With Plural Condition Sensing Patents (Class 323/285)
  • Publication number: 20140159694
    Abstract: A control circuit (24) includes a calculation means (28) which determines ON time and OFF time of a main switching element (14) and a drive pulse generating means (30) which generates drive pulses that turn the main switching element (14) ON and OFF. A control function formula which prescribes a relationship between an output voltage (Vo) and an output differential value (Vd) by a negative linear function and the like is defined in the calculation means (28). The calculation means (28) samples an input voltage signal (Vi) and an output voltage signal (Vo) at a timing synchronized with a switching cycle of the main switching element (14), and calculates the ON time and OFF time of the main switching element (14) thereafter so as to satisfy the control function formula. The drive pulse generating means (30) generates drive pulses (V14) which turn the main switching element (14) ON and OFF on the basis of the ON and OFF time determined by the calculation means (28).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: COSEL CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Usuda, Yoshiki Matsuo
  • Publication number: 20140159693
    Abstract: A step-down switching mode power supply having: a Buck converter configured to provide power to a load, wherein the Buck converter has a power switch and an energy storage component; a current sense circuit coupled to the power switch to generate a current sense signal; a square circuit configured to generate a first multiply signal indicating the squared value of the input voltage; a multiply circuit configured to generate a product signal based on the first multiply signal and a second multiply signal; a current comparison circuit configured to generate a current comparison signal based on the current sense signal and the product signal; and a logic circuit configured to control the power switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: CHENGDU MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naixing Kuang, Bo Yu, Jiaqi Yu, Qiaoan Zuo
  • Patent number: 8749209
    Abstract: System and method for adaptively altering a power supply's dead time. A method comprises detecting a start of a dead time, detecting an ending condition of the dead time, and ending the dead time. The detecting of the ending condition is based on a first current flowing through a lower portion of the power supply or a second current flowing through a gate driver of a lower switching element in the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventor: Martin Feldtkeller
  • Patent number: 8749208
    Abstract: A power conversion circuit comprising a voltage estimation circuit, a current estimation circuit, and a pulse width modulation circuit. The voltage estimation circuit is configured to receive a voltage corresponding to an input of an inductor of the power conversion circuit and generate an estimate of an output voltage of the power conversion circuit based on the voltage. The current estimation circuit is configured to receive a current corresponding to a switch connected in series with the inductor and generate an estimate of an output current of the power conversion circuit based on the current. The pulse width modulation circuit is configured to produce a pulse width modulated signal based on the estimate of the output voltage and the estimate of the output current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Wanfeng Zhang, Jianqing Lin, Shaoan Dai
  • Patent number: 8749215
    Abstract: Traditionally, buck-boost switching regulators with bridge topologies have been avoided due to their inability to seamlessly transition between buck mode and boost mode. Here, however, a buck-boost switching regulator with a bridge topology has been provided, which has an improved controller. Namely, a processor (such as a digital signals processor or DSP) provides digital control for the bridge that reduces ripple current or variations in the inductor current by adjusting phase relationships between corresponding buck and boost switches in a bridge or buck-boost mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Richard K. Hester
  • Publication number: 20140152285
    Abstract: An average load current detector for a multi-mode switching converter is disclosed. The average load current detector includes a sense voltage generator that generates an average sense voltage that is proportional to an average load current delivered by the multi-mode switching converter. Also included is a duty voltage generator that generates an average duty voltage that is proportional to a duty cycle of a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal that controls switching of the multi-mode switching converter. Further included is a comparator adapted to output a detector signal that indicates an operational mode for the multi-mode switching converter to operate in for predetermined load current ranges. A controller receives the detector signal and in response maintains an efficient energy transfer from one supply voltage level to another by transitioning the multi-mode switching converter from the PWM mode to a pulse frequency modulation (PFM) mode or vice versa if necessary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Ashraf Rozek
  • Patent number: 8742743
    Abstract: A switching-control circuit to control a switching operation of a transistor, having an input electrode applied with the input voltage and an output electrode connected to a load via an inductor, to generate an output voltage of a target level from an input voltage, includes: a voltage-generating circuit to generate a slope voltage based on the output voltage in each of a switching period of the transistor, the slope voltage changing with a slope corresponding to the output voltage; an adding circuit to add the slope voltage to a reference voltage, indicating a reference of the output voltage of the target level, or a feedback voltage corresponding to the output voltage; and a drive circuit to perform the switching operation of the transistor, when a level of either one voltage, added with the slope voltage, of the reference and feedback voltages reaches a level of an other voltage thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Masao Seki
  • Patent number: 8742745
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter is provided. When a load of the DC-DC converter is too light, the DC-DC converter can raise a frequency of its PWM signal, and reduce a pulse width of the PWM signal, so as to avoid the frequency of the PWM signal falling into a frequency range that can heard by human's ear and maintain high conversion efficiency of the DC-DC converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: uPI Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventor: Hua-Chiang Huang
  • Patent number: 8742744
    Abstract: Generally, described herein are embodiments of control schemes for sensor-less operation and detection of CCM and DCM in a switching power converter. In one aspect, embodiments of a controller are described that utilize dual control loops and do not require sensing the inductor current or any current in the converter which eliminates or reduces the challenges and problems associated with current sensing. Advantages of embodiments of methods described herein become more significant when used in ultra high switching frequency converters since embodiments of the controller result in eliminating the need for high-speed low-noise current sensing circuitries, when used in on-chip integrated power converters where sensing accuracy may be a more significant issue compared to on-board power converters, and in power converters with paralleled modules since embodiments of the controller eliminate sensing circuitries in each of the modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: University of Alabama
    Inventor: Jaber A. Abu Qahouq
  • Patent number: 8742742
    Abstract: A switching-control circuit configured to keep a transistor on for a predetermined time to generate a target-level-output-voltage from an input voltage. The circuit is configured to generate, every switching period of the transistor, a slope voltage corresponding to that of a ripple voltage contained in an output voltage during a time period when the transistor is off, limit an amplitude of the slope voltage so as not to exceed a predetermined amplitude greater than the amplitude of the slope voltage when the target-level-output-voltage is generated, add the slope voltage to a reference voltage, indicating a reference of the target-level-output-voltage, or a feedback voltage corresponding to the output voltage, and keep the transistor on for a predetermined time and thereafter turn off the transistor, when a level of either one voltage, added with the slope voltage, of the reference voltage and the feedback voltage reaches a level of another voltage thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Masao Seki
  • Patent number: 8742738
    Abstract: A method and system control the adding or dropping of phases in a multiphase voltage regulator. The regulator has an efficiency and this efficiency of the regulator is calculated for a given number of phases being activated from an output voltage, input voltage, output current, and duty cycle of the regulator. The efficiency of the regulator is also calculated if a phase is added using the derivative of the duty cycle as a function of the output current. The efficiency of the regulator is further calculated if a phase is dropped using the derivative of the duty cycle as a function of the output current. From these operations of calculating, a phase is either added, dropped, or the phase is maintained at its current value to thereby optimize the efficiency of the regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Jason Houston
  • Patent number: 8743569
    Abstract: The present power supply device includes a microcomputer that detects a current input to an active filter, a voltage input to the active filter, and a voltage output from the active filter, decreases a target voltage as the input current increases, and controls an IGBT to turn on/off the IGBT to match the input current and the input voltage in phase with each other and also match the output voltage to the target voltage. Thus, as the input current increases, the target voltage is decreased. A loss caused at the IGBT can be reduced to be small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Michiho Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20140145698
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a signal generator that sets a first signal at a prescribed value when an input power supply voltage is at or lower than a prescribed voltage, a first voltage controller that generates a first voltage so that an output voltage rises gradually during a prescribed period of time, an error amplifier outputting a second signal corresponding to the voltage difference between the either the first voltage and a voltage correlated to the output voltage of the converter or a reference voltage and the voltage correlated to the output voltage, a signal processor that generates a third signal and a switch control signal for a high-side switch and a low-side switch on the basis of the first signal and the second signal, and an output voltage controller that causes the low-side switch to be turned off during a prescribed period from the start of the prescribed period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Inventors: Hiroshi SAITO, Yuichi Goto, Ichiro Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20140145635
    Abstract: Disclosed is a power converter control circuit, comprising at least a power converter circuit and a control circuit. The power converter circuit is able to boost up an input voltage into a greater driving voltage and supply it to the driven device. Moreover, the power converter circuit is also able to generate a voltage signal and a current-sense signal separately, and then combine them into a joint voltage/current-sense signal. The control circuit receives the joint voltage/current-sense signal and resolves it into an over-voltage signal and a current-sense signal with the aid of a modulation signal. The two signals are separately fed into an over-voltage protection device and an over-current protection device for comparison; the outcomes are utilized to execute the over-voltage protection and the over-current protection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: POWER FOREST TECHNOLOGY
    Inventor: KWAN-JEN CHU
  • Publication number: 20140146238
    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: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Murakami
  • Patent number: 8736246
    Abstract: A power factor control circuit has a power factor controller that determines if the power factor control circuit is operated at a continuous current mode (CCM) or a discrete current mode (DCM), and outputs PWM signals corresponding to the present current mode. A duty cycle of the PWM signals is equal to a sum of a feed-forward control parameter and a current compensation parameter. The current compensation parameter contains a difference value between a reference current and an inductor current in the power factor control circuit. Accordingly, a switching power supply circuit can acquire the PWM signals corresponding to the present current mode to effectively resolve the issue of harmonic distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Acbel Polytech Inc.
