Having Output Current Feedback Patents (Class 363/21.17)
  • Patent number: 7760518
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed to detect a fault in the feedback circuit of a switching power supply while the power supply operates in a mode where the output is below its regulated value. The power supply delivers maximum power at a given switching frequency without a feedback signal while the output is below its regulated value. A fault protection circuit substantially reduces the average output power if there is no feedback signal for the duration of a fault time. When there is no feedback signal, the power supply increases the maximum output power by increasing the switching frequency before the end of the fault time to increase the output to a regulated value. The presence of a feedback signal when the output reaches a regulated value restores the original switching frequency and returns the output to its unregulated value. The absence of a feedback signal at the end of the fault time engages the fault protection circuit to substantially reduce the output power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Bäurle, William M. Polivka
  • Publication number: 20100172159
    Abstract: A multiple-output switching power supply unit includes: a voltage generating circuit Q1, Q2, T1a, 10a configured to generate a pulse voltage by intermittently interrupting a direct current power supply 1; a series resonance circuit including a current resonance capacitor Cri2, a primary winding P2 of a transformer T2, and a switching element Q3, the pulse voltage generated in the voltage generating circuit being applied to the series resonance circuit; a rectifying/smoothing circuit D2, C2 configured to rectify and smooth a voltage which is generated in a secondary winding S2 of the transformer, and thus to output a direct current output voltage; and a control circuit 11 configured to turn on and off the switching element based on the direct current output voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2008
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Yoichi Kyono
  • Publication number: 20100165673
    Abstract: A power supply having a two-way DC to DC converter has an AC to DC converter and a two-way DC to DC converter. When an AC power is input to the AC to DC converter, the AC to DC converter transforms the AC power to a middle level DC power and the two-way DC to DC converter transforms the middle level DC power to a low level DC power. When the AC power is unavailable and the two-way DC to DC converter obtains an external DC power, the two-way DC to DC converter transforms the external DC power to the middle level DC power. Therefore, if the power supply obtains the external DC power, the power supply can still output the middle level DC power even the AC power is unavailable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Shun-Te Chang, Wei-Liang Lin
  • Patent number: 7729137
    Abstract: The present invention provides a switching power supply that enables a reduction in noise without the need for an anti-noise component such as a filter circuit. A secondary current on period detecting circuit detects a first period during which a secondary current flows, the secondary current starting to flow through a secondary winding after a switching element is turned off. A secondary current on duty control circuit oscillates a clock signal set turning on the switching element so as to maintain, at a constant value, an on duty ratio of the first period to a third period made up of the first period and a second period during which the secondary current does not flow. A secondary current on duty modulating circuit applies a modulation component to the on duty ratio to periodically modulate the on duty ratio and thus the oscillation frequency of the switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Naohiko Morota, Yoshihiro Mori
  • Patent number: 7710745
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a remotely controlled power supply system that can change output polarity at a high slew rate without using switching devices. The system comprises a control circuit and two individual high voltage DC-DC converter power supply sections, one positive and one negative, connected in series. By nature of the control circuitry, either a positive or negative controllable current is produced depending upon a programmed voltage input. The two individual power supply sections are each self-oscillating single transistor circuits. The self-oscillating circuits contain an RC network tuned to provide attenuation at the second harmonic of the natural oscillating frequency of the circuit. This reduces and/or eliminates the tendency of this circuit to begin oscillation at the wrong harmonic of the natural frequency. A power-on delay circuit is used to suppress the outputs of the two power supply sections no matter the command of the input control programming signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: LHV Power Corporation
    Inventors: Eliahu Weinstein, Kenneth E. Wing
  • Patent number: 7696737
    Abstract: A power supply control circuit is disclosed. In one aspect, a power supply control circuit includes a controller to be coupled to a switch to regulate an output of a power supply in response to a feedback signal and a parameter change signal. A parameter response circuit is coupled to generate the parameter change signal in response to a difference between a first value of a parameter measured before an event and a second value of the parameter measured after the event. The difference between the first value of the parameter and the second value of the parameter is representative of the relative efficiency of the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Power Intergrations, Inc.
