Abstract: According to example configurations herein, a controller is operated in a control mode (such as a high-speed control mode) in which the controller controls multiple phases in the power supply to produce an output voltage. The output voltage produced by the controller supplies current to power a dynamic load. While in the (high-speed current balance) control mode, the controller: i) produces, for each of the multiple phases, a respective current value representative of an estimated amount of current supplied by that phase to the dynamic load; and ii) modifies an order of activating the phases based on magnitudes of respective estimated current values produced for the multiple phases.

Abstract: Provided is an electric device, including: a secondary battery; and a power supply circuit for dropping an input voltage which is input from the secondary battery to an output voltage and outputting the output voltage to a load, in which the output voltage is stepwise dropped in accordance with the drop of the input voltage.

Abstract: Embodiments of circuitry, which includes power supply switching circuitry and a first inductive element, are disclosed. The power supply switching circuitry has a first switching output and a second switching output. The first inductive element is coupled between the first switching output and a power supply output. The power supply switching circuitry operates in one of a first operating mode and a second operating mode. During the first operating mode, the first switching output is voltage compatible with the second switching output. During the second operating mode, the first switching output is allowed to be voltage incompatible with the second switching output.

Abstract: A composite semiconductor switching device includes: a first semiconductor element that incurs switching losses when performing switching operation of turning on and off; a second semiconductor element that is parallelly connected to the first semiconductor element and incurs switching losses larger than the first semiconductor element when performing switching operations of turning on and off; and a controller that operates in order of giving a first on-command signal to the first semiconductor element, giving a second on-command signal to the second semiconductor element, deactivating the first on-command signal, giving a third on-command signal to the first semiconductor element, and deactivating the second on-command signal.

Abstract: A multimode battery charger circuit supporting switch mode and linear mode charging operations. In various embodiments, the multimode battery charging circuit includes mode control circuitry, a linear gate driver, a pulse width modulation (PWM) control circuit, a programmable constant current control loop circuit, and a programmable constant voltage control loop circuit. In operation, the mode control circuitry receives a charge mode indication signal corresponding to a desired charge mode. Based on this signal, the mode control circuitry enables either the linear gate driver or PWM control circuit to provide control signals to output transistors coupled between an adapter power port and a battery pack, thereby supporting a plurality of charging modes. In some embodiments, one or more of the output transistors are formed on a common substrate with the multimode battery charger circuit.

Abstract: A regulated, power supply system is described using multiphase DC-DC converters with dynamic fast-turnon, slow-turnoff phase shedding, early phase turn-on, and both load-voltage and drive-transistor feedback to pulsewidth modulators to provide fast response to load transients. In an embodiment, a system master can automatically determine whether all, or only some, slave phase units are fully populated. The programmable system includes fault detection with current and voltage sensing, telemetry capability, and automatic shutdown capability. In an embodiment, these are buck-type converters with or without coupled inductors, however some of the embodiments illustrated include boost configurations.

Abstract: A power converter circuit includes a synchronization circuit configured to generate at least one synchronization signal. A series circuit includes a number of converter units configured to output an overall output current. At least one of the converter units generates an output current such that at least one of a frequency and a phase of the generated output current is dependent on the synchronization signal.

Abstract: A time signal generating circuit and a time signal generating method are provided. The time signal generating method includes following steps: getting a first phase signal and a second phase signal, wherein the first phase signal is related to a first phase current and the second phase signal is related to a second phase current; sampling and holding the first phase signal to generate a first signal and sampling and holding the second phase signal to generate a second signal; using an error amplifier to generate a balance signal according to the first signal and the second signal; and generating a time signal according to the balance signal. The present invention is capable of avoiding the imbalance of each phase current caused by the offset values between different elements in conventional technology.

Abstract: A DCDC converter includes a controller, an up/down counter, a first power stage and a second power stage. The controller generates an up/down control signal. The up/down counter generates a first power stage control signal and a second power stage control signal based on the up/down control signal. The first power stage generates a first output current at a first phase and at a first voltage based on the first power stage control signal. The second power stage generates a second output current at a second phase based on the second power stage control signal. The up/down counter modifies the first power stage control signal to control the first power stage such that the first output current attenuates from a first power stage output to a secondary first power stage output. The controller can further output a control signal to modify the first voltage of the first power stage.

