Power Integrations, Inc.

David Kung

Balu Balakrishnan

David Michael Hugh Matthews

Leif O Lund

Raymond Kenneth Orr

William Michael Polivka

Yury Gaknoki

Michael Yue Zhang

Alex B Djenguerian

Sheng Liu

A circuit for use in a power converter includes a control circuit capable of detecting whether an AC voltage source is coupled to an input of the power converter, and whether the AC voltage source is uncoupled from the input within a first period of time. A control circuit is coupled to drive a switch in a first operating mode when the control circuit detects that the AC voltage source is coupled to the input, and drive the switch in a second operating mode when the control circuit detects that the AC voltage source is uncoupled from the input. The control circuit is capable of discharging a capacitance coupled between input terminals of the power converter to a SELV level through a discharge path and the switch within a second period of time. An RC time constant of the discharge path is less than or equal to one second.

Method and apparatus for implementing a power converter input terminal voltage discharge circuit

An integrated circuit package includes a portion of a lead frame disposed within an encapsulation. The lead frame includes a first conductor including a first conductive loop and a third conductive loop disposed substantially within the encapsulation. A second conductor formed in the lead frame is galvanically isolated from the first conductor and includes a second conductive loop disposed substantially within the encapsulation proximate to the first conductive loop to provide a communication link between the first and second conductors. The third conductive loop is wound in an opposite direction relative to the first conductive loop. A transmit circuit is disposed within the encapsulation and is coupled to the second conductor to provide a transmitter current. A receive circuit is disposed within the encapsulation and is coupled to the first conductor to receive a transmitter induced signal in response to the transmitter current.

Noise cancellation for a magnetically coupled communication link utilizing a lead frame

A power converter includes an energy transfer element and a circuit coupled to the input of the power converter. The circuit includes a switch and a control circuit capable of detecting whether an AC voltage source is coupled to the input, or uncoupled from the input within a first predetermined time. The control circuit is coupled to drive the switch in a first operating mode when the AC voltage source is coupled, drive the switch in a second operating mode when the AC voltage source is uncoupled, and is capable of discharging a capacitance coupled between input terminals of the power converter to a threshold voltage level through a discharge path and through the switch within a second predetermined time. An RC time constant of the discharge path is less than or equal to one second and the threshold voltage level is less than or equal to ten volts.

An integrated circuit (IC) for controlling the discharge of a capacitor coupled across first and second input terminals of a power converter circuit, wherein the first and second terminals for receiving an ac line voltