Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080218143 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY PEAK POWER FROM A SWITCHING REGULATOR - Various techniques directed to providing temporary peak power from a switching regulator are disclosed. In one aspect, a switching regulator includes a switch that is to be coupled between a power supply input and an energy transfer element of the power supply. A controller is coupled to be responsive to a feedback signal to be received from an output of the power supply. The controller is coupled to switch the switch in response to the feedback signal to regulate the output of the power supply. An oscillator is coupled to provide an oscillating signal to the controller to determine a maximum switching frequency of the switch. The oscillating signal is coupled to oscillate at a first frequency under a first moderate load condition at the power supply output. The oscillating signal is coupled to oscillate at a second frequency under a second peak load condition at the power supply output. | 09-11-2008 |
20080259653 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONAL RESPONSE TO A FAULT CONDITION IN A SWITCHING POWER SUPPLY - 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. The drive signal generator to be unresponsive to the signal representative of the power converter input voltage while the controller is regulating the output parameter at the output of the power converter. | 10-23-2008 |
20090096072 | Package for a power semiconductor device - A package for a semiconductor die includes a die attach pad that provides an attachment surface area for the semiconductor die, and tie bars connected to the die attach pad. The die attach pad is disposed in a first general plane and the tie bars are disposed in a second general plane offset with respect to the first general plane. A molding compound encapsulates the semiconductor die in a form having first, second, third and fourth lateral sides, a top and a bottom. The tie bars are exposed substantially coincident with at least one of the lateral sides. The form includes a discontinuity that extends along the at least one of the lateral sides, the discontinuity increasing a creepage distance measured from the tie bars to the bottom of the package. | 04-16-2009 |
20090175058 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A POWER SUPPLY CONTROLLER RESPONSIVE TO A FEEDFORWARD SIGNAL - An apparatus and method of switching a switch of a power supply in response to an input voltage signal are disclosed. According to aspects of the present invention, a power supply controller includes a switch duty cycle controller coupled to receive a feedback signal and a duty cycle adjust signal. The switch duty cycle controller is coupled to generate a drive signal coupled to control switching of a switch, which is coupled to an energy transfer element, to regulate energy delivered from an input of a power supply to an output of the power supply. The power supply controller also includes a gain selector circuit coupled to receive an input voltage signal, which is representative of an input voltage to the power supply, to generate the duty cycle adjust signal received by the switch duty cycle controller. The maximum duty cycle of the drive signal to be varied in response to a plurality of linear functions over a range of values of the input voltage signal. | 07-09-2009 |
20090185396 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A CONTROL CIRCUIT WITH MULTIPLE OPERATING MODES - An apparatus of regulating a power converter with multiple operating modes includes a switch coupled to an energy transfer element coupled between an input and an output of the power converter. A control circuit is also included, which is coupled to the switch to control the switch. The control circuit includes first and second duty cycle control modes to regulate power delivered to the output of the power converter. A transition between the first and second duty cycle control modes is responsive to a magnitude of a current flowing in the switch reaching a current threshold value. | 07-23-2009 |
20090212755 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY PEAK POWER FROM A SWITCHING REGULATOR - Various techniques directed to providing temporary peak power from a switching regulator are disclosed. In one aspect, a switching regulator includes a switch that is to be coupled between a power supply input and an energy transfer element of the power supply. A controller is coupled to be responsive to a feedback signal to be received from an output of the power supply. The controller is coupled to switch the switch in response to the feedback signal to regulate the output of the power supply. An oscillator is coupled to provide an oscillating signal to the controller to determine a maximum switching frequency of the switch. The oscillating signal is coupled to oscillate at a first frequency under a first moderate load condition at the power supply output. The oscillating signal is coupled to oscillate at a second frequency under a second peak load condition at the power supply output. | 08-27-2009 |