Abstract: To provide power to an electronic device, converter circuits include a first converter circuit having an input connected to a first power source, and a second converter circuit having an input connected to a second, different power source. A controller determines whether an overload condition of the first power source exists. In response to determining that the overload condition exists, the first and second converter circuits are activated.

Abstract: A high efficiency solar power system combining photovoltaic sources of power (1) can be converted by a base phase DC-DC photovoltaic converter (6) and an altered phase DC-DC photovoltaic converter (8) that have outputs combined through low energy storage combiner circuitry (9). The converters can be synchronously controlled through a synchronous phase control (11) that synchronously operates switches to provide a conversion combined photovoltaic DC output (10). Converters can be provided for individual source conversion or phased operational modes, the latter presenting a combined low photovoltaic energy storage DC-DC photovoltaic converter (15) at string or individual panel levels.

Abstract: Embodiments of circuitry, which includes power supply switching circuitry and a first inductive element, are disclosed. The power supply switching circuitry has a first switching output and a second switching output. The first inductive element is coupled between the first switching output and a power supply output. The power supply switching circuitry operates in one of a first operating mode and a second operating mode. During the first operating mode, the first switching output is voltage compatible with the second switching output. During the second operating mode, the first switching output is allowed to be voltage incompatible with the second switching output.

Abstract: An apparatus may be provided. The apparatus may comprise a first circuit portion, a second circuit portion, and a third circuit portion. The first circuit portion may comprise a voltage supply having an input voltage level (Vin) and a first switch. The second circuit portion may comprise a plurality of parallel paths. The third circuit portion may comprise a second switch and a third switch. The plurality of parallel paths may supply a portion of the input voltage level when the first switch is open, the second switch is closed, and the third switch is open.

Abstract: A system and method for adaptive activity management of on-chip voltage regulators based upon the workload information is provided to force each on-chip regulator to operate in its most power-efficient load current. In the proposed regulator-gating technique, regulators are adaptively turned ON when the current demand is high and turned OFF when the current demand is low to improve the voltage conversion efficiency. With the proposed regulator-gating system and method, the overall voltage conversion efficiency from the battery or off-chip power supply to the output of the on-chip voltage regulators experiences an approximately 3 times improvement over the prior art techniques.

Abstract: A voltage regulator and/or associated circuitry provides an indication of average current consumed or drawn by a load, level and magnitude of transient events, and regulation efficiency. A dynamic voltage and frequency scaling governor makes use of the indication of average current consumed or drawn by the load, level and magnitude of transient events, and regulation efficiency to help optimize operation of the load, with respect to power and/or performance.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a power circuit includes an input terminal 1 to which a DC input voltage is applied, an output terminal 2, a first DC/DC converter which receives the DC input voltage and supplies a first phase output current to the output terminal 2, a second DC/DC converter which supplies an output current lower than the first phase output current to the output terminal in a second phase which is different from the first phase, and a controller which controls operations of the first and second DC/DC converters.

Abstract: Providing a fast current sensor direct feedback path to a modulator for controlling switching of a switched power converter in addition to an integrating feedback path which monitors average current for control of a modulator provides fast dynamic response consistent with system stability and average current mode control. Feedback of output voltage for voltage regulation can be combined with current information in the integrating feedback path to limit bandwidth of the voltage feedback signal.

Abstract: A power monitor and management system includes an automatic modulation device, a monitoring device, multiple modules and an LAN (local area network) connected to the monitoring device and the modules to enable the monitoring device to communicate with the modules. The automatic modulation device determines a dominating module in according to registration sequences of the modules and subordinating modules and to modulate power of the dominating module and the subordinating modules as well as the overall power output in accordance with number of the modules.

Abstract: A voltage regulator, having a control element, having a current feedback circuit, having a negative voltage feedback circuit, having a component for switching between a first mode as a switching regulator and a second mode as a linear regulator and for generating a digital control signal for triggering the control element in the first mode as a switching regulator based on a sum variable, and for generating a linear control signal for triggering the control element in the second mode as a linear regulator based on the sum variable, whereby in the first mode as a switching regulator and in the second mode as a linear regulator, a first output of the current feedback circuit and a second output of the negative voltage feedback circuit are coupled to form the sum variable.

Abstract: A power supply unit includes two or more power converters. Each power converter provides power at a corresponding output terminal of the power supply unit. The power supply unit also includes a controller to determine an operating mode of the power supply unit. When the power supply unit is operating in one mode, the controller disables transmission of power at one output terminal in response to detecting a fault associated with another output terminal.

Abstract: A power circuit combination includes a series capacitor buck converter including a first half-bridge including a first high side power switch (HSA), first low side power switch (LSA) and a second half-bridge. A transfer capacitor (Ct) is connected in series with HSA and LSA, and between the first and second half-bridges. An adaptive HS driver circuit has an output coupled to a gate of HSA and includes a power supply circuit including a summing circuitry that dynamically outputs a variable power supply level (VGX) based on a fixed voltage and a voltage across Ct, a buffer driver, and a boost capacitor (CA) across the buffer driver. VGX is coupled to a positive terminal of CA. The power supply circuit is configured so that as a voltage across Ct varies, VGX adjusts so that a voltage across CA is changed less than a change in voltage across Ct.

Abstract: Operating a DC-DC converter on a chip that includes: micro-power-switching phases and magnetic material, each phase including: a high-side and low-side switch with control inputs for activating the switch, and an output node; where: the output node of each phase extrudes through the magnetic material to form, in each phase, a toroidal inductor with a single loop coil, and to form, for the plurality of phases, a directly coupled inductor; the output node of each micro-power-switching phase is coupled to a filter and a load; each high-side switch is configured, when activated, to couple a voltage source to the phase's single loop coil; and the low-side switch of each phase is configured, when activated, to couple the phase's single loop coil to a ground voltage and the switches are alternatively activated where no two switches of any phase are activated at the same time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling electric power supplied to one or more electrical devices from a power source are disclosed. Measurements of the supplied electricity are detected. Estimated deviant voltage levels that the supplied electricity will not drop below or exceed as a result of varying electrical consumption by the one or more electrical devices is computed based on a predetermined confidence level and the detected measurements. A voltage level output of the electricity supplied to the electrical device is adjusted based on the computed deviant voltage level.

Abstract: A system for minimizing damage based on excess current or voltage is described in which a connection between an AC power supply and a smoothing circuit is interrupted. The system may include capacitors and relays located between the AC power supply and a rectifier. By determining that a voltage or current is greater than a threshold level, the relay or relays may be opened. For instance, the increased voltage or current may be due to a failure of one or the capacitors, resulting in a short circuit across the capacitor. By opening the relay or relays, damage due to the excess current or voltage may be prevented from damaging downstream components.

Abstract: A system includes a voltage converter configured to provide a first output voltage at a first output terminal, wherein the first output voltage is from a first group comprising a first high regulation voltage, a first low regulation voltage, and a battery voltage. A first plurality of circuits has power supply terminals coupled to the first output terminal. A power control circuit uses information about operational states of the plurality of circuits to direct the voltage converter to provide the first output voltage from the first group appropriate for the operational states of the first plurality of circuits.

Abstract: In a DC-DC converter control apparatus, it is configured to have a current sensor for detecting a current flowing through a positive electrode wire connecting the second common terminal with the positive electrode terminal of the high-voltage port and to control operations of the first and second switching elements based on the current detected by the current sensor. With this, it becomes possible to accurately detect the current of the windings and appropriately control the operation of the switching elements based on the detected currents without increasing the transformer in size.

Abstract: A charging apparatus and an electric vehicle including the same are disclosed. The charging apparatus includes a rectifier to rectify input alternating current (AC) power in a charging mode, an interleaved buck-boost converter to convert the rectified power into direct current (DC) power to supply the converted DC power to a battery, the interleaved buck-boost converter including a plurality of buck-boost converters, and a converter controller to control the interleaved buck-boost converter, wherein a first buck-boost converter of the interleaved buck-boost converter includes a first buck switching element connected to the rectifier, a first boost switching element, an inductor connected between the first buck switching element and the first boost switching element, a first diode connected in parallel between the first buck switching element and the inductor, and a second diode connected between the first boost switching element and an output of the interleaved buck-boost converter.