    Inventors: Chia-An Yeh, Hsiang-Yi Chen
  • Patent number: 8736245
    Abstract: A method for operating a switching power supply is provided. The method includes generating a half sine wave signal for coupling to a pulse width modulator, detecting the zero crossings of the half sine wave signal, and altering the pulse width of the supply output such that the on and off timing of the pulse width corresponds to a zero crossing of the half sine wave signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Stanley M. Granat, Fred Whitney, Jorge-Luis B. Romeu, Russell S. Trask
  • Patent number: 8736243
    Abstract: A digital circuit directs operation of a pulse width modulation or pulse frequency modulation controller varying its control between closed loop and open loop topology. An exemplary control plant could embody a step-down switch mode power supply providing a precise sequence of voltages or currents to any of a variety of loads such as the core voltage of a semiconductor unique compared to its input/output ring voltage. A state machine monitors pulse width or pulse frequency from the pulse width modulation or pulse frequency modulation controller, respectively, while either type of controller operates in its closed loop topology, to determine if the present power state of the system matches the predicted load as characterized from a predetermined model used in conjunction with design automation tools. The state machine averages pulse widths or pulse frequencies monitored in the closed loop topology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Lanery MGMT. Limited Liability Company
    Inventor: Andrew Roman Gizara
  • Patent number: 8736861
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes a power storage unit. The power storage unit includes a constant voltage generation part configured to generate a constant voltage from a commercial power supply, the constant voltage generation part being connected to an external apparatus operating by consuming power; a voltage increasing circuit configured to increase the constant voltage generated by the constant voltage generation part; a capacitor configured to store an electric charge supplied from the voltage increasing circuit; a circuit control part configured to control charging of the capacitor; and an output part configured to output power stored in the capacitor, the power having a voltage different from the constant voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Sato, Hideo Kikuchi, Masahide Nakaya
  • Patent number: 8736247
    Abstract: A power supply circuit is provided which includes a first booster to boost a power supply voltage supplied from a battery and generate a first boosted voltage, a second booster to boost the power supply voltage at a higher multiplication factor than the first booster and generate a second boosted voltage, a power supply selection circuit to output the first boosted voltage or the second boosted voltage, a first smoothing capacitor placed at an output end of the power supply selection circuit, and a second smoothing capacitor placed at an output end of the second booster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Haruhiko Hisano
  • Patent number: 8736241
    Abstract: A controller for use with a power converter including a switch configured to conduct to provide a regulated output characteristic at an output of the power converter, and method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the controller includes a linear control circuit, coupled to the output, configured to provide a first control signal for the switch as a function of the output characteristic. The controller also includes a nonlinear control circuit, coupled to the output, configured to provide a second control signal for the switch as a function of the output characteristic. The controller is configured to select one of the first and second control signals for the switch in response to a change in an operating condition of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Enpirion, Inc.