20090231888 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FAULT DETECTION IN A SWITCHING POWER SUPPLY - 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. | 09-17-2009 |
20090251931 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONAL RESPONSE TO A FAULT CONDITION IN A SWITCHING POWER SUPPLY - 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. The drive signal generator to be unresponsive to the signal representative of the power converter input voltage while the controller is regulating the output parameter at the output of the power converter. | 10-08-2009 |
20090256544 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO LIMIT OUTPUT POWER IN A SWITCHING POWER SUPPLY - Techniques are disclosed to adjust a current limit in a switching regulator. One example switching regulator includes a comparator having first and second inputs and an output. The first input of the comparator is adapted to sense a current flow through a switch and the second input of the comparator is adapted to sense a variable current limit value. A controller is coupled to the output of the comparator and to the switch to control switching of the switch to regulate an output of a power supply in response a feedback signal. The controller disables the switch if the sensed current flow through the switch is greater than the sensed variable current limit value. The variable current limit value is set to a first variable current limit value by the controller in response to an input line voltage of the power supply if there is not an over current condition during a first switching cycle that occurs after a skipped switching cycle of the switch. The variable current limit value is set to a second variable current limit value by the controller in response to the input line voltage if there is the over current condition during the first switching cycle that occurs after the skipped switching cycle. | 10-15-2009 |
20090268362 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A CONTROL CIRCUIT RESPONSIVE TO AN IMPEDANCE COUPLED TO A CONTROL CIRCUIT TERMINAL - A power supply controller method and apparatus measuring impedance is disclosed. An apparatus according to aspects of the present invention includes a sense circuit coupled to a sense terminal. A regulation circuit coupled to the sense circuit and coupled to regulate the sense terminal to a first voltage level when a current flowing through the sense terminal is less than a first threshold current level. The regulation circuit is further coupled to regulate the sense terminal to a second voltage level when the current flowing through the sense terminal reaches the first threshold current level. A response circuit is coupled to the sense circuit and is responsive to the current flowing through the sense terminal when the sense terminal is regulated at the second voltage level. | 10-29-2009 |
20110024185 | Power semiconductor package with bottom surface protrusions - A package includes a body that encapsulates a semiconductor die, the body having a first pair of opposing lateral sides, a second pair of opposing lateral sides, a top, and a bottom. The bottom has a primary surface and a plurality of protrusions that extend outward from the primary surface. When the package is mounted to a printed circuit board (PCB) the protrusions contact the PCB and the primary surface is disposed a first distance away from the PCB. The package further includes a plurality of leads that extend outward from the first pair of opposing lateral sides. | 02-03-2011 |
20110108963 | Package for a power semiconductor device - A package for a semiconductor die includes a die attach pad that provides an attachment surface area for the semiconductor die, and tie bars connected to the die attach pad. The die attach pad is disposed in a first general plane and the tie bars are disposed in a second general plane offset with respect to the first general plane. A molding compound encapsulates the semiconductor die in a form having first, second, third and fourth lateral sides, a top and a bottom. The tie bars are exposed substantially coincident with at least one of the lateral sides. The form includes a discontinuity that extends along the at least one of the lateral sides, the discontinuity increasing a creepage distance measured from the tie bars to the bottom of the package. | 05-12-2011 |
20120320634 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A CONTROL CIRCUIT WITH MULTIPLE OPERATING MODES - An example controller for use in a power converter includes an oscillator that is to be coupled to a switch of the power converter to determine a switching cycle period of the switch. The controller also includes means for controlling a duty cycle of the switch to regulate an output of the power converter and for maintaining a substantially constant rate of change of the duty cycle with respect to changes in a magnitude of a feedback signal as the controller transitions between duty cycle control modes such that a control loop gain of the power converter is substantially constant during the transition. | 12-20-2012 |
20120320640 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROGRAMMING A POWER CONVERTER CONTROLLER WITH AN EXTERNAL PROGRAMMING TERMINAL HAVING MULTIPLE FUNCTIONS - A power converter controller is disclosed. An example controller includes a control circuit coupled to receive a feedback signal representative of an output of the power converter. The control circuit coupled to control a switching of a power switch of the power converter in response to the feedback signal to control a transfer of energy from an input of the power converter to the output of the power converter. An internal programming interface circuit is coupled to the control circuit. A coupling switcher is coupled to the internal programming interface circuit. An external programming terminal is selectively coupled to the internal programming interface circuit through the coupling switcher. An external programming circuit coupled to the external programming terminal is coupled to the internal programming interface circuit through the coupling switcher during a startup programming condition and during a fault condition of the power converter. The external programming circuit that is coupled to the external programming terminal is decoupled from the internal programming interface circuit by the coupling switcher during a normal operating condition of the power converter. | 12-20-2012 |
20130027990 | VARYING SWITCHING FREQUENCY AND PERIOD OF A POWER SUPPLY CONTROLLER - An example integrated circuit controller for use in a switching power supply includes a pulse width modulation (PWM) circuit and a timing circuit. The PWM circuit controls a switch to regulate an output of the power supply in response to a switch current flowing through the switch and in response to a clock signal having a switching period. The timing circuit provides the clock signal and increases the switching period in response to an on time of the switch exceeding a threshold time. | 01-31-2013 |
20130027996 | VARIABLE FREQUENCY TIMING CIRCUIT FOR A POWER SUPPLY CONTROL CIRCUIT - An example integrated circuit controller includes a pulse width modulation (PWM) circuit and a timing circuit. The PWM circuit controls a switch to regulate an output of a power supply in response to a switch current flowing through the switch and in response to a clock signal having a switching period. The timing circuit provides the clock signal and includes a timing capacitor where the switching period of the clock signal is equal to a charging time that the timing capacitor charges to an upper reference voltage plus a discharging time that the timing capacitor discharges to a lower reference voltage. The timing circuit increases the charging time of the timing capacitor by decreasing a rate at which the timing capacitor is charged to increase the switching period of the clock signal if an on time of the switch is greater than or equal to a threshold time. | 01-31-2013 |
20130155724 | DETECTING OUTPUT DIODE CONDUCTION TIME FOR CABLE DROP COMPENSATION OF A POWER CONVERTER - An example controller for a power converter to provide power to a load through a distribution network includes a control circuit and a cable drop compensator. The control circuit outputs a drive signal to control switching of a switch to regulate an output of the power converter in response to a feedback signal. The cable drop compensator is coupled to adjust the feedback signal in response to a conduction time of an output diode of the power converter to compensate for a distribution voltage dropped across the distribution network. | 06-20-2013 |
20130223105 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A POWER SUPPLY CONTROLLER RESPONSIVE TO A FEEDFORWARD SIGNAL - An example power converter includes an energy transfer element, a switch, a feedback circuit, a feedforward circuit, and an integrated circuit controller. The integrated circuit controller includes a gain selector circuit and a switch duty cycle controller. The gain selector circuit selects a gain multiplier according to a value of a feedforward signal generated by the feedforward circuit and applies the gain multiplier to the feedforward signal to generate a duty cycle adjust signal. The switch duty cycle controller generates a drive signal to control the switch in response to a feedback signal generated by the feedback circuit. A duty cycle of the drive signal is varied in response to the duty cycle adjust signal such that the duty cycle varies according to a plurality of linear functions over a range of values of the feedforward signal. | 08-29-2013 |
20130336021 | VARIABLE FREQUENCY TIMING CIRCUIT FOR A POWER SUPPLY CONTROL CIRCUIT - A timing circuit of a controller generates a clock signal having a switching period for use by a pulse width modulation (PWM) circuit to control a switch of a power supply. The switching period of the clock signal is based on a charging time plus a discharging time of a capacitor included in the timing circuit. A first current source charges the capacitor while the timing circuit is in a normal charging mode. A second current source charges the capacitor while the timing circuit is in an alternative charging mode that is when the on time of the switch exceeds a threshold time. The current provided by the second current source is less than the current provided by the first current source such that the switching period of the clock signal is increased in response to the timing circuit entering the alternative charging mode. | 12-19-2013 |