    Inventor: William M. Polivka
  • Patent number: 7679939
    Abstract: A control circuit for a power supply having a controllable switch for switching a current through a first transformer winding and a voltage providing circuit for providing an output voltage based on a voltage generated in a second transformer winding has a comparing unit for generating a comparison signal. The control circuit has a threshold signal modulation circuit adapted to modulate the threshold signal that the comparison signal is activated as soon as the input signal crosses a first threshold value, if the current flowing through the switch exhibits a first current slope rate, and that the comparison signal is activated as soon as the input signal crosses a second threshold value, if the current flowing through the switch exhibits a second current slope rate smaller than the first rate. For a given voltage, the first threshold is smaller than the second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Xiao Wu Gong
  • Publication number: 20100054001
    Abstract: A power converter is configured for usage in a power factor correction system. The power converter comprises a transformer with a primary winding and a secondary winding which isolates a primary side from a secondary side. A primary side switch is coupled to the primary winding. An isolator coupled to the primary side switch isolates the primary side from the secondary side and comprises a signal pathway passing a digital signal from the primary side to the secondary side. Power factor correction circuitry is coupled to the primary side switch and adjusts electric load characteristics to improve power factor toward unity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Kenneth Dyer, Sajol Ghoshal, Philip John Crawley, John Camagna
  • Patent number: 7649280
    Abstract: A power equalization circuit in a transformer-based device having a plurality of isolated voltage outputs is provided. The circuit comprises: a threshold detection circuit configured to receive an error signal derived from a selected voltage at one of the isolated voltage outputs, and to determine whether the selected voltage is above a voltage threshold based on the error signal; a timer circuit configured to activate a wait signal after a maximum voltage drift time has expired since the selected voltage rose above the voltage threshold, and to activate a wink signal coincident with the wait signal; an overdrive current source configured to drive an error current to an overdriven value in response to the wait signal; and a commutator circuit connected to a transistor winding associated with the selected isolated voltage output, the commutator being configured to connect a transformer secondary winding to ground in response to the wink signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Michael Thomas Madigan
  • Patent number: 7639517
    Abstract: System and methodology for controlling output current of switching circuitry having an input circuit and an output circuit electrically isolated from each other. A value of the output current may be determined based on input voltage, input current and reflected output voltage representing the voltage in the input circuit which corresponds to the output voltage. A switching element in the input circuit is controlled to produce the determined value of output current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Linear Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Xigen Zhou, David Roy Ng, Steven M. Pietkiewicz, Robert C. Dobkin
  • Publication number: 20090316445
    Abstract: This invention pertains to the control of high voltage power, and in particular to control of high voltage power from low voltage sources while reducing unwanted self resonance in the windings of a self oscillating flyback converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Inventors: Matthew E. Mowrer, James E. Dvorsky, James J. Lind, Stephen R. Schulte
  • Patent number: 7635957
    Abstract: A LED based lighting system (20) employs a LED load temperature sensor (40) for generating a temperature-sensing signal (TSS) indicative of an operational temperature of the LED load (10), a LED current sensor (50) for generating a current-sensing signal (CSS) indicative of a flow of the LED current (ILED) through the LED load (10), and a LED driver (30) for regulating the flow of the LED current (ILED) through the LED load (10) as a function a mixture of the current-sensing signal (CSS) and the temperature-sensing signal (TSS). The system (20) can further employ a driver disable notifier (80) and a LED driver disabler (90), or alternatively, a fuse network (100) for disabling the LED driver (30) upon a detection of a fault condition of the system (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics, N.V.
