Utilizing Pulse-width Modulation Patents (Class 363/21.18)
  • Patent number: 7869235
    Abstract: A flyback converter having an active snubber includes a transformer to receive input power. The transformer has a primary winding at a first side. The active snubber is coupled in parallel with two ends of the primary winding and has a first circumferential circuit coupling in parallel with the primary winding, a second circumferential circuit and a zero voltage switch unit. The second circumferential circuit is controlled by the zero voltage switch unit and incorporated with the first circumferential circuit to form double damping paths to reduce current and prevent resonance that might otherwise occur to a single circumferential circuit and the secondary side of the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: FSP Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Kuo-Fan Lin, Chien-Li Tsui
  • Patent number: 7869231
    Abstract: A synchronous rectifier is switched in accordance with a primary switch transition and a reference signal representing current in a current storage device to which the synchronous rectifier is coupled. A current emulator provides a signal representing current in the current storage device as a volt-second product so that current stored in the current storage device while the primary switch is on is discharged by the synchronous rectifier. The use of a current emulator provides an inexpensive solution for controlling synchronous rectifier transitions without resorting to more expensive current sensing solutions that are commercially impracticable. Blanking intervals are provided for avoiding false transitions of the synchronous rectifier when the primary switch turns on and after the synchronous rectifier turns off. The disclosed system and method can be applied to flyback converters for a synchronous rectifier on the secondary side of a transformer, or the inductor of buck converters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Isaac Cohen
  • Patent number: 7869771
    Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed relating to wireless transmitters, and also relating to multi-band transformers. According to an example embodiment, an apparatus may include a multi-band transformer configured to receive as an input a signal associated with a first frequency band or a signal associated with a second frequency band. The transformer may include one or more inputs and a first output and a second output. The transformer may also include one or more switches coupled to the transformer and configured to selectively output a received input signal onto the first output and/or the second output of the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Alireza Zolfaghari
  • Patent number: 7859864
    Abstract: A switching power supply device has lower correction circuit losses, and enables adjustments without affecting overcurrent limiting or other characteristics. An integrated circuit IC for power supply control generates a switching signal based on a feedback signal from a feedback circuit and a voltage signal from a current detection input terminal, and outputs the switching signal from an output terminal to a switching element. A voltage controlled oscillator is provided which, when the load is judged to be light based on the magnitude of the feedback signal, lowers the switching frequency. The correction circuit is connected between the output terminal of the integrated circuit and the signal input terminal for current detection, acts only when the switching element is on, and has the function of further lowering the switching frequency set in the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hironobu Shiroyama
  • Publication number: 20100321964
    Abstract: A power adapter including a power reducer for no-load or light load applications and method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the power adapter includes a capacitor coupled to an input of the power adapter, and a bleeder switch coupled in parallel with the capacitor. The power adapter also includes a detection circuit configured to sense an ac mains voltage at the input of the power adapter and turn on the bleeder switch upon detection of a loss of the ac mains voltage. In addition to or in lieu of, the power adapter may include a power converter, and a disconnect switch configured to disconnect the ac mains voltage from the power converter in response to a signal from a load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventors: Antony Brinlee, Aaron Jungreis, Paul Garrity
  • Publication number: 20100315844
    Abstract: A method of operating a DC-DC converter according to the current mode control is provided. A current measuring signal for determining a turn-off time of a converter switching element is supplied to a PWM controller and a voltage that is proportional to the current measuring signal is compared by a comparator to a reference voltage. When the reference voltage is exceeded, the converter switching element is turned off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventor: Daniel Portisch
  • Patent number: 7852640
    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: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Ye, Zhen Zhu, Shifeng Zhao, Zhiliang Chen, Lieyi Fang
  • Publication number: 20100295470
    Abstract: A control device for regulating the constant output current of a flyback converter, the control device adapted to control the on time period and the off time period of a primary winding switch and including a first circuit adapted to multiply a first signal representative of current flowing through the primary winding and a second signal representative of an input voltage and outputting a signal representative of the multiplication, a second circuit adapted to compare the output signal of the first circuit and a third signal representative of the direct output voltage, the control device determining, on the basis of the output signal of the second circuit, the on time period and the off time period of the switch so that the output signal of the first circuit is equal to the signal representative of the direct output signal to have the output current of the flyback converter constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS DESIGN AND APPLICATIONS S.R.O.
    Inventor: Pavel Koutensky
  • Patent number: 7839662
    Abstract: A power supply having a flyback topology includes a flyback transformer and a current sense circuit that outputs a current signal indicative of a current output by the power supply. The current sense circuit includes a current sense transformer coupled to the flyback transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: ADC DSL Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Randall L. Powers, Christopher Tad Ammann
  • Publication number: 20100290255
    Abstract: A power supply includes a transformer having a primary winding and one or more secondary windings. The power supply also includes a primary switch coupled to the primary winding, a control unit coupled to control the primary switch, and N output circuits each to provide a respective one of N output voltages. N is an integer greater than one. Each of the N output circuits also includes a feedback circuit to produce a respective feedback signal representative of the respective one of N output voltages to the control unit to regulate the respective one of N output voltages. The power supply also includes a switching arrangement coupled to the N output circuits. The switching arrangement is to selectively couple each of at least N?1 of the N output circuits to a respective one of the one or more secondary windings during a respective time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: POWER INTEGRATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Rajko Duvnjak
  • Publication number: 20100271849
    Abstract: A flyback AC/DC switching converter has a constant voltage (CV) mode. The CV mode has sub-modes. In one sub-mode (“mid output power sub-mode”), the output voltage (VOUT) of the converter is regulated using both pulse width modulation and pulse frequency modulation. Both types of modulation are used simultaneously. In a second sub-mode (“low output power sub-mode”), VOUT is regulated using pulse width modulation, but the converter switching frequency is fixed at a first frequency. By setting the first frequency at a frequency above the frequency limit of human hearing, an undesirable audible transformer humming that might otherwise occur is avoided. In some embodiments, the converter has a third sub-mode (“high output power sub-mode”), in which pulse width modulation is used but the switching frequency is fixed at a second frequency. By proper setting of the second frequency, undesirable EMI radiation and other problems that might otherwise occur are avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: Matthew A. Grant, Zhibo Tao
  • Patent number: 7817447
    Abstract: A power converter operates in continuous conduction mode and outputs a regulated output voltage. A feedback-derived signal is used to regulate the output voltage. The feedback-derived signal is sampled at multiple time points during an OFF cycle of a power switch. A current-sense signal is also sampled at one or more time points during an ON cycle of the power switch. The current-sense signal is indicative of an output inductor current of the power converter. A calibrated feedback-derived voltage is then generated based on the multiple voltage samples of the feedback-derived signal and the one or more voltage samples of the current-sense signal. The calibrated feedback-derived voltage is less sensitive to an output inductor current loop resistance than the original voltage samples of the feedback-derived signal. The calibrated feedback-derived voltage also compensates for the nonlinearity of a diode of the output inductor current loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Active-Semi, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Huynh
  • Patent number: 7808802
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein describe an isolated switched-mode power supply with its output regulated from the primary side, by generating a sensing current using a sensing element coupled to the output of the power supply, and measuring a scaled version of the sensing current which depends on the output voltage, and calculating an estimate voltage representing the output voltage, and regulating the output of the isolated switched-mode power supply based on the estimate voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Inventor: Jun Cai
  • Patent number: 7787263
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to control a digital power supply are disclosed. An example method includes controlling a power factor controller by: receiving a first current signal flowing in a first stage of the power factor controller, receiving a second current signal flowing in a second stage of the power factor controller, determining a difference between the first current signal and the second current signal, determining if the magnitude of a measured current signal is above a predetermined threshold, activating an integrator to integrate the difference when the magnitude of the measured current signal is above a predetermined threshold, and outputting a first control signal and a second control signal to the power factor controller based on the output of the integrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Eric Gregory Oettinger, Mark David Hagen
  • Patent number: 7782635
    Abstract: A DC converter comprises a single primary circuit which is coupled to each of a plurality of output circuits in respective time periods, the coupling being provided by switching in the output circuits. Each output circuit produces a respective output voltage and a respective feedback signal which is coupled as a control signal to the primary circuit during the respective time periods, so that each output voltage is regulated substantially independently of each other output voltage. The time periods for the different output circuits can be equal or different, and can be dynamically changed depending on error voltages of the output circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventor: Rajko Duvnjak
  • Patent number: 7778049
    Abstract: A switching power supply is provided which keeps constant, even when the oscillation frequency of a switching element increases, the on duty of secondary current passing through a secondary winding, thereby achieving a constant current drooping characteristic with high accuracy. To be specific, a secondary current on-period detection circuit generates a signal indicating the off timing of the secondary current, based on a flyback voltage generated on an auxiliary winding. A secondary-current detection delay time correction circuit generates a signal indicating a time when a predetermined period has elapsed since the switching element is turned off. A secondary current on-duty control circuit generates a clock signal for turning on the switching element so as to keep constant the on duty of the secondary current, based on the signal generated by the secondary current on-period detection circuit and the signal generated by the secondary-current detection delay time correction circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Naohiko Morota
  • Patent number: 7778051
    Abstract: A control circuit controls the output current of the power converter at the primary side of the transformer. The control circuit includes a current-detection circuit for generating a primary-current signal in response to the switching current of the transformer. A voltage-detection circuit is coupled to the transformer to generate a period signal and a discharge-time signal in response to the reflected voltage of the transformer. A signal-process circuit is utilized to generate a current signal in response to the primary-current signal, the period signal and the discharge-time signal. The period signal is correlated to the switching period of the switching signal of the power converter. The discharge-time signal is correlated to the duty cycle of switching current at the secondary-side of the transformer. The current signal is correlated to the output current of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: System General Corp.
    Inventor: Ta-yung Yang
  • Patent number: 7778050
    Abstract: The present invention includes a turn-off signal modulating circuit that periodically varies a turn-off timing of a switching element 2 at a preset modulation time after a current detection by a drain current detecting circuit 15, and by modulating the peak of a current flowing through the switching element 2, diffuses switching noise while preventing concentration of an oscillating frequency at a constant frequency even under a constant input voltage and a constant load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuji Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20100188874
    Abstract: AC-DC converter is provided which comprises an auxiliary winding 8c in a transformer 8, a voltage detector 21 for detecting a voltage VN appearing on auxiliary winding 8c of transformer 8 by on-off operation of a main switching element 9 in a DC-DC converter 10 to produce an output signal VCP1 when voltage VN on auxiliary winding 8c has a negative polarity, a waveform shaper 23 for generating chopping signals VRC from output signal VCP1 of voltage detector 21, and a PWM circuit 27 for comparing output voltage VRC from waveform shaper 23 and output voltage VCH from a boosting chopper 3 to supply drive signals VG1 to step-up switching element 5 in boosting chopper 3 when output voltage VRC from waveform shaper 23 exceeds output voltage VCH from boosting chopper 3. While controlling fluctuation in output voltage from boosting chopper with respect to fluctuation in AC input voltage, the converter can improve input power factor relative to AC voltage and also reduce consumption power during light load period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: SANKEN ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Sato, Mitsutaka Sato
  • Patent number: 7764519
    Abstract: Control circuit and method for controlling a switching power supply, which regulates its output voltage using pulse-width modulation (PWM) that switches on and off a main switch with a PWM signal (VCONT) at an adjusted ON-period ratio of the main switch. The control circuit includes an error signal amplifier circuit that compares the output voltage with a reference voltage and outputs an error signal VE based on the comparison. The control circuit also includes an ON-period adjusting circuit that starts generating a PWM signal (VCONT) in every cycle based on a pulse VPULSE, the period thereof being fixed, and adjusts the HIGH-period of the PWM signal (VCONT) based on the output voltage of the error signal VE. As a result, the control circuit widens the HIGH-period ratio range or the LOW-period ratio range of the PWM signal greatly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Sugahara
  • Publication number: 20100182808
    Abstract: A pseudo-resonant switching power source device is provided which comprises a primary winding 2a of a transformer 2 and a main MOS-FET 3 connected in series to a DC power source 1, a voltage-resonant capacitor 12 connected in parallel to main MOS-FET 3, a rectification smoother 4 connected to a secondary winding 2b of transformer 2 and having a rectification MOS-FET 51 and a smoothing capacitor 6, a synchronized rectification controller 52 for turning rectification MOS-FET 51 on after turning-off of main MOS-FET 3 and turning rectification MOS-FET 51 off before turning-on of main MOS-FET 3, a pulse width elongation circuit 55 for extending on-pulse width of rectification MOS-FET 51, and a main control circuit 8 for producing main drive signals to turn main MOS-FET 3 off and on with operation frequency responsive to on-pulse width of rectification MOS-FET 51 extended by pulse width elongation circuit 55 to vary operation frequency of main MOS-FET 3 so as to restrain noise by high frequency components in main d
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Sato, Mizuki Utsuno
  • Patent number: 7760520
    Abstract: A current controlled switching mode power supply is provided. A turn on/off time of a switching device is adjusted by controlling a leading edge blanking (LEB) time and an external drive current of the switching device by means of a switching controller, thus capable of preventing a switching current from being excessive due to a delay of a turn-off time of the switching device, which is caused by a circuit delay during a soft start of the switching mode power supply. Also, it is possible to prevent a switching current from being excessive due to a failure of accurately controlling a turn-off time of the switching device because of a delay caused when an output voltage (a voltage at a secondary winding of a transformer) of the switching mode power supply is designed to have a high voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyung Oun Jang, Yoo-Woong Hwang
  • Patent number: 7760519
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus and method of regulating is provided. A converter circuit includes a primary switching element and an auxiliary switching element. The auxiliary switching element is for transferring a reflected voltage signal. A transformer includes a primary and a secondary, the primary is coupled with the converter circuit. The primary and secondary each include a single winding. An output rectifier circuit is coupled with the secondary of the transformer. A resonant circuit is included in the converter circuit and is coupled with the primary. The resonant circuit includes one or more resonance capacitors that are configured for providing a transformer resonance. The transformer resonance comprises the reflected voltage signal, the capacitance of the one or more resonance capacitors and a parasitic capacitance of the transformer. The reflected voltage signal is reflected from the secondary to the primary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Telefus, Farza Bob Roobparvar