Abstract: A mode controller shifts, along with increase in an electric power in first and second of chopper circuits and, operation modes of the first and the second of the chopper circuits from a first mode to a third mode via a second mode. An operation controller causes, in the first mode, the first of chopper circuit to perform an chopping operation, and the second of chopper circuit to suspend the chopping operation, in the second mode, causes the first and the second of chopper circuits to alternatively perform the chopping operations, and in the third mode causes both of the first and the second of chopper circuits to perform the chopping operations.

Abstract: Manufacturing a DC-DC converter on a chip includes: providing a die having a p-type top side and an n-type bottom side; removing an interior portion, creating a hole; flipping the interior portion; inserting the interior portion into the hole; fabricating high-side switch cells in the interior portion's top side and low-side switch cells in the exterior portion's top side; sputtering a magnetic material on the entire top side; burrowing tunnels into the magnetic material; and applying conductive material on the magnetic material and within the tunnels, electrically coupling pairs of high-side and low-side switches, with each pair forming a micro-power-switching phase, where the conductive material forms an output node of the phase, and the conductive material in the burrowed tunnels forms, in each phase, a torodial inductor with a single loop coil and, for the plurality of phases, a directly coupled inductor.

Abstract: A converter for supplying a regulated voltage from an input to a load is disclosed. The converter supplies a regulated DC voltage from an input to a load using a power switch driven by a gate driver. It also includes a control loop for carrying a load condition signal and a control signal. The converter also includes a controller located on the control loop that generates the control signal based on the load signal. The controller is located on a first integrated circuit. The gate driver is located on a second integrated circuit. The load condition signal is encoded on the first integrated circuit and is decoded on the second integrated circuit.

Abstract: A switching regulator or other apparatus or techniques can include load current monitoring to provide a digital representation of an estimated load current. Load current monitoring can be performed by a circuit including a counter circuit, a comparator circuit, and a digitally-controlled source coupled to the counter circuit and configured to adjust a bias condition of a sensing device in response to a count provided by the counter circuit in order to establish a proportional relationship between a current conducted by the sensing device and a corresponding current conducted by a power switching device. The counter circuit is configured to increment and decrement the count in response to information provided by the comparator output and the count is generally indicative of the estimated load current, such as an average load current.

Abstract: There is provided a multiphase switching power supply circuit in which an input terminal receives an input voltage, an output terminal outputs an output voltage, first to an Nth power stages each include an inductor having one end connected to the output terminal; a high-side switch that connects another end of the inductor to the input terminal; and a low-side switch that connects the other end of the inductor to a reference voltage, a switch signal controller supplies first to an Nth control signals to the first to Nth power stages, the first to Nth control signals complementarily turning on and off their corresponding high-side switches and low-side switches at a frequency fs, and a switch signal controller determines phases of the first to Nth control signals according to a ration between inductance values of the inductors included in the first to Nth power stages.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for regulating a voltage at a load. A target current is obtained and a number of regulator phases needed to provide the target current to a load is computed based on an efficiency characteristic of the regulator phases. The regulator phases are configured to provide the target current to the load. A multi-phase electric power conversion device comprises at least two regulator phases and a multi-phase control unit. The multi-phase control unit is configured to obtain the target current, compute the number of the regulator phases needed to provide the target current to the load based on the efficiency characteristic of the regulator phases, and configure the regulator phases to provide the target current to the load.

Abstract: A cycle modulation circuit for limiting voltage peak value of a power supply employed an active clamp. The power supply receives an input power which is modulated through a power driving unit to become a driving power transformed through a transformer to be output. The cycle modulation circuit includes a comparison unit and a linear voltage generation unit. The comparison unit receives the input power to generate a level signal which is used as a base value to compare level with an oscillation signal generated by the linear voltage generation unit, thereby to modulate and output a pulse width limit signal with a composite cycle consisting of a high level and a low level. The pulse width limit signal is input to the power driving unit to limit the peak value of the driving power modulated by the power driving unit.

Abstract: A system includes a constant input current filter configured to draw a constant input current from a power source and to generate a variable output current. The constant input current filter includes a capacitor, a boost converter, and a buck converter. The boost converter is configured to receive at least a portion of the input current and to charge the capacitor using at least the portion of the input current during first time periods associated with operation of a load. The buck converter is configured to discharge the capacitor and to provide an additional current as part of the output current during second time periods associated with operation of the load. The load could represent an electronic device having a time-varying output power characteristic, such as a wireless radio.

Abstract: The present invention realizes stabler output voltage variable control in a power supply unit. A power supply unit capable of changing dynamic output voltage has: a first regulator for dropping down voltage, by a switching method and outputting the resultant voltage to a first node; and a second regulator for dropping down the input voltage by a voltage drop and outputting the resultant voltage to the first node. In the case where a target voltage instructed by first information is larger than a predetermined threshold voltage, the power supply unit controls so that the voltage of the first node becomes the target voltage and stops supply of voltage from the second regulator. In the case where the target voltage is smaller than the predetermined threshold voltage, the power supply unit controls the second regulator so that the voltage of the first node becomes the target voltage and stops output of voltage from the first regulator.

Abstract: A charging circuit includes first and second input terminals connecting the circuit to first and second supply terminals, respectively, of a DC power source, first and second output terminals providing an output voltage to a load to be charged, a first switch between the first and second input terminals, a current sensor between the first input terminal and the first output terminal in series with the first switch, a connecting element having first and second inductance connectors for connecting an inductance, the first inductance connector connected to the switch and the second inductance connector connected to the first output terminal, and a diode element connected to the first inductance connector and the second output terminal. The first switch and the current sensor are arranged to be connected to a control circuit arranged for controlling operation of the first switch in response to a signal received from the current sensor.

Abstract: A connection apparatus for controlling the supply of electrical power to a load, the connection apparatus comprising first and second electrically controllable devices connected in parallel to each other and in series with the load; wherein the first and second electrically controllable devices are dissimilar, and where a safe operating area product of voltage, current and safe operating area time for the first device is greater than the product of voltage, current and the same safe operating area time for the second device, and an on state resistance for the second device is less than an on state resistance for the first device, and where a controller is provided to use the first device for a first period of time to power up the load, and thereafter the second device is used to maintain power to the load.

Abstract: A resonant converter apparatus includes a plurality of resonant converters connected in parallel, and a control module outputting a pulse width modulation (PWM) control signal to the resonant converters. The control module includes a voltage control loop and a circuit control loop. The voltage control loop compares the sensed output voltage with a predetermined reference voltage, and outputs a PWM control signal to one of the resonant converters so the output voltage of the one converter is equal to the predetermined reference voltage. The current control loop uses the sensed output current of the one converter as a reference current, compares the reference current with the sensed output current from each of the other resonant converters, generates a frequency adjusting variable, and calculates the individual PWM control signal for each of the other converters so the output currents of the plurality of converters are the same.

Abstract: A power converter including a multi-phase output stage, a comparator, and a time calculating unit is disclosed. The multi-phase output stage includes a plurality of channels. The comparator compares a first input signal with a second input signal to provide a setting signal. The time calculating unit adjusts on time duty cycles of the channels with the variation of the load according to the setting signal. When the load becomes larger, the frequency that the comparator provides the setting signal will be increased to cause that the on time duty cycles of the channels are overlapped.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques by which power demand requests from an electronic component are synchronized by a power manager within the electronic component with control algorithms internally used by a power supply to deliver power. Timing characteristics from an internal control signal for the power supply, such as a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal, may be provided to one or more electronic components that receive power from the power supply. A power manager within an electronic component may synchronize the timing of power change requests based on timing characteristics of the control signal. This may reduce the energy and time needed to respond to dynamic load changes required by the electronic component. The faster response time may allow larger power changes from the electronic component to be processed.

Abstract: A multi-phase switching converter comprising a plurality of switching circuits, a comparing circuit and a control circuit. The comparing circuit generates a comparison signal based on a reference signal and the output voltage of the multi-phase switching converter. The control circuit can turn on the following switching circuit based on the comparison signal only after the time from the current switching circuit being turned on reaches a first time threshold or the off-time of the current switching circuit reaches a second time threshold, wherein the first time threshold is longer than the second time threshold.

