Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080246446 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ON/OFF CONTROL OF A POWER CONVERTER - A power converter control method and apparatus is disclosed. An example power converter controller according to aspects of the present invention includes feedback sampling circuitry to be coupled to an output of a power converter. The feedback sampling circuitry is to generate feedback signal samples after a conduction of a power switch is terminated during enabled switching cycles. Switch conduction control circuitry is coupled to the feedback sampling circuitry. The switch conduction circuitry includes switch conduction enable circuitry that is coupled to enable or disable the conduction of the power switch during a switching cycle in response to the feedback signal samples. The power switch is caused to conduct during at least a portion of an enabled switching cycle and prevented from conducting during an entirety of a disabled switching cycle. Switch conduction termination circuitry is also optionally included in the switch conduction circuitry and is coupled to terminate the conduction of the power switch during enabled switching cycles in response to the current through the power switch. Switch conduction scheduling circuitry is also included in the switch conduction circuitry and is coupled to determine a varying number of future enabled and disabled switching cycles in response to the feedback signal samples from a present switching cycle and one or more past switching cycles. | 10-09-2008 |
20080246447 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTEGRATED CABLE DROP COMPENSATION OF A POWER CONVERTER - An integrated circuit controller for a power converter to be coupled to a distribution network is disclosed. An example integrated circuit controller according to aspects of the present invention includes a switching control circuit that outputs a drive signal to control switching of a switch to regulate an output of the power converter. The integrated circuit controller also includes a cable drop compensator that outputs a compensated reference voltage signal to the switching control circuit in response to a switching signal. The switching signal is responsive to the drive signal. The compensated reference voltage signal is representative of a voltage value that is responsive to a distribution voltage across the distribution network and a load voltage across a load to be coupled to the distribution network. The switching of the switch is responsive to the compensated reference voltage signal and a feedback signal. | 10-09-2008 |
20080246456 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE MAXIMUM OUTPUT POWER OF A POWER CONVERTER - A controller for a power converter is disclosed. An example circuit controller according to aspects of the present invention includes an input voltage sensor to be coupled to receive an input signal representative of an input voltage of the power converter. A current sensor is also included and is to be coupled to sense a current flowing in a power switch. A drive signal generator is to be coupled to drive the power switch into an on state for an on time period and an off state for an off time period. The controller is coupled to adjust a switching cycle period of the power switch to be proportional to a value of the input signal multiplied by a time period. The time period is the time it takes for the current flowing in the power switch to change between two current values when the power switch is in the on state. | 10-09-2008 |
20080247199 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR POWER CONVERTER FAULT CONDITION DETECTION - An example controller includes a fault detector and a control. The fault detector is to be coupled to a feedback circuit of a power converter to detect a fault condition in the power converter in response to an input voltage of the power converter. The control is coupled to the fault detector and is to be coupled to control the switching of a power switch to regulate an output of the power converter. The control is coupled to inhibit the switching of the power switch in response to the fault detector detecting the fault condition during the switching of the power switch. | 10-09-2008 |
20090251121 | METHOD AND APPARATUS PROVIDING FINAL TEST AND TRIMMING FOR A POWER SUPPLY CONTROLLER - A power supply controller having final test and trim circuitry. In one embodiment, a power supply controller for switched mode power supply includes a selector circuit, a trim circuit, a shutdown circuit and a disable circuit. The trim circuit includes a programmable circuit connection that can be selected by the selector circuit by toggling a voltage on an external terminal such as for example a power supply terminal, a control terminal or a function terminal of the power supply controller. The programmable circuit connection in the trim circuit can be programmed by applying a programming voltage to the external terminal. The shutdown circuit shuts down the power supply controller if the temperature rises above an over temperature threshold voltage. The shutdown circuit includes adjustment circuitry that can be used to test the shutdown circuit. The adjustment circuitry can adjust and reduce the over temperature threshold of the power supply controller. Thus, the power supply controller can be tested without having to actually heat the part. The disable circuit includes a programmable circuit connection, which when programmed prevents further trimming of power supply controller and prevents adjustment of the shutdown circuit over temperature threshold. | 10-08-2009 |
20100220503 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE MAXIMUM OUTPUT POWER OF A POWER CONVERTER - A controller for a power converter is disclosed. An example circuit controller according to aspects of the present invention includes an input voltage sensor to be coupled to receive an input signal representative of an input voltage of the power converter. A current sensor is also included and is to be coupled to sense a current flowing in a power switch. A drive signal generator is to be coupled to drive the power switch into an on state for an on time period and an off state for an off time period. The controller is coupled to adjust a duty cycle of the power switch in response to a difference between a time it takes the current flowing in the power switch to change between two current values when the power switch is in the on state and a control time period. | 09-02-2010 |
20100254166 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ON/OFF CONTROL OF A POWER CONVERTER - A power converter control method and apparatus is disclosed. An example power converter controller according to aspects of the present invention includes a feedback sampling circuit coupled to receive a feedback signal representative of an output of a power converter to generate feedback signal samples during enabled switching cycles. The power converter controller also includes a switch conduction control circuit coupled to the feedback sampling circuit. The switch conduction control circuit includes switch conduction enable circuitry coupled to enable or disable the conduction of a power switch during a switching cycle in response to the feedback signal samples. The switch conduction control circuit also includes switch conduction scheduling circuitry coupled to determine a varying number of future enabled and disabled switching cycles in response to the feedback signal samples from a present switching cycle and one or more past switching cycles. | 10-07-2010 |
