, such as a smart phone, includes an envelope tracking power supply. The envelope tracking power supply is configured for direct connection to a supply voltage. The direct connection may be made without connection through an intermediate voltage regulator, such as a low drop out regulator. The supply voltage may be a relatively high battery voltage, for example, that would normally result in greater than permissible voltage limits on the transistors used in conventional envelope tracking power supplies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Debopriyo Chowdhury, Ali Afsahi
  • Publication number: 20150028834
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a DC-DC converter (DC-DC=direct current to direct current) for envelope tracking. The DC-DC converter includes a digital control stage and a driving stage. The digital control stage is configured to provide a digital control signal based on digital information describing an amplitude of a digital baseband transmit signal. The driving stage is configured to provide a supply voltage for an RF amplifier (RF=radio frequency) based on the digital control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventor: Franz Kuttner
  • Publication number: 20150028831
    Abstract: A voltage setting device has at least one multi-step voltage output, at least one power converter unit, which has at least one first power element that forms at least a part of a power converter branch, and a control unit that controls the first power element according to a first voltage step structure to provide a branch voltage. The power converter unit includes at least one second power element that, together with the first power element, forms the power converter branch and includes a group of modules, each with at least one energy storage device, a switch group and a module output. In a given control mode the control unit controls the group of modules to provide the branch voltage in cooperation with the first power element according to a second voltage step structure which is more detailed than the first voltage step structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Martin Glinka
  • Patent number: 8941367
    Abstract: A switching regulator including: a power stage having a first power switch and a second power switch coupled in series; a filter circuit having an inductor and an output capacitor; a feedback circuit configured to provide a feedback signal indicating an output voltage of the regulator; and a control circuit configured to provide a switching signal to control the ON and OFF of the first power switch so as to regulate the energy supplied to a load; wherein the control circuit has a peak current generator configured to generate a peak current signal, wherein the gain of a variation of the peak current signal between the contiguous switching cycles is less than one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yike Li, Li Xu
  • Patent number: 8941366
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes efficiency reporting circuitry having an output that is a measure of efficiency. In an example, the DC-DC converter has an input voltage, an output voltage, and a switching circuit converting the input voltage to an intermediate voltage, and the efficiency reporting circuitry determines the ratio between the output voltage and the intermediate voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Clint Wade Halsted
  • Publication number: 20150022265
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first circuit configured to generate a boost voltage, and a second circuit to control a slope of a magnitude of the boost voltage when the magnitude of the boost voltage is reduced. The first circuit is configured to generate the boost voltage having the magnitude equal to a first voltage when a control signal is in a first state, and reduce the magnitude of the boost voltage when the control signal is in a second state and the magnitude of the boost voltage is greater than a second voltage which is less than the first voltage. A method of providing a boost voltage includes controlling a slope of a magnitude of the boost voltage when the magnitude of the boost voltage is decreased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventor: Bruno MARCONE
  • Publication number: 20150022165
    Abstract: A problem of the present invention is to provide a switching power supply device and a pulse width modulation circuit capable of operating stably in synchronization with a clock signal. To solve the problem, a pulse width modulation circuit 3A in a switching power supply device 1A includes square-wave voltage output means 8A for, when an integrated voltage Vn rises to an upper threshold voltage or more, shifting a square-wave voltage VPWM to L level, or when the voltage Vn drops to a lower threshold voltage or less, shifting the voltage VPWM to H level, and clock means 6A for outputting a first clock signal VCL1 and a second clock signal VCL2, which are 180° out of phase from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventor: Terukazu Sato
  • Publication number: 20150015220
    Abstract: Mode control circuitry is disclosed for use in a buck switching voltage regulator capable of operating in a pulse width modulation (PWM) mode and a pulse frequency modulation (PFM) mode, with the regulator including an inductor having first and second opposite inductor terminals, a first transistor switch connected between the first inductor terminal and a power input terminal and a second transistor switch connected between the first inductor terminal and a circuit common. Current sensing circuitry is provided to sense inductor current through the second switching transistor when the second switching transistor is switched to an ON state and to produce a current sense signal which is integrated over time starting when the second switching transistor is switched to an ON state and to produce a sense signal. The mode switching circuitry switches between the PWM and PFM modes in response to the sense signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventor: Shu-Ing Ju
  • Publication number: 20150015219
    Abstract: A DC/DC converter comprises: inductors L provided for respective channels; switching circuits provided for the respective channels; and a controller configured to change the number of channels to be activated, i.e., K, according to an amount of a load current IOUT that flows through a load, and to control the switching circuits that correspond to the activated channels such that a feedback voltage VFB that corresponds to an output voltage VOUT matches a predetermined target voltage VREF. The controller activates only a single channel in a lightest load state. The inductance L of the inductor L provided for the aforementioned single channel is set to a value that differs from the inductances of the inductors L of the other channels so as to provide high efficiency in the lightest load state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: ROHM CO., LTD