  • Patent number: 7755915
    Abstract: An exemplary power supply circuit (20) includes a first commutating and filter circuit (21), a transformer (24), a second commutating and filter circuit (25), a transistor (27), a pulse width modulation circuit (26) outputting a control signal to control operation state of the transistor, and a feedback circuit (29). An external alternating current voltage is converted into a direct current with a cooperation operating of the transistor, the first commutating and filter circuit, the transformer, and the second commutating and filter circuit. The feedback circuit feeds an operating state of the transformer back to the pulse width modulation circuit, and the pulse width modulation circuit outputs corresponding control signals to turn on or turn off the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignees: Innocom Technology (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Innolux Display Corp.
    Inventors: Huai-Zhu Yan, Tong Zhou, Hong-Bo Zhou, Kun Le
  • Publication number: 20100172160
    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: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: ON-BRIGHT ELECTRONICS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Ye, Zhen Zhu, Shifeng Zhao, Zhiliang Chen, Lieyi Fang
  • Publication number: 20100166449
    Abstract: Provided is a power supply device for an image forming apparatus, the power supply device including: a filter unit filtering alternating current (AC) power from an AC power source; and a converter generating a direct current (DC) power from the filtered AC power, wherein the filter unit includes: a capacitor connected to the AC power source; a discharge device connected to the capacitor and discharging electric charges accumulated in the capacitor; and a switching device switching connection between the capacitor and the discharge device according to a power supply mode of the power supply device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hyung-Won Hong
  • Patent number: 7746673
    Abstract: A flyback AC/DC switching converter has a constant voltage (CV) mode. The CV mode has sub-modes. In one sub-mode (“mid output power sub-mode”), the output voltage (VOUT) of the converter is regulated using both pulse width modulation and pulse frequency modulation. Both types of modulation are used simultaneously. In a second sub-mode (“low output power sub-mode”), VOUT is regulated using pulse width modulation, but the converter switching frequency is fixed at a first frequency. By setting the first frequency at a frequency above the frequency limit of human hearing, an undesirable audible transformer humming that might otherwise occur is avoided. In some embodiments, the converter has a third sub-mode (“high output power sub-mode”), in which pulse width modulation is used but the switching frequency is fixed at a second frequency. By proper setting of the second frequency, undesirable EMI radiation and other problems that might otherwise occur are avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Active-Semi, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew A. Grant, Zhibo Tao
  • Patent number: 7733673
    Abstract: A controller for use in a power supply regulator is disclosed. One controller includes a feedback circuit coupled to generate an equivalent switching frequency signal in response to a sense signal from a power supply regulator output. A comparator is coupled to compare the equivalent switching frequency signal with a reference signal. A period modulation circuit is coupled to the feedback circuit to generate a period modulation switching signal in response to the equivalent switching frequency signal. A multi-cycle modulator circuit is coupled to the output of the comparator. The multi-cycle modulator circuit is coupled to enable or disable a switch signal from the controller, which is to be coupled to a switch of the power supply regulator. A group of two or more consecutive switching cycles is separated from a next group having two or more switching cycles by a time of no switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Balu Balakrishnan, Arthur B. Odell
  • 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: 7729136
    Abstract: In an isolated DC-DC converter, an on-period control circuit generates an off-timing signal when the output voltage of an isolated DC-DC converter exceeds a reference voltage. A signal reception/power switch driving circuit causes a first switching device to be turned on based on a pulse signal for switching that is output from a PWM control circuit, and causes the first switching device to be turned off based on an off-timing signal transmitted by an off-timing signal transmission unit. A bootstrap circuit boosts a control voltage of the first switching device with the pulse signal for switching that is output from the PWM control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadahiko Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7719860
