Infineon Technologies Austria Ag

Infineon Technologies North America Corp.

Cypress Semiconductor (canada), Inc.

Darryl Tschirhart

Benjamim Tang

Amir Babazadeh

Richard Pierson

Emil Todorov

Danny Clavette

Tim Ng

Sue Perranoski

Hongying Ding

Giuseppe Bernacchia

Simone Fabbro

Sujata Sen

Prasan Kasturi

Kushal Kshirsagar

Alan Huang

An apparatus includes a controller. The controller monitors a magnitude of first current supplied by an output voltage of a first power converter to power a dynamic load. The controller controls a second power converter to supply second current through the dynamic load based on the monitored magnitude of first current.

Power supply system and control in a dynamic load configuration

An isolated switched-mode power converter converts power from an input source into power for an output load. Power switches within a primary-side power stage control the amount of power input to the power converter and, ultimately, provided to the output load. A digital controller on the secondary side of the power converter generates signals to control the power switches. This controller also senses a rectified voltage on the secondary side of the power converter and uses this sensed voltage to detect fault conditions of the primary side. For example, the sensed rectified voltage is used to detect undervoltage or overvoltage conditions of the input power source of the power converter, or faulty power switches within the primary-side power stage.

Voltage and current protection in isolated switched-mode power converters with secondary-side rectified voltage sensing

An apparatus includes a controller. The controller controls a first power supply to produce an output current supplied through a series connection of multiple dynamic loads powered at least in part by the output current. The controller further monitors current consumption by the multiple dynamic loads. Based on the monitored current consumption, the controller adjusts a magnitude of the output current from the power supply supplied through the series connection.

Power supply system and current control based on consumption by dynamic loads

A method of assembling a DC-DC converter includes: attaching first and second discrete power stage transistor dies to a first side of a substrate, the first discrete die including a high-side power transistor and the second discrete die including a low-side power transistor electrically connected to the high-side power transistor to form an output phase of the DC-DC converter; attaching an inductor to the first side of the substrate so as to electrically connect the output phase to a metal output trace on the substrate, the inductor partly covering at least one of the first and the second discrete power stage transistor dies such that each discrete power stage transistor die that is partly covered by the inductor comprises a plurality of pins that are not covered by the inductor; and visually inspecting the plurality of pins uncovered by the inductor.

Method of assembling a DC-DC converter

A DC-DC converter includes a substrate having opposing first and second sides, a first discrete power stage transistor die attached to the first side of the substrate and including a high-side power transistor, and a second discrete power stage transistor die attached to the first side of the substrate and including a low-side power transistor electrically connected to the high-side power transistor to form an output phase of the DC-DC converter. The DC-DC converter further includes an inductor attached to the first side of the substrate so as to electrically connect the output phase to a metal output trace on the substrate. The inductor at least partly covers at least one of the first and the second discrete power stage transistor dies.

Discrete power stage transistor dies of a DC-DC converter under an inductor

A resonant or semi-resonant DC/DC converter makes use of one or more synchronous rectification (SR) switches for rectifying an output current that is provided to a load of the converter. The SR switches are ideally turned off when zero current is flowing through them. To achieve such zero-current switching, the current through each of the SR switches is monitored and compared against a turn-off threshold. The turn-off threshold for a particular SR switch is determined from the slope of a waveform of the current together with a transition delay for turning off the SR switch. This transition delay typically includes a delay through a driver circuit for the SR switch together with a latency through the SR switch itself. Once it is detected that the current for an SR switch has dropped to or below the turn-off threshold, a signal is provided to the SR switch turning it off.

Adaptive synchronous rectifier timing for resonant DC/DC converters

An isolated switched-mode power converter converts power from an input source into power for an output load. Power switches within a primary-side power stage control the amount of power input to the power converter and, ultimately, provided to the output load. A digital controller on the secondary side of the power converter generates signals to control the power switches. This generation is based upon closed-loop (feedback) control as well as feedforward control. The feedforward control compensates for variations in the voltage of the input source. The input voltage is estimated by sensing a rectified voltage at a node between a secondary winding of the isolation transformer and an output filter. The feedforward compensation modifies the generated switch control signals based upon the sensed rectified voltage.

Feedforward enhanced feedback control in isolated switched-mode power converters with secondary-side rectified voltage sensing

A method of controlling an isolated DC-DC converter includes switching the primary side switching devices of the converter at a fixed first switching period and variable duty cycle during non-transient load conditions so as to transfer energy across the transformer of the converter during first energy transfer intervals separated by energy circulation intervals, such that the ratio of each first energy transfer interval to the first switching period is less than unity. The method also includes switching the primary side switching devices at a second switching period different than the first switching period during a transient load condition so as to transfer energy across the transformer during second energy transfer intervals of a duration determined so as to avoid saturation of the transformer core, and such that any energy circulation interval separating the second energy transfer intervals is shorter than the energy circulation intervals separating the first energy transfer intervals.