    Inventors: Tsutomu ISHINO, Tadayuki SAKAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20150015221
    Abstract: A circuit for controlling a switching regulator is provided. The circuit includes a first input to receive a feedback signal from the switching regulator proportional to an output voltage of the switching regulator, a second input to receive a voltage reference signal, an output to be coupled to an input of the switching regulator, an error amplifier having a first input terminal coupled to the first input to receive the feedback signal, a second input terminal coupled to the second input to receive the voltage reference signal, and an output terminal coupled to the output, and a compensation network coupled between the second input and the output. The compensation network includes a series combination of a first capacitance and a first resistance coupled between the second input and a node, a second resistance coupled between the node and the output, and a second capacitance coupled to the node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventor: Robert Stephen Wrathall
  • Patent number: 8933676
    Abstract: An output power tracking control system for a thermoelectric generator (TEG) is described. The output terminal of the TEG is coupled to the input terminal of the switching voltage converter. The system also includes control circuitry including a pulse width modulator (PWM) having at least one PWM output terminal coupled to the switching control terminal of the switching voltage converter. The PWM generates pulses at the PWM output terminal having a duty cycle that varies based on a difference between a loaded output voltage of the TEG and a predetermined fraction of an unloaded open circuit voltage of the TEG, Voc. The duty cycle of the pulses is configured to maintain the loaded voltage at the output terminal of the TEG to within a tolerance range of the fraction of Voc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventor: David E. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 8933728
    Abstract: Driver circuits (1) for driving load circuits (2, 3) receive source signals from sources and provide feeding signals to the load circuits (2,3) and charging signals to capacitor circuits (21). These capacitor circuits (21) provide supporting signals to the load circuits (2, 3) in addition to the feeding signals. By providing the driver circuits (1) with control circuits (22) for controlling the supporting signals, the capacitor circuits (21) can become less bulky/costly and/or will limit the lifetime of the driver circuits (1) to a smaller extent. Further, these driver circuits (1) may get improved efficiencies. Said controlling may comprise controlling moments in time at which the supporting signals are offered to the load circuits (2, 3) or not, and/or may comprise controlling sizes of the supporting signals, and/or may be done in response to detection results from detectors (23) for detecting parameters of one or more signals. Said controlling may comprise switching via switches (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Carsten Deppe, Christian Hattrup
  • Publication number: 20150008890
    Abstract: An M-channel (M is an integer of at least two) synchronous rectification type step-down DC/DC converter is provided. A controller in the converter (i) calculates a load current on a basis of currents flowing through M inductors, (ii) dynamically changes the number K of driving phases (K is an integer of up to M) on the basis of the calculated load current, (iii) generates a pulse signal adjusted in duty ratio such that an output voltage of an output line coincides with a predetermined reference voltage, (iv) selects K drivers among M drivers, and distributes the pulse signal with a phase difference of (360/K) degrees to each of the selected K drivers, and (vi) monotonically increases an amplitude control signal indicating the amplitude of a gate driving voltage with respect to the calculated load current in a range determined in advance for each number K of driving phases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Kazuki Sasao, Kazuaki Mitsui
  • Publication number: 20150008891
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a power supply conversion apparatus, where a control unit generates a corresponding control signal according to a received high level pulse width modulation signal, to control a first PMOS transistor Q3, a second PMOS transistor Q4, and a second NMOS transistor Q2 to be turned off successively, and then to make a first NMOS transistor Q1 conducted, which makes a voltage at a second end of a bootstrap capacitor to rise from ground potential to a PVDD, so that a voltage at a first end of the bootstrap capacitor rises to a PVDD+AVDD as the voltage at the second end rises, and a gate turn-on voltage of the first NMOS transistor Q1 reaches the PVDD+AVDD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Ming LI, Jianping WANG, Caofei HENG
  • Patent number: 8928302
    Abstract: A first added signal that is acquired by adding a reference current signal that is in proportion to a current flowing through an inductance element, a slope compensation signal and a voltage difference signal that is in proportion to a difference between an input voltage and an output voltage and a second added signal that is acquired by adding the reference current signal and the slope compensation signal are compared with a difference signal of a voltage that is in proportion to the output voltage and a predetermined reference voltage, and pulse widths of driving pulse signals of a step-down switching circuit and a step-up switching circuit are controlled as a result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Toshimasa Namekawa
  • Publication number: 20150002115
    Abstract: A series-capacitor adaptively switched power conversion system includes, for example, a series-capacitor buck converter overlapping controller. The series-capacitor buck converter overlapping controller is arranged to provide reduced switching losses and improved system efficiency while the switched power conversion system is operating in a discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). While operating in the DCM, the series-capacitor buck converter overlapping controller generates precisely controlled frequency modulated waveforms that are adapted to independently drive control switches of one or more power converters. The series-capacitor buck converter overlapping controller is arranged to reduce (or eliminate) negative inductor current (and the associated conduction loss) that can be present in multiphase (two or more phases) series-capacitor buck converters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Pradeep S. Shenoy, Michael G. Amaro