    Abstract: When an AC power supply (9) is powered up, a constant current supply section (14) supplies a constant current to a capacitor (C3) to charge the capacitor (C3). When a voltage across the capacitor (C3) becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined voltage, a switch control section (17) sets a switch (13) off. When an output current drops to lead to a light load, a load detecting circuit (15) stops the operation of a PWM control circuit (12) and activates a timer (16). The timer (16) supplies a switch-ON signal to the switch control section (17) when it is activated and a predetermined time measured elapses. When supplied with the switch-ON signal, the switch control section (17) sets the switch (13) on. When the switch (13) is set on, the capacitor (C3) is charged again, applying a voltage to the PWM control circuit (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Usui
  • Patent number: 7714561
    Abstract: A driver for a DC-to-DC converter that may utilize a flyback or buck-boost converter circuit. The driver includes a driver circuit and an interface circuit. The interface circuit has a sensor sensing an input voltage from a DC supply and generating a sensor signal to a driver selector. The driver selector compares the sensor signal to a comparison voltage to determine the type of converter circuit and then transmits a selector signal to a driver circuit where it is used to control one or more of the components of the driver circuit, such as the logic circuit which is used for driving the converter to regulate the converter output. The sensor includes a sense resistor along with a current-sense amplifier, which is adapted for connection to a high side or a low side of a power supply while still producing a substantially equivalent output voltage or sensor signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignees: Shenzhen STS Microelectronics Co., Ltd., STMicroelectronics Srl
    Inventors: Weiguo Ge, Wangsheng Xie, Guojun Li, Matteo Traldi
  • Publication number: 20100110735
    Abstract: A power adapter with voltage-stabilized compensation includes a pulse frequency modulation circuit to generate a driving pulse which has a variable OFF time interval to control power transformed and output by a transformer. The power adapter also has an ancillary coil to induce a feedback signal on the secondary coil of the transformer. The pulse frequency modulation circuit includes a time interval modulation unit to receive the feedback signal and a feedback compensation unit. The time interval modulation unit sets a level voltage compared with the feedback signal to generate a sample signal to modulate the OFF time interval. The feedback compensation unit provides a compensation signal to the time interval modulation unit to change the size of the feedback signal or sample signal thereby to compensate the voltage output from the secondary side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Jian-Hua Duan, Rui-Xia Fei, Shao-Hua Fang, Qing-Hua Su
  • Patent number: 7710746
    Abstract: A switching mode power supply includes: a power supply unit that comprises a switch that is coupled to a primary coil at a primary side of a transformer for converting an input DC voltage, and that supplies power to a secondary coil and a tertiary coil at a secondary side of the transformer according to an operation of the switch; a switching controller that receives a feedback voltage corresponding to a first voltage generated in the secondary coil at the secondary side of the transformer, and receives a detection signal corresponding to a current flowing to the switch to control an on/off operation of the switch; and a feedback signal generator that receives the first voltage and the switching control signal, samples the first voltage by using first pulse strings, and generates the feedback voltage according to a level of the first voltage sampled by a first pulse in the first pulse strings, wherein a toggling time of the first pulse strings is changed in a first period for sampling the first voltage, and a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-Bae Park, Gwan-Bon Koo, Hang-Seok Choi
  • Publication number: 20100103705
    Abstract: A short circuit protection circuit for a pulse width modulation (PWM) unit which includes a PWM logic control circuit, an under voltage lookout (UVLO) circuit and an internal clock circuit; wherein the UVLO circuit detecting a bias power (Vcc) and delivering an UVLO signal when the bias power is judged excessively low, the PWM unit further comprising: a short circuit detector, a short circuit recovery circuit and a frequency multiplexer. The short circuit detector is to detect the UVLO signal and generate a short signal. The short circuit recovery circuit to set a pre-determined recovery time and generate a recovery signal when the pre-determined recovery time ends. The frequency multiplexer which is triggered by the short signal when the short circuit event occurs to change a switching frequency to a short PWM frequency, and triggered by the recovery signal to restore the switching frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventors: Shao-Hua FANG, Chao Chen, Jian-Hua Duan, Ya-Jiang Zhu
  • Patent number: 7707444
    Abstract: A switching mode power supply includes a transformer which includes a primary winding and two secondary windings. One secondary winding and the primary winding constitute a forward circuit. The other secondary winding and the primary winding constitute a flyback circuit. The switching mode power supply also includes a power storing circuit and an output terminal. The power storing circuit is interposed between the forward circuit, the flyback circuit, and the output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin-Hong Chung, Kuan-Hong Hsieh, Han-Che Wang
  • Patent number: 7697307