    Inventors: Ajay Tripathi, Bernd Clauberg
  • Patent number: 7605574
    Abstract: A current-mode switching regulator including at least: an inductor; a main switch for controlling the current flow through the inductor; and a feedback control circuit for operating the main switch cyclically and to vary a duty cycle of the main switch so as to substantially maintain an output voltage of the regulator at a desired level. The feedback control circuit further includes slope compensation circuitry adding slope compensation to a signal representing the inductor current prior to the slope compensated signal being compared to the fed-back output error voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Wolfson Microelectronics plc
    Inventors: David Dearn, Holger Haiplik
  • Patent number: 7583522
    Abstract: A power controller forms drive pulses that reduces audible noise under light load conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jefferson W. Hall, Christophe Basso
  • Patent number: 7577004
    Abstract: A switching regulator has an input voltage detection circuit which inputs a voltage applied to a rectifier diode 7 connected in series with the secondary side of a transformer and generates a voltage signal Vvp corresponding to the voltage, and a calculation unit which calculates a voltage value Vin inputted to the primary side of the transformer based on a voltage value of the voltage signal generated by the input voltage detection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinichiro Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20090160415
    Abstract: A power supply control circuit is disclosed. In one aspect, a power supply control circuit includes a controller to be coupled to a switch to regulate an output of a power supply in response to a feedback signal and a parameter change signal. A parameter response circuit is coupled to generate the parameter change signal in response to a difference between a first value of a parameter measured before an event and a second value of the parameter measured after the event. The difference between the first value of the parameter and the second value of the parameter is representative of the relative efficiency of the power supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: POWER INTEGRATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: William M. Polivka
  • Patent number: 7548028
    Abstract: A high conversion efficiency inverter circuit by providing the current-mode resonant type efficient in using a power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Inventor: Masakazu Ushijima
  • Patent number: 7548437
    Abstract: A switching mode power supply (SMPS) is presented to compensate for variations of maximum output power caused by variations of input power. The output power varies according to variations of input power because of a propagation delay of the SMPS. To compensate for the propagation delay, a reference voltage for turning off a switching MOS transistor is differently established depending on the input voltage. The variation of maximum output power according to the input voltage is prevented by differentiating the turned-off time of the reference voltage for turning off a main switch, such as a switching MOS transistor according to the input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-Ho Choi, Dong-Young Huh, Yong-Chul Ryu
  • Patent number: 7542308
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter is provided with a control circuit 6 which comprises a drive signal generator 11 for producing on-off signals to a control terminal of a MOS-FET 3 in synchronization with pulse signals VOSC from an oscillator 10; an intermittent controller 12 for producing a control signal VC1 to drive signal generator 11 in response to the level of detection signal from an output voltage detector 5 to convert MOS-FET 3 to the intermittent operation during the light load period; and a power control circuit 16 for ceasing power supply VCC to oscillator 10 in response to control signal VC1 from intermittent controller 12 to stop production of pulse signal VOSC from oscillator 10 for the cessation term of MOS-FET 3 during the intermittent operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomoyasu Yamada
  • Patent number: 7539028
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed to detect a fault in the feedback circuit of a switching power supply while the power supply operates in a mode where the output is below its regulated value. The power supply delivers maximum power at a given switching frequency without a feedback signal while the output is below its regulated value. A fault protection circuit substantially reduces the average output power if there is no feedback signal for the duration of a fault time. When there is no feedback signal, the power supply increases the maximum output power by increasing the switching frequency before the end of the fault time to increase the output to a regulated value. The presence of a feedback signal when the output reaches a regulated value restores the original switching frequency and returns the output to its unregulated value. The absence of a feedback signal at the end of the fault time engages the fault protection circuit to substantially reduce the output power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Bäurle, William M. Polivka
  • Patent number: 7535121
    Abstract: A high voltage power supply apparatus and a method of correcting current output from the high voltage power supply apparatus. The high voltage power supply apparatus includes a switching unit; a transformer; a pulse width modulation signal processing unit, which receives a pulse width modulation signal changed for environmental conditions, converts the received pulse width modulation signal into a direct current (DC) voltage, and outputs the converted signal as a reference signal; a drive control signal generating unit, which compares an output current signal output from the transformer with the reference signal, and outputs a drive control signal to drive the switching unit; and an output current detecting unit, which detects the output current signal. Accordingly, the magnitude of current output from the high voltage power supply apparatus can vary according to environmental conditions and the current can be uniformly output without an output error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-min Chae, Jong-hwa Cho
  • Publication number: 20090103335