Flux limited fast transient response in isolated DC-DC converters

An isolated power converter includes primary side switch devices coupled to secondary side rectifying devices by a transformer and a controller. Responsive to a transient load condition, the controller switches the primary side switch devices at an initial switching period having a positive half cycle and a negative half cycle to transfer energy across the transformer during the positive half cycle and the negative half cycle. The positive half cycle and the negative half cycle of the initial switching period have the same initial duration. The controller is further operable to symmetrically reduce the duration of the positive half cycle and the negative half cycle for at least one subsequent switching period during the transient load condition.

Control of isolated power converters during transient load conditions

A multi-phase DC-DC converter includes a substrate having opposing first and second sides, a plurality of power stage packages attached to the first side of the substrate, each power stage package including active semiconductor components operable to provide an output phase of the multi-phase DC-DC converter, and a coupled inductor attached to the first side of the substrate and at least partly covering two or more of the power stage packages. The coupled inductor includes separate windings wound on the same core. Each winding of the coupled inductor electrically connects an output of one of the power stage packages at least partly covered by the coupled inductor to a metal trace on the substrate such that the outputs of the power stage packages at least partly covered by the coupled inductor are electrically connected to the same metal trace on the substrate.

Power stage packages of a multi-phase DC-DC converter under a coupled inductor

A switching voltage converter using an isolated topology includes a transformer for coupling power from an input source to an output load. The transformer must be protected to prevent saturation of its core due to excessive magnetic flux density as the transformer transfers power from its primary side to its secondary side. The magnetic flux is estimated using a voltage measured on the primary or secondary side of the transformer, wherein the secondary-side voltage may be a rectified voltage. If the estimated magnetic flux is detected as approaching a saturation level of the transformer core, any power being input to the transformer is curtailed. This may be accomplished by modifying pulse-width modulated (PWM) waveforms controlling power switches that control the input power transferred to the transformer. Using these techniques, transformer saturation may be avoided without requiring a significantly oversized transformer within the voltage converter.

Isolated DC-DC voltage converters

A voltage regulator includes a power stage configured to produce an output voltage from an input voltage at an input voltage terminal, a shunt resistor connected in series between the input voltage terminal and the power stage, a first level shifting resistor connected in series between a first terminal of the shunt resistor and a first sense pin of the controller, and a second level shifting resistor connected in series between a second terminal of the shunt resistor and a second sense pin of the controller. The input current of the regulator is sensed as a function of the voltage across the shunt resistor, as shifted down by the level shifting resistors and measured across the sense pins. The input voltage of the regulator is sensed as a function of the current flowing through either one of the level shifting resistors, as measured at one of the sense pins.

Switching voltage regulator input voltage and current sensing

An estimate of voltage regulator input power is provide by estimating output power of the voltage regulator based on output voltage and output current of the voltage regulator, estimating power loss of the voltage regulator and estimating input power of the voltage regulator based on the estimated output power and the estimated power loss.

Switching voltage regulator input power estimation

Techniques are provided for controlling power switches that couple an input power source to a transformer within a voltage converter, in order to control the power transfer through the transformer and to a load of the voltage converter. Different techniques are provided for different operational modes. In an initial steady-state interval, the switches are switched using a fixed first switching period and variable duty cycle. Upon detecting a load transient, e.g., a sudden increase in the load power requirements, a ramp-up interval is entered during which the switches are switched using a second switching period and a second duty cycle, in order to increase the output current of the converter at a maximum rate. Upon detecting that a current within the voltage converter has reached a maximum allowed level, a current-limited interval is entered during which the switches are switched using a third switching period and a third duty cycle.

Inductor protection during fast transient response in isolated voltage converters

A rectification and regulation circuit for a wireless power receiver includes a coil for magnetically coupling to a primary coil of a power transmitter, a full-wave rectifier circuit separate from the power transmitter and a control unit separate from the power transmitter. The full-wave rectifier has a first pair of controllable rectifiers including a first transistor connected to a first terminal of the coil and a second transistor connected to a second terminal of the coil. The control unit is operable to control switching of the transistors of the full-wave rectifier so that the full-wave rectifier (a) generates a rectified output for charging a battery of the wireless power receiver by rectifying current through the coil or voltage across the coil, and (b) regulates the rectified output.

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Torrance, CA, United States of America

Darryl Tschirhart