    Inventors: Pedro Alou Cervera, Jose Antonio Cobos Marquez, Ashraf W. Lotfi, Andres Soto del Pecho
  • Patent number: 8729880
    Abstract: A regulator circuit comprising an input for receiving an input voltage; an output stage, configured to switch between said input voltage and a reference voltage to generate an output voltage, in dependence on a modulated signal; a controller, configured to receive an error signal (VERROR) on a control input and to provide the modulated signal to said output stage; an error amplifier, for providing the error signal to the controller in dependence on the output voltage; and presetting circuitry, configured to estimate the error signal in dependence on at least the input voltage, and for presetting the control input with the estimated error signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Wolfson Microelectronics plc
    Inventors: Mark McCloy-Stevens, Andrew Notman
  • Patent number: 8729881
    Abstract: A voltage/current control apparatus and method are disclosed. The apparatus includes a low-side field effect transistor (FET) having a source, a gate and a drain, a high-side field effect transistor (FET) having a source, a gate and a drain, a gate driver integrated circuit (IC), a sample and hold circuit, and a comparator configured to produce a trigger signal at the output when a sum of the first and second input signals is equal to a sum of the third and fourth input signals, wherein the trigger signal is configured to trigger a beginning of a new cycle by turning the gate of the high-side FET “on” and the gate of the low-side FET “off”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Alpha & Omega Semiconductor Ltd
    Inventor: Yu Cheng Chang
  • Patent number: 8729873
    Abstract: In general, according to one embodiment, a DC-to-DC converter includes a high-side switch, a low-side switch, a diode, a high-side controller and a low-side controller. The low-side switch is connected in series with the high-side switch. The diode is connected in parallel with the low-side switch. The high-side controller has a detector for detecting a current of the high-side switch and controls the high-side switch to be turned on or off in accordance with an output of the detector. The low-side controller controls the low-side switch to be turned off when the high-side switch is ON and controls the low-side switch to be turned on or off in accordance with a peak value of the output of the detector when the high-side switch is OFF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yuichi Goto
  • Publication number: 20140132235
    Abstract: A power source management system of a circuit board that comprises: a processor, comprising a core voltage input terminal; and a core voltage feedback terminal; and a voltage regulating member, comprising a setting terminal with a fixed reference voltage provided thereto; a detecting terminal connected to the core voltage feedback terminal to detect a feedback core voltage from the core voltage feedback terminal; and a core voltage output terminal connected to the core voltage input terminal to provide a core voltage thereto, wherein the core voltage is regulated by the voltage regulating member based on the feedback core voltage, such that the feedback core voltage is equal to the fixed reference voltage, wherein an offset voltage equal to a difference between a desired core voltage of the processor and the fixed reference voltage is provided between the core voltage input terminal and the core voltage feedback terminal by the processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: NVIDIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu Zhao, Fei Wang, Xiang Sun
  • Patent number: 8723501
    Abstract: A control circuit for a switching regulator includes a clock circuit, a pulsewidth modulation (PWM) circuit, and a reduction monitor. The clock circuit provides a clock signal at a variable frequency. The PWM circuit produces a drive signal of at least a first predetermined duration once every period of the clock signal. The reduction monitor controls the clock circuit to reduce the variable frequency in response to a sense signal that indicates that at least one of a voltage and a current is outside a limit during the first predetermined duration of said drive signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Benjamin M. Rice
  • Patent number: 8723490
    Abstract: A system and method for regulating power flow and limiting inductor current in a bidirectional direct current (DC)-to-DC converter is provided. In one aspect, a feedback circuit is provided to control power flow and/or limit inductor current based on the input/output voltage and/or current conditions in the bidirectional DC-DC converter. During a boost mode of operation, the duty cycle of a low-side switch within the bidirectional DC-DC converter is reduced, based on an analysis of the high-side voltage and positive inductor current. Further, during a buck mode of operation, the duty cycle of the low-side switch is increased, based on an analysis of the low-side voltage and negative inductor current. Moreover, the duty cycle of the low-side switch is adjusted, such that, the high-side voltage, low-side voltage and inductor current (in both directions) do not exceed preset threshold and the bidirectional DC-DC converter returns to a steady state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventors: Zaki Moussaoui, Jifeng Qin, Joseph Buxton
  • Patent number: 8723500
    Abstract: A voltage regulator generates a regulated output voltage responsive to an input voltage and drive control signals. An error amplifier generates an error voltage signal responsive to the regulated output voltage and a reference voltage. A PWM modulator generates a PWM control signal responsive to the error voltage signal, a ramp voltage and an inverse of the reference voltage. Control circuitry within the PWM modulator maintains the error voltage signal applied to the PWM modulator at substantially a same DC voltage level over the reference voltage operating range and maintains the error voltage signal above a minimum value of the ramp voltage. Driver circuitry generates the drive control signals responsive to the PWM control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Jason Houston, Weihong Qiu, Emil Chen
  • Patent number: 8723499
    Abstract: A feed-forward control system for load current in a direct current (DC) to DC converter includes a current normalization module, a feed-forward generation module, and a duty cycle generation module. The current normalization module generates a normalized load current by matching a gain of a measured load current to a gain of an inductor current. The feed-forward generation module that generates a load current feed-forward (LCFF) signal based on the normalized load current. The duty cycle generation module generates a duty cycle for the DC to DC converter based on a commanded output voltage and the LCFF signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc
    Inventors: Mansur Kiadeh, Paul Latham
  • Patent number: 8723491
    Abstract: An apparatus for power conversion comprises a voltage transformation element, a regulating element, and a controller; wherein, a period of the voltage transformation element is equal to a product of a coefficient and a period of the regulating circuit, and wherein the coefficient is selected from a group consisting of a positive integer and a reciprocal of said integer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Arctic Sand Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David M. Giuliano
  • Publication number: 20140125306
    Abstract: A switching regulator includes a power stage and a controller. The power stage is operable to produce an output voltage. The controller is operable to set a duty cycle for the power stage based on feed-forward control so that the power stage produces the output voltage as a function of an input voltage and a reference voltage provided to the switching regulator. The controller is further operable to adjust the feed-forward control to counteract the effect of one or more nonlinearities of the switching regulator on the output voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES NORTH AMERICA CORP.
    Inventors: Amir Babazadeh, Benjamim Tang
  • Patent number: 8717000
    Abstract: The invention discloses a voltage regulating apparatus which includes: an output stage providing the apparatus with an output voltage and producing a partial voltage of the output voltage; an error amplifier coupled to the output stage and comparing the partial voltage with a reference to produce a first voltage; a PWM unit coupled to the error amplifier and comparing the first voltage with a voltage signal to produce second and third voltages; a selection unit coupled to the error amplifier and the PWM unit and outputting a fourth voltage equalling either the first or the second voltage; a first transistor coupled to the selection unit and receiving the fourth voltage and a DC voltage; and a second transistor coupled to the PWM unit, the first transistor, and a ground and receiving the third voltage; wherein a connection point of the first and second transistors is connected to the output stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Chih-Pao Lin, Jui-Tse Lin, Tsung-Yen Tsai
  • Patent number: 8717002
    Abstract: A constant ON-time converter is disclosed. The constant ON-time converter comprises a feedback circuit, a slope compensation circuit and a buffer circuit. The feedback signal comprises an output configured to provide a feedback signal indicating an output voltage of the constant ON-time converter. The slope compensation circuit comprises an output configured to provide a slope compensation signal. The buffer circuit is coupled between the output of the feedback circuit and the output of the slope compensation circuit to avoid the feedback signal and the output voltage of the constant ON-time converter is influenced by the slope compensation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Xiaoyu Xi
  • Patent number: 8710817
    Abstract: A power converter includes an input and an output. A regulation circuit is coupled between the power converter input and the power converter output. The regulation circuit is coupled to receive a feedback signal representative of the power converter output. The feedback signal has a first feedback state that represents a level at the power converter output that is above a threshold level and a second feedback state that represents a level at the power converter output that is below the threshold level. An oscillator is included in the regulation circuit that provides an oscillation signal that cycles between two states. The regulation circuit is coupled to be responsive to the oscillation signal and to a change between the first and second feedback states to enable or disable a flow of energy from the power converter input to the power converter output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Balu Balakrishnan, Alex B. Djenguerian, Leif O. Lund
  • Patent number: 8710877
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to detect current for an output load with an inductor. The system includes a high side power transistor a low side power transistor coupled to the high side power transistor; and a controller coupled to the high and low side power transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Adaptive Digital Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Wile, Andrew Wu
  • Patent number: 8710819
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a low offset and fast response voltage controlled current source, controlling method, and a power supply thereof. In one embodiment, a voltage controlled current source can include: a clock signal generator, a first operational amplifier, an input offset eliminator, a sampling and holding circuit, and an output circuit. The input offset eliminator can receive a clock signal, an input voltage, and a feedback voltage, and can (i) store and then eliminate an input offset of the first operation amplifier, and generate an error signal in accordance with an error between the input and feedback voltages when the clock signal is active, and (ii) generate the error signal in accordance with the stored input offset and the error between the input and feedback voltages when the clock signal is inactive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Chen
  • Patent number: 8710818
    Abstract: A power converter includes a power converting unit and a driving circuit. The power converting unit generates a DC output voltage based on a pull up driving signal, a pull down driving signal, and a DC input voltage. The driving circuit compensates for an inductor peak current, and performs in a pulse-frequency-modulation (PFM) mode and a pulse-width-modulation (PWM) mode to generate the pull-up driving signal and the pull-down driving signal based on the DC output voltage and the compensated inductor peak current. The power converter performs a mode transition between the PFM and PWM modes at a uniform load current, even when a magnitude of the DC output voltage varies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-Hyuck Yu, Dong-Jin Keum
  • Patent number: 8710813
    Abstract: A low drop-out regulator is disclosed. An unregulated DC input terminal receives an input voltage. A pass circuit is coupled between the unregulated DC input terminal and a regulated DC output terminal for supplying a power to the regulated DC output terminal. An amplifying circuit controls the pass circuit for providing a constant voltage or/and a constant current in response to an output voltage or/and an output current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: System General Corp.