    Abstract: A DC-to-DC converter having an active switch connected between a pair of DC input terminals via the primary winding of a transformer whose secondary winding is connected to a pair of DC output terminals via a rectifying and smoothing circuit. Operating under the control of an output voltage detector circuit, a switch control signal generator rapidly turns the active switch on and off so as to keep the DC output voltage constant. For overcurrent protection, a current detect resistor is connected in series with the active switch for providing an uncorrected current detect signal indicative of the current flowing through the active switch. An overcurrent protector generates, in response to a clocked ramp voltage, a correction voltage which builds up with time during each conducting period of the active switch. The correction voltage is subtracted from the uncorrected current detect signal to provide a corrected current detect signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: SANKEN ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7518889
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed to regulate an output of a power converter. One example power converter controller circuit includes a line sense input to be coupled to receive a signal representative of an input voltage of a power converter. A feedback input to be coupled to receive a feedback signal representative of an output of the power converter is also included. A drive signal generator is also included to generate a drive signal coupled to control switching of a switch to provide a regulated output parameter at the output of the power converter in response to the feedback signal. The drive signal generator is coupled to receive a plurality of inputs including the line sense input and the feedback input. The drive signal generator is coupled to latch the power converter into an off state in response to a detection of a fault condition in the power converter as detected by the plurality of inputs if the power converter input voltage is above a first threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Power Integrations, inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Bäurle, Alex B. Djenguerian, Kent Wong
  • Publication number: 20090086514
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for converting DC input power to DC output power. The apparatus comprises a plurality of parallel connected flyback circuits. A controller is coupled to the switches within the flyback circuits to provide accurate timing and automatic current balancing amongst the plurality of flyback circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: Martin Fornage, Mudhafar Hassan-Ali, Tarik H. Omar
  • Patent number: 7492619
    Abstract: System and method for providing control for switch-mode power supply. According to an embodiment, the present invention provides a system for regulating a power converter. The system comprises a signal processing component that is configured to receive a first voltage and a second voltage, to process information associated with the first voltage and the second voltage, to determine a signal based on at least information associated with the first voltage and the second voltage, and to send the signal to a switch for a power converter. The switch is regulated based on at least information associated with the signal. The signal processing component is further configured to determine the signal to be associated a first mode, if the first voltage is higher than a first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Ye, Zhen Zhu, Shifeng Zhao, Zhiliang Chen, Lieyi Fang
  • Publication number: 20090040796
    Abstract: We describe a switching power converter comprising a bipolar switching device (BJT or IGBT) switching an inductive load, and including a closed-loop control system. The control system comprises a voltage sensing system to sense a voltage on a collector terminal of the switching device and provide a voltage sense signal; a controller; and a drive modulation system coupled to an output of the controller for modulating a drive to the control terminal of said bipolar switching device responsive to a controller control signal; wherein said controller is configured to monitor changes in the sensed voltage during a period when said switching device is switched on and to control said drive modulation system to control the degree of saturation of said bipolar switching device when the device is switched on and hence improve turn-off times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: Cambridge Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Vinod A. Lalithambika, Paul Ryan, David M. Garner, Russell Jacques
  • Publication number: 20090040794
    Abstract: A boost switching converter with multiple outputs includes an inductor is connected between an input supply (typically a battery) and a node Vx. A low-side switch connects the node Vx and ground. Two or more output stages are included. Each output stage includes a high-side switch and an output capacitor. Each output stage is connected to deliver electrical current to a respective load. A control circuit is connected to drive the low-side switch and high-side switches in a repeating sequence. The inductor is first charged and then discharged into each output stage. In effect, a series of different switching converters are provided, each with a different output voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: ADVANCED ANALOGIC TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Richard K. Williams
  • Patent number: 7489529
    Abstract: A control circuit having frequency modulation is used for reducing the EMI of a power converter. A switching circuit is couple to a feedback circuit to generate a switching signal for regulating an output of the power converter. A first oscillator is equipped to determine a switching frequency of the switching signal. A second oscillator is coupled to the first oscillator to modulate the switching frequency of the switching signal for reduce the EMI of the power converter. A programmable resistor is designed to attenuate the feedback signal of the feedback circuit. The resistance of the programmable resistor is controlled by the output of the second oscillator. Therefore, the output power and the output voltage can be kept constant when the switching frequency is modulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: System General Corp.
    Inventor: Ta-yung Yang
  • Patent number: 7486528
    Abstract: A linear-predict sampling circuit is developed to generate a feedback signal by detecting a demagnetized voltage of the transformer. A switching signal is generated in response to the feedback signal for regulating the output of the power converter. A signal-generation circuit is used to generate a sample signal in response to a first signal, a second signal, and the switching signal. The first signal is correlated to a magnetized voltage of the transformer. The second signal is correlated to the demagnetized voltage of the transformer. A sample-and-hold circuit is coupled to the transformer to generate the feedback signal by sampling the demagnetized voltage of the transformer in response to the sample signal. The feedback signal is correlated to the output voltage of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: System General Corp.