20140063862 | VARYING SWITCHING FREQUENCY AND PERIOD OF A POWER SUPPLY CONTROLLER - A controller includes a PWM circuit and a timing circuit. The PWM circuit controls a switch in response to a clock signal. A switching period of the clock signal is based on a charging and discharging time of a capacitor included in the timing circuit. Both first and second current sinks discharge the capacitor while the timing circuit is in a normal discharging mode that is when an on time of the switch is less than a threshold time. The second current sink is prevented from discharging the capacitor such that the capacitor is discharged with the first current sink and not the second current sink while the timing circuit is in an alternative discharging mode that is when the on time of the switch exceeds the threshold time. The discharging of the capacitor in the alternative discharging mode increases the switching period of the clock signal. | 03-06-2014 |
20140063866 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A CONTROL CIRCUIT RESPONSIVE TO AN IMPEDANCE COUPLED TO A CONTROL CIRCUIT TERMINAL - A controller includes a current sense circuit and a voltage regulation circuit. The current sense circuit generates a first signal that indicates whether a current through a sense terminal exceeds a first threshold current level, which indicates a fault condition of a power converter. The voltage regulation circuit regulates the sense terminal to a first voltage level when the current through the terminal is less than the first threshold current level and regulates the sense terminal to a second voltage level when the current exceeds the first threshold current level. The current sense circuit generates a second signal that indicates whether the current through the sense terminal exceeds a second threshold current level while the sense terminal is regulated to the second voltage level. The response circuit generates an output signal that determines a response of the controller to the fault condition based on the second signal. | 03-06-2014 |
20140104895 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROGRAMMING A POWER CONVERTER CONTROLLER WITH AN EXTERNAL PROGRAMMING TERMINAL HAVING MULTIPLE FUNCTIONS - A power converter includes an energy transfer element and a power switch coupled the energy transfer element and an input of the power converter. A control circuit is coupled to generate a switching signal to control switching of the power switch in response to a feedback signal representative of an output of the power converter. A programming interface circuit is coupled to the control circuit and a coupling switcher coupled to the programming interface circuit. A programming terminal is selectively coupled to the programming interface circuit through the coupling switcher. A programming circuit coupled to the programming terminal is coupled to the programming interface circuit through the coupling switcher during a startup programming condition and during a fault condition of the power converter, and is decoupled from the programming interface circuit by the coupling switcher during a normal operating condition of the power converter. | 04-17-2014 |
20140301115 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A CONTROL CIRCUIT WITH MULTIPLE OPERATING MODES - A controller for use in a power converter includes an oscillator that generates a first signal that determines a duration of a switching cycle period of a switch included in the power converter. The controller also includes a logic circuit that generates a second signal to control switching of the switch in response to a feedback signal and in response to the first signal. The logic circuit generates the second signal to control a peak switch current of the switch during each switching cycle period according to either a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation. The peak switch current of the switch is varied in the first mode of operation in response to the feedback signal indicating that an output load is greater than a threshold and the peak switch current of the switch is kept at a constant value in the second mode of operation in response to the feedback signal indicating that the output load is less than the threshold. | 10-09-2014 |
20140320075 | USB CHARGING WITH DATA COMMUNICATION - A process is disclosed for communicating digital data between a powered device and a charging device via a universal serial bus (USB). The process includes conducting a handshaking period between the powered device and the charging device via the USB. The powered device initiates a mode of normal operation of the charging device after an end of the handshaking period. The charging device communicates digital data (e.g., available power levels) between the powered device and the charging device during a time period that starts with the end of the handshaking period and ends with a beginning of the mode of normal operation. | 10-30-2014 |