    Abstract: An exemplary power supply circuit includes a transformer (21) having a primary coil (211) and a secondary coil (212); a rectification circuit and a transistor (26) respectively coupled to two terminals of the primary coil; a communicating and filter circuit (22) coupled to the secondary coil; a sampling circuit (13) having a first resistor (231) and a first capacitor (232) connected in series; and a pulse width modulation circuit (25) coupled between the transistor and the sampling circuit. Direct current (AC) voltage is applied to the rectification circuit and is converted into DC voltage via the transformer and the communicating and filter circuit. The DC voltage is fed back to the pulse width modulation circuit via a voltage applied to the first capacitor. The pulse width modulation circuit adjusts a gating time of the transistor so as to adjust the output DC voltage output by the power supply circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignees: Innocom Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Innolux Display Corp.
    Inventors: Hua Xiao, Tong Zhou
  • Publication number: 20100073967
    Abstract: A switching element controls supply of a primary current to a transformer. A basic signal generator circuit generates a PWM basic signal regardless of a control condition of the switching element. A timer circuit measures an elapsed, predetermined longer time than one cycle of the PWM basic signal since a start of ON control of the switching element. A control circuit ON controls the switching element when receiving the PWM basic signal, and OFF controls the switching element when receiving either one of a first OFF signal based on output feedback of a switching power supply and a second OFF signal based on completion of time measuring by the timer circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Inventors: Naohisa TATSUKAWA, Satoru Takahashi, Yoshiaki Hachiya
  • 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
  • Patent number: 7667987
    Abstract: A comparing circuit and a control loop are used to maintain the peak level of current flowing through an inductor of a flyback converter. An inductor switch control signal controls a switch through which the inductor current flows. The inductor current increases at a ramp-up rate during a ramp time and stops increasing at the end of the ramp time. The comparing circuit generates a timing signal that indicates a target time at which the inductor current would reach a predetermined current limit if the inductor current continued to increase at the ramp-up rate. The control loop then receives the timing signal and compares the target time to the end of the ramp time. The pulse width of the inductor switch control signal is increased when the target time occurs after the end of the ramp time. Adjusting the frequency and pulse width controls the peak of the inductor current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Active-Semi, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Huynh, Matthew Grant, David Kunst
  • Patent number: 7652463
    Abstract: A power converter for compensating a maximum output power includes a power switch, a control circuit, an oscillator and a frequency modulator. The control circuit generates a PWM signal in response to the pulse signal generated by the oscillator. The frequency modulator generates a second discharge signal to the oscillator for controlling the maximum output power of the power converter. The second discharge signal is decreased for prolonging a switching period of the PWM signal under a high-line voltage of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: System General Corp
    Inventors: Chien Yuan Lin, Wen Yueh Tseng
  • Patent number: 7649755
    Abstract: The switched mode power supply contains a transformer, which has a primary winding and at least one secondary winding, a switching transistor in series with the primary winding and a control circuit for controlling an output voltage of the switched mode power supply. The control circuit contains an oscillator, whose oscillation frequency can be set via a terminal, and which is coupled to a secondary winding of the transformer. The wiring for the terminal is connected such that the switched mode power supply starts up at a relatively low oscillation frequency once it has been connected, and, during operation when an additional voltage is supplied to the input via the secondary winding, the oscillation frequency of the switched mode power supply is increased. The terminal is connected in particular via a bandpass filter to a voltage generated by the secondary winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Reinhard Kögel, Jean-Paul Louvel
  • Patent number: 7649935
    Abstract: A digital timing read back and an adaptive feedforward compensation algorithm to reduce harmonic distortion is disclosed. More specifically, the approach generates harmonic components digitally with the same magnitude but at an opposite phase to the output harmonic distortion. An anti-distortion signal is generated and added to the input signal. The magnitude and phase of the harmonic distortion change with the modulation level or index and the frequency of the input signal. In addition, the harmonic distortion level varies significantly with different timing error statistics in different power devices. The inventive method takes the modulation level or index, the frequency of the input signal and the timing error statistics acquired through a digital read back circuit as input variables to determine the magnitude and phase of the anti-distortion signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Sigmatel, Inc.