20110084679 | METHOD AND APPARATUS PROVIDING FINAL TEST AND TRIMMING FOR A POWER SUPPLY CONTROLLER - A power supply controller having final test and trim circuitry. In one embodiment, a power supply controller for switched mode power supply includes a selector circuit, a trim circuit, a shutdown circuit and a disable circuit. The trim circuit includes a programmable circuit connection that can be selected by the selector circuit by toggling a voltage on an external terminal such as for example a power supply terminal, a control terminal or a function terminal of the power supply controller. The programmable circuit connection in the trim circuit can be programmed by applying a programming voltage to the external terminal. The shutdown circuit shuts down the power supply controller if the temperature rises above an over temperature threshold voltage. The shutdown circuit includes adjustment circuitry that can be used to test the shutdown circuit. The adjustment circuitry can adjust and reduce the over temperature threshold of the power supply controller. Thus, the power supply controller can be tested without having to actually heat the part. The disable circuit includes a programmable circuit connection, which when programmed prevents further trimming of power supply controller and prevents adjustment of the shutdown circuit over temperature threshold. | 04-14-2011 |
20120002448 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ON/OFF CONTROL OF A POWER CONVERTER - A power converter is disclosed. An example power converter includes an energy transfer element coupled between a power converter input and a power converter output. A power switch is coupled to the energy transfer element and the power converter input. A feedback sampling circuit is coupled to receive a feedback signal representative of the power converter output to generate feedback signal samples during switching cycles. A switch conduction scheduling circuit is coupled to determine enabling and disabling of the power switch in future switching cycles in response to the feedback signal samples from a present switching cycle and one or more past switching cycles. A switch conduction control circuit is coupled to enable or disable conduction of the power switch during a switching cycle to control an amount of energy transferred from the power converter input to the power converter output. | 01-05-2012 |
20120002451 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTEGRATED CABLE DROP COMPENSATION OF A POWER CONVERTER - An integrated circuit controller for a power converter to be coupled to a distribution network is disclosed. An example integrated circuit controller according to aspects of the present invention includes a switching control circuit that outputs a drive signal to control switching of a switch to regulate an output of the power converter. The integrated circuit controller also includes a cable drop compensator that outputs a compensated reference voltage signal to the switching control circuit in response to a switching signal. The switching signal is responsive to the drive signal. The compensated reference voltage signal is representative of a voltage value that is responsive to a distribution voltage across the distribution network and a load voltage across a load to be coupled to the distribution network. The switching of the switch is responsive to the compensated reference voltage signal and a feedback signal. | 01-05-2012 |
20120007575 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE MAXIMUM OUPUT POWER OF A POWER CONVERTER - An example controller for a power converter includes an input voltage sensor, a current sensor, an oscillator, a timing and multiplier circuit, and a drive signal generator. The input voltage sensor receives an input signal representative of an input voltage and the current sensor senses a current in a power switch. The oscillator generates a signal having a switching frequency and the timing and multiplier circuit adjusts the switching frequency of the signal to be proportional to a value that is the input voltage multiplied by a time it takes the current in the power switch to change between two current values. The drive signal generator drives the power switch into the on state for an on time period and an off state for an off time period in response to the current in the power switch and in response to the signal having the switching frequency. | 01-12-2012 |
20130294117 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE MAXIMUM OUPUT POWER OF A POWER CONVERTER - An example control circuit for use in a power converter includes an input voltage sensor, a current sensor, and a drive signal generator. The input voltage sensor generates a first signal representative of an input voltage (Vin) of the power converter. The current sensor generates a second signal representative of a switch current through a power switch of the power converter. The drive signal generator generates a drive signal to control switching of the power switch in response to the first and second signals. The drive signal generator sets a switching frequency of the drive signal based on a product K×Vin×t to control a maximum output power of the power converter, where K is a fixed number and t is a time it takes the second signal to change between two values of the switch current when the power switch is in an on state. | 11-07-2013 |
20140036551 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ON/OFF CONTROL OF A POWER CONVERTER - A power converter includes an energy transfer element coupled between a power converter input and a power converter output. A power switch is coupled to the energy transfer element and the power converter input. A feedback sampling circuit is coupled to receive a feedback signal representative of the power converter output to generate at least one feedback signal sample during each switching cycle. A switch conduction scheduling circuit is coupled to set a number of enabled cycles and a number of disabled cycles of the power switch in a plurality of future switching cycles in response to the feedback signal samples for each present switching cycle and one or more past switching cycles. A switch conduction control circuit is coupled to enable or disable conduction of the power switch during a switching cycle to control an amount of energy transferred from the power converter input to the power converter output. | 02-06-2014 |
20140247628 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR POWER CONVERTER FAULT CONDITION DETECTION - A controller includes a control, a sensor, and a fault detector. The control is configured to control a switch to regulate an output of the power converter. The sensor receives a signal from a terminal of the controller that is representative of an input voltage during an ON state of the switch and is representative of an output voltage during an OFF state of the switch. The sensor is configured to sample the signal from the terminal during the ON state to generate a first sample signal and to sample the signal from the terminal during the OFF state to generate a second sample signal. The fault detector detects a fault condition in response to either the first or the second sample signals. The control inhibits the switching of the switch to reduce a power output level of the power converter in response to the fault condition. | 09-04-2014 |