Abstract: The invention proposes a voltage regulating device having a switch in an electrical circuit between a first node (30, 140) and a second node (40, 130), comprising a first field effect transistor (21, 110) and a second field effect transistor (22, 120) connected in cascade. The switch is controlled by: —setting the gate (G1,G3) of the first transistor to a first electrical potential, and, —to close the switch, setting the gate (G2, G4) of the second transistor to the first potential, or —to open the switch, setting the gate of the second transistor to the electrical potential of the second node, with the difference between the first potential and the second potential then being adapted to allow opening the first transistor and the second transistor. The switch can be used in a switched-mode power supply.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a switching element which has a control terminal and is driven by controlling voltage of the control terminal, a driving power supply circuit which supplies voltage required for driving the switching element, an on-driving circuit which is connected to the driving power supply circuit and the control terminal of the switching element and is supplied with voltage from the driving power supply circuit, and which applies a constant current to the control terminal of the switching element to charge the control terminal, thereby turning on the switching element, and at least one diode which is connected between the on-driving circuit and the control terminal of the switching element. The on-driving circuit applies a constant current to the control terminal of the switching element through the diode.

Abstract: The multi-channel power supply comprises a first channel, a second channel, a current sensing module, a current average control circuit, and a modulator. The first channel and the second channel respectively transform an input voltage into an output voltage according to a first pulse width modulation (PWM) signal and a second PWM signal. The current sensing module respectively sense a first channel current and a second channel current to output a first sensing current and a second sensing current. The current average control circuit generates a first error current and a second error current according to the first sensing current and the second sensing current and an average current thereof. The modulator generates the first PWM signal and the second PWM signal according to the first error current, the second error current and the output voltage.

Abstract: A matrix converter includes a power converter, a command generator, and a commutation controller. The power converter includes bidirectional switches each having a conducting direction controllable by switching elements. The bidirectional switches are disposed between input terminals coupled to phases of an AC power source and output terminals coupled to phases of a load. The command generator generates a control command based on a voltage command specifying a pulse width of pulse width modulation control. The commutation controller controls the switching elements by a commutation method based on the control command so as to perform commutation control. The command generator includes a corrector to, when an error in an output voltage is caused by the commutation control, correct the pulse width specified in the voltage command in generating the control command to reduce the error in the output voltage.

Abstract: A matrix converter includes a power converter, a control information generator, a commutation controller, a storage, and an error compensator. The power converter includes bidirectional switches each having a conducting direction controllable by switching elements. The bidirectional switches are disposed between input terminals and output terminals. The input terminals are respectively coupled to phases of an AC power source. The output terminals are respectively coupled to phases of a load. The control information generator generates control information to control the bidirectional switches. The commutation controller controls each of the switching elements based on the control information so as to perform commutation control. The storage stores setting information of at least one of a method of the commutation control and a modulation method of power conversion. The error compensator compensates for an output voltage error based on the setting information.

Abstract: Pulse width modulation controller apparatus and techniques are presented for balancing output currents of DC-DC converter stages in a multi-stage DC-DC conversion system in which a reference current is provided according to an input voltage and the value of a connected resistor, and a correction current output signal is generated that represents the difference between an average converter stage load current and the local load current, with the on-time of the PWM output signal being generated by charging a capacitance using a charging current obtained by offsetting the reference current output signal with the correction current output signal.

Abstract: A multi-phase DC-DC power converter is provided, which includes a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller and a plurality of output stage circuits. The plurality of output stage circuits converts an input voltage into an output voltage. The PWM controller includes a feedback circuit and a PWM generation module. The feedback circuit outputs a trigger signal according to the output voltage and a ramp signal. The PWM generation module at least generates a first PWM signal and a second PWM signal. In addition, a waveform of the first PWM signal partially overlaps a waveform of the second PWM signal at a logic high level.

Abstract: Provided is a converter control device which detects an on-failure of an auxiliary switch constituting an auxiliary circuit of a soft switching converter and can prevent element failures. A current sensor for detecting the current flowing in a coil is provided between a fuel cell and the. A controller sequentially detects current by use of the current sensor and makes a judgment as to whether or not the detected current has exceeded an overcurrent threshold value stored in a memory (not shown). When the controller judges that the current has exceeded the overcurrent threshold value, the controller judges that a second switching element has an on-failure, and performs a fail-safe operation by stopping the driving of a converter (for example, a U-phase converter) of an auxiliary circuit provided with this second switching element.