    Inventors: Zukui Song, Michael W. Determan
  • Publication number: 20100008110
    Abstract: A flyback power converter includes a power switch connected to a primary side of a transformer, and a sensing signal is provided for a control circuit to switch the power switch so as for the transformer to convert an input voltage into an output voltage. The sensing signal is a function of the input voltage, and the control circuit extracts a variation of the sensing signal during a preset time period. The variation of the sensing signal is used to prevent the output ripple and the green mode entry point of the flyback power converter from varying with the input voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORP.
    Inventors: PEI-LUN HUANG, YU-MING CHEN, TZU-CHEN LIN
  • Publication number: 20100008108
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention relates to a power converter operable in a continuous conduction mode and a discontinuous conduction mode that includes a current-sense circuit element configured to produce a current-sense signal dependent on a current in an inductor of the power converter, and a difference circuit configured to produce a difference signal representing a difference of the current-sense signal and a signal representing an output characteristic of the power converter such as an output voltage. The difference signal is constrained to be above a difference signal threshold value. A slope compensation circuit is configured to produce a slope-compensated signal comprising a sum of the difference signal and the current-sense signal. A controller is configured to control a duty cycle of a power switch of the power converter in response to the slope-compensated signal by comparing the slope-compensated signal with a voltage threshold controlled by a feedback circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Inventors: Gong Xiaowu, Kok Siu Kam, Thian Yaw Hann
  • Publication number: 20100002474
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a switch controller and a converter having the same. The converter according to the present invention includes a power transfer device that transmits input power to an output terminal as output power, a power switch connected to a first end of the power transfer device and that controls power transmission of the power transfer device, and a switch controller that controls switching operation of the power switch. The switch controller receives an output voltage detection signal corresponding to an output voltage according to the power transmitted from the power transfer device, generates a duty control signal corresponding to a difference between the output voltage detection signal and a reference signal for controlling the output voltage, and determines turn-on/off of the power switch by using the duty control signal, and a DC gain of a feedback transfer function between the reference signal and the output voltage has a constant value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Sang-Cheol Moon, Hang-Seok Choi, Young-Bae Park
  • Patent number: 7643313
    Abstract: A PWM controller compensates a maximum output power of a power converter, and includes a PWM unit and a compensation circuit. The PWM unit generates a PWM signal for controlling a power switch to switch a power transformer, which has a primary winding connected to the power switch and is supplied with an input voltage of the power converter. A pulse width of the PWM signal is correlated to an amplitude of the input voltage. The compensation circuit generates a current boost signal in response to the PWM signal by pushing up a peak value of a current-sense signal generated by a current-sense device in response to a primary-side switching current of the power transformer. A peak value of the current boost signal is adjusted by the pulse width of the PWM signal for compensating a difference of the maximum output power caused by the amplitude of the input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: System General Corporation
    Inventor: Chien-Yuan Lin
  • Patent number: 7636248
    Abstract: A radiation tolerant electrical component is provided without a radiation hardened material FET. A p-channel MOSFET provides switching capabilities in radiated environments because its gate voltage starts at a negative value and becomes more negative with exposure to radiation. Therefore, the gate is still controllable when exposed to radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Inventor: Steven E. Summer
  • Publication number: 20090284994
    Abstract: A control circuit and method are provided for a flyback converter converting an input voltage to an output voltage, to compensate for an entry point of a burst mode of the flyback converter, so that the entry point is not affected by the input voltage, and audible noise resulted from a higher input voltage is reduced without impacting the light load efficiency of the flyback converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Inventors: Tzu-Chen Lin, Pei-Lun Huang
  • Patent number: 7599201
    Abstract: A PWM signal generating circuit that generates a PWM signal having a period controlling portion for slightly fluctuating a period of the PWM signal; and a duty controlling portion for changing a duty of the PWM signal by changing a duty ratio in the period fluctuated by the period controlling portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Okada