    Inventors: Ta-Yung Yang, Jenn-Yu Lin
  • Patent number: 8710821
    Abstract: A method for mitigating aliasing effects in a single phase power converter and mitigating aliasing effects and inhibiting thermal run-away in a multi-phase power converter at varying load transition rates. A single phase or multi-phase power converter having an on-time is provided and the frequency of the power converter is adjusted so that a load step period and the on time of the single phase power converter are in a temporal relationship. Alternatively, a load step rate is inhibited from locking onto a phase current of the single phase power converter by suspending an oscillator signal. In accordance with another alternative, a load step rate is inhibited from locking onto a phase current of the single phase power converter by suspending an oscillator signal and dithering an input signal to the oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Ole P. Moyer, Paul Jay Harriman, Benjamin M. Rice, Christopher J. Gass, Michael A. Stapleton
  • Patent number: 8704505
    Abstract: A switching power source apparatus includes a high-side MOSFET 11 connected to an input voltage Vin, a ramp signal generator 18 to generate a ramp signal in synchronization with a switching frequency of the high-side MOSFET 11, an amplitude signal generator (second feedback controller 2) to generate an amplitude signal Comp corresponding to an amplitude of the ramp signal, and a controller 1 to control ON timing of the high-side MOSFET 11 according to the ramp signal, a feedback signal FB corresponding to an output voltage Vout, and a first reference voltage REF, as well as controlling an ON width of the high-side MOSFET 11 according to the amplitude signal Comp, the input voltage Vin, and the output voltage Vout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8704451
    Abstract: A driving circuit of a light emitting diode (LED) including an AC power, a rectifier, a power converter, a waveform sampler, and a control circuit is provided. The AC power provides an AC signal. The rectifier is coupled to the AC power and outputs a driving signal. The power converter is coupled to the rectifier. The power converter includes an LED and outputs a first signal positive correlated with a current passing through the LED. The waveform sampler is coupled between the AC power and the rectifier, and outputs a second signal directly proportional to the AC signal. The control circuit is coupled between the waveform sampler and the power converter, and outputs a control signal to the power converter according to a comparison result between the first signal and the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Excelliance MOS Corporation
    Inventor: Yung-Chen Lu
  • Patent number: 8698466
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inductive load detection circuit for detecting the presence of an inductive load on a dimmer circuit. The detection circuit provides for enhanced detection of the inductive load by detecting voltage ringing resulting from a turn-off of a switching element in the circuit. The ringing can be enhanced by providing a faster turn-off rate in an initial period than a turn-off rate in a steady state period. Also disclosed is a dimmer circuit comprising the inductive load detection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Clipsal Australia Pty Ltd
    Inventor: James Robert Vanderzon
  • Patent number: 8698473
    Abstract: A switching regulator: first switching element and second switching element; a logic unit which outputs to the load the output voltage converted from the input voltage to the constant voltage, by causing the first switching element and the second switching element to perform a switching operation; an error amplifier which outputs first signal indicating an error between the output voltage and the first reference voltage; first comparator which inputs the first signal and second signal indicating an output voltage that is proportional to load current flowing in the load, and outputs to the logic unit control signal causing the logic unit to perform the switching operation based on the first signal and the second signal; and a correction unit which is connected to an input side of the error amplifier, and corrects an input voltage of the error amplifier to reduce the input voltage to a certain value or lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventor: Takeshi Kimura
  • Patent number: 8698475
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a SMPS. The SMPS comprises an output port, configured to supply a load; a control signal generator, having an input and an output configured to provide a first control signal; a first switch configured to receive the first control signal and regulate the voltage at the output port; and a ramp signal generator, comprising an input and an output, wherein the input is configured to receive the control signal and the output is configured to provide a current signal simulating an output signal at the output port, and wherein the output of the ramp signal generator is further coupled to the input of the means for generating control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Yan Dong, Peng Xu
  • Patent number: 8698465
    Abstract: A control circuit for controlling a power supply including a first switch and a second switch coupled in series between a first potential and a second potential. The control circuit includes a detection circuit that detects a magnitude relation of a voltage value at a node between the first and second switches and a reference value during a period in which the first switch and the second switch are inactivated. The detection circuit generates a control signal corresponding to the magnitude relation. A regulation circuit regulates a switching timing of the second switch in response to the control signal to decrease a difference between the voltage value at the node and the reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Futamura, Takashi Matsumoto, Ryuta Nagai
  • Patent number: 8698471
    Abstract: Systems and methods for a digital-to-charge converter (“DQC”) are disclosed. A DQC may include a converting circuit configured to receive a first digital signal indicative of a voltage across a capacitor coupled to an output pin of the digital-to-charge converter and to determine a present charge of the capacitor based at least in part on the first digital signal. The DQC may also include an error determining circuit coupled to the converting circuit, wherein the error determining circuit is configured to receive a second digital signal indicative of a target charge via an input pin of the digital-to-charge converter and to determine a difference between the target charge and the present charge. The DQC may further include a correction circuit coupled to the error determining circuit and configured to control a programmable current source to produce an analog signal at the output pin in response to the determined difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Jefferson L. Gokingco, Stephen C. Gerber, Wayne T. Holcombe, Miroslav Svajda, Robert G. Farmer
  • Patent number: 8698472
    Abstract: An adjustable driver voltage source for a switching power supply uses a linear regulator to provide a driver voltage, and a modulator to adjust the driver voltage according to the loading change of the switching power supply. The modulator may lower the driver voltage at light load to reduce the switching loss and thereby increase the power efficiency of the switching power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Tsung-Hsi Yang, Shao-Hung Lu, Isaac Y. Chen, Wei-Haur Chan
  • Patent number: 8698476
    Abstract: A control circuit and method for a current mode controlled power converter to convert an input voltage into an output voltage, dynamically adjust the peak or the valley of a ramp signal depending on either or both of the input voltage and the output voltage. Under different conditions of the input voltage and the output voltage, the current mode controlled power converter can generate stable output voltages with an invariant inductor and an invariant compensation circuit, without sub-harmonic which otherwise may happen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Wen-Wei Chen, Kuo-Chi Liu
  • Patent number: 8692535
    Abstract: A controller operates a power supply in a discontinuous mode. While in the discontinuous mode, a monitor resource in the controller monitors current supplied by an inductor resource in the power supply to produce an output voltage to power a load. An adjustment value generator produces an adjustment value based on a magnitude of the current supplied to the load by the inductor resource. According to one configuration, the adjustment value equals the average inductor current multiplied by the load-line resistance value of the power supply. The controller produces an adjusted trigger threshold value by reducing a trigger threshold value by the adjustment value generated by the adjustment value generator. The adjusted trigger threshold value specifies a reduced threshold voltage at which the power supply controller turns ON a control switch in the power supply to increase an amount of current supplied by the inductor resource to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Venkat Sreenivas, Robert T. Carroll
  • Patent number: RE44910
    Abstract: A DC/DC converter has an output voltage and sources an output current to a load. The DC/DC converter includes an error amplifier with a reference input and a summing input. The reference input is electrically connected to a reference voltage. The summing input is electrically connected to the output voltage and the output current. The summing input is configured for adding together the output voltage and the output current. The error amplifier issues an error signal and adjusts the error signal dependent at least in part upon the output voltage and the output current. A comparator receives the error signal. The comparator has a ramp input electrically connected to a voltage ramp signal. The comparator issues an output signal that is based at least in part upon said error input. A power switch has an on condition and an off condition, and supplies dc current to the load when in the on condition. The power switch has a control input electrically connected to the comparator output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventors: Charles E. Hawkes, Michael M. Walters, Robert H. Isham