    Inventor: Ta-yung Yang
  • Patent number: 7480159
    Abstract: A pulse-width-modulation control circuit of a switching-mode power converter with a primary-side feedback control is disclosed. The switching-mode power converter includes a transformer, a power switch, a current sensing resistor and the pulse-width-modulation control circuit. The transformer includes a primary-side winding, a secondary-side winding and an auxiliary winding. The pulse-width-modulation control circuit includes a sample and hold circuit, a transconductor circuit, an error amplifier and a pulse-width-modulation generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Leadtrend Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Da-Chun Wei, Yuan-Wen Chang
  • Patent number: 7477096
    Abstract: A radiation tolerant high-power DC/DC converter is disclosed. The converter does not incorporate radiation-hardened parts, but instead uses p-channel FET switches that have a negative gate threshold voltage. With exposure to radiation, the gate threshold voltage decreases, becoming more negative. Thus, the gate is still controllable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Inventor: Steven E. Summer
  • Patent number: 7471523
    Abstract: A detection circuit for detecting the demagnetizing time of a magnetic device is provided. An input circuit is coupled to the magnetic device for detecting a magnetizing voltage and a demagnetizing voltage of the magnetic device. A control circuit is coupled to the input circuit for generating a demagnetizing-time signal in response to the magnetizing voltage, the demagnetizing voltage, and a magnetizing time. The magnetizing time is correlated to the enable period of the magnetizing voltage. The demagnetizing time of the magnetic device is represented by the demagnetizing-time signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: System General Corp.
    Inventor: Ta-yung Yang
  • Patent number: 7468896
    Abstract: A drive circuit for activating a switch in a switching converter, which has output Terminals for providing an output voltage, and in which a feedback signal that varies with the output voltage is available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Xiao-Wu Gong, Huang Heng Cheong, Chan Tuck Meng
  • Publication number: 20080310192
    Abstract: A current limit signal having a multi-slope waveform is provided for a power converter that has a power switch switched to convert an input voltage to an output voltage, for output power control more preciously. The current flowing through the power switch has a maximum value being a function of a duty cycle of the power switch when the power converter operates at a constant output power condition. The current limit signal is generated according to the function, and is compared with a sensing signal produced from the current flowing through the power switch, so as to turn off the power switch if the sensing signal is not lower than the current limit signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Inventors: Pei-Lun Huang, Kuang-Ming Chang
  • Patent number: 7457138
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a multi-function signal sensor is configured to receive a signal having a plurality of states and to offset the input signal by a first amount for values of the input signal that are greater than a first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries L.L.C.
    Inventors: Senpeng Sheng, Juan Carlos Pastrana
  • Patent number: 7447049
    Abstract: This invention relates to SMPS controllers employing primary side sensing to detect a point of zero magnetic flux, at which the output voltage of the SMPS may be sampled accurately on the primary side. We describe a switch mode power supply (SMPS) controller for regulating the output voltage of an SMPS is response to a feedback signal from an auxilliary winding of a magnetic energy storage device forming part of an output circuit of the SMPS, the SMPS controller comprising: a reference level input to receive an output reference level signal; an input to receive said feedback signal, said feedback signal being responsive to a voltage on said auxilliary winding of said magnetic energy storage device; an integrator to integrate a difference between said feedback signal and a first fixed reference level signal; a first comparator to compare an output of said integrator with a second fixed reference level signal and to provide an output responsive to said comparison for regulating said SMPS output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Cambridge Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: David M. Garner, David Robert Coulson, Devarahandi Indika Mahesh de Silva, Jayaraman Kumar, Vinod A. Lalithambika
  • Patent number: 7426121
    Abstract: An output voltage detection circuit is provided for accurately detecting a secondary side output voltage based on a voltage induced to an auxiliary winding in an isolated switching power supply including a transformer having the auxiliary winding. A voltage waveform processing circuit (10-1) processes the waveform of the voltage induced to the auxiliary winding (7-3), a hold circuit (10-2) holds the voltage peak value after the processing, a secondary side current detection circuit (24) detects a period during which current passes through a secondary side winding (7-2), a correction circuit (22) performs correction to decrease the peak voltage which has been held by the hold circuit (10-2) during the period, and the corrected voltage is fed back to a control circuit (9). Meanwhile, a reset circuit (23) resets, for a fixed period after the current passes through the secondary side winding (7-2), the peak voltage having been held by the hold circuit (10-2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Hachiya
  • Patent number: 7405954
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed to regulate an output of a power converter. One example power converter controller circuit includes a line sense input to be coupled to receive a signal representative of an input voltage of a power converter. A feedback input is included and is to be coupled to receive a feedback signal representative of an output of the power converter. A drive signal generator is included and is to generate a drive signal coupled to control switching of a switch to provide a regulated output parameter at the output of the power converter in response to the feedback signal. The drive signal generator is to latch the power converter into an off state in response to a detection of a loss of regulation of a power converter output parameter if the input voltage of the power converter is above a threshold level. The drive signal generator is to be unresponsive to the signal representative of the input voltage of the power converter while the power converter output parameter is in regulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Bäurle, Alex B. Djenguerian, Kent Wong
  • Patent number: 7400064
    Abstract: A switching regulation system and control scheme efficiently enables driving multiple loads from a common energy storage element, such as an inductor. The control scheme operates to store energy in the energy storage element over a first portion of a cycle, such as by ramping up current through an inductor, according to energy requirements of the multiple loads. After storing the energy in the storage element during the first portion of the cycle, the stored energy is delivered consecutively to each of the multiple loads over a subsequent portion of the cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Siew Kuok Hoon, Norman L. Culp, Jun Chen, Franco Maloberti
  • Patent number: 7400126
    Abstract: In a DC regulated power supply realized as AC adapter or the like by a switching power supply, a reference voltage correction circuit, which estimates a voltage drop corresponding to a load current, corrects to increase an output voltage by changing a feedback reference value for regulation of the output voltage from a reference voltage source, in accordance with the load current sensed by the load current sensing circuit. Therefore, there occurs no negative effects that would be caused when output sensing wires are routed to a remote load. In addition, unlike the arrangement in which a reference-use rectifying circuit as well as a load-use rectifying circuit are provided, the arrangement of the switching power supply is not complicated. That is, in correcting a voltage drop, which occurs in power supply lines, corresponding to the load current, it is possible to easily perform a stable output voltage control unaffected by wire routing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Iwashita
  • Publication number: 20080158916
    Abstract: An inventive inverter has a semiconductor switch circuit connected to the primary winding of a transformer. The semiconductor switch circuit is respectively controlled by PWM to supply a constant current to the load connected to a secondary winding of the transformer. The inverter is capable of deliberately regulating its ac power output to the load and lowering the lower limit of the output power through control of the intermittent operation, in which an error signal for carrying out the PWM control is reduced to zero during each off-duty period. In addition, the error signal for the PWM control is slowly decreased or increased in each shift from an off-duty period to on-duty period, and vise versa, by charging or discharging the capacitor in a feedback circuit, thereby allowing slow start or slow end of the respective on-off operations for the constant current control through the PWM.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenichi FUKUMOTO
  • Patent number: 7391627
    Abstract: A power converter comprises an inductor (LP) and a controllable switch (CF) coupled to the inductor. A switch controller (1) supplies a periodic switching signal (VC1) which has a repetition time and a duty cycle to the controllable switch (CF) to generate a periodical inductor current (IL) through the inductor. A generator (2) generates an emulated signal (IE) based on timing information (TI) which represents the repetition time and the duty cycle to emulate a current signal being representative of the inductor current. A comparator (3) compares the emulated signal (IE) with the current signal (CS) to obtain an error signal (E). A generator controller (4) receives the error signal (E) to supply a control signal (VD) to the generator (2) to adapt a property of the emulated signal (IE) to become substantially equal to a property of the current signal (CS).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Johan Christiaan Halberstadt, Gerrit Van Der Horn
  • Patent number: 7382062
    Abstract: The invention finds application in the field of power supplies for valve actuators, and particularly relates to a wide voltage range stabilized switching power supply for valve actuators, of the type that comprises a filter 2, a diode bridge 3, an array of capacitors 5, an auxiliary power supply stage 6, formed by a switch mode circuit, having an operating range of 21 to 380 VDC, which generates the supply voltages required for the internal operation of the power supply, a full-bridge power stage 7, which receives an input voltage in the range of 120 VDC to 373 VDC, and generates the three stabilized output voltages required for supplying the load, and a boost stage 4, located upstream from the power stage 7, which allows to increase the voltage to a value in the range of 120 VDC to 373 VCC, whenever it is below such range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Biffi Italia S.R.L.
    Inventors: Archimede Affaticati, Giuseppe Riboli
  • Patent number: 7369418
    Abstract: A power supply with high pulse width modulation gain and low noise sensitivity has been disclosed. In one embodiment, a power supply includes a regulator circuit controlling a power switch. The regulator circuit includes a control input that receives a current, which is the sum of a consumption current of the regulator and a feedback current. The consumption current of the regulator is varied as a function of the duty cycle of the power switch. The feedback current is the current in a shunt regulator, which is control current in excess of the internal consumption of the regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventor: Balu Balakrishnan
  • Patent number: 7345895
    Abstract: System and method for protecting a power converter. The system includes a compensation system configured to receive an input signal and generate a control signal, a cycle threshold generator configured to receive the control signal and generate a cycle threshold, and a comparator configured to receive the cycle threshold and a feedback signal and generate a comparison signal. Additionally, the system includes a pulse-width-modulation generator configured to receive the comparison signal and generate a modulation signal in response to the comparison signal, and a switch configured to receive the modulation signal and control an input current for a power converter. The input current is associated with an output power for the power converter. The cycle threshold corresponds to a threshold power level for the output power. The threshold power level is constant, decreases, or increases with respect to the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhen Zhu, Jun Ye, Shifeng Zhao, Lieyi Fang, Zhiliang Chen
  • Patent number: 7339802
    Abstract: An inventive inverter has a semiconductor switch circuit connected to the primary winding of a transformer. The semiconductor switch circuit is respectively controlled by PWM to supply a constant current to the load connected to a secondary winding of the transformer. The inverter is capable of deliberately regulating its ac power output to the load and lowering the lower limit of the output power through control of the intermittent operation, in which an error signal for carrying out the PWM control is reduced to zero during each off-duty period. In addition, the error signal for the PWM control is slowly decreased or increased in each shift from an off-duty period to on-duty period, and vise versa, by charging or discharging the capacitor in a feedback circuit, thereby allowing slow start or slow end of the respective on-off operations for the constant current control through the PWM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Fukumoto
  • Publication number: 20080031018
    Abstract: A regulator for an isolated flyback power supply using primary side sensing. The regulator may include an error circuit configured to generate an error signal representative of the difference between a target value and a measured value, a sample and hold circuit, and a controller circuit. The controller circuit may be configured to cause the sample and hold circuit to sample the value of a derived signal that is derived from a connection to the primary winding at a time when the primary winding is decoupled from the energy-supplying circuit and the diode is conducting current, and to hold the sampled value at least until the diode stops conducting current. The controller circuit may also be configured to cause the held value to be the measured value used by the error circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventor: Michael G. Negrete
  • Patent number: 7298632
    Abstract: Techniques for correcting for internal resistance losses in the secondary windings of a transformer to reduce errors in output voltage from a high voltage power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: William Ross Harris, Jerry Floyd Adams
  • Patent number: 7295451
    Abstract: An arrangement for use in a switching power supply includes a power supply output line, a current sensing circuit, and a feedback circuit. The output line is operably coupled to an output winding of a transformer. The transformer has a first winding operably connected to a switching device configured to be switched in accordance with a first control signal. The current sensing circuit is operable to generate a current signal that is representative of current on the output line. The feedback circuit is operable to generate a feedback signal as a function of the current on the output line. The feedback signal has a first relationship with respect to the current when the current is below a threshold, and has a second relationship with respect to the current when the current is above the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Inventor: Donald E. Charles
  • Patent number: 7245510
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed to regulate an output of a power converter. One example power converter includes an energy transfer element coupled between an input and an output of the power converter. A switch included in the power converter is coupled to the input of the energy transfer element. The power converter also includes a controller circuit coupled to the switch. The controller circuit is also coupled to receive a feedback signal representative of the output of the power converter and coupled to receive a signal representative of the power converter input voltage. The controller circuit is coupled to control switching of the switch to provide a regulated output parameter at the output of the power converter in response to the feedback signal. The controller circuit is coupled to latch the power converter into an off state in response to a detection of a loss of regulation of a power converter output parameter if the power converter input voltage is above a threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Bäurle, Alex B. Djenguerian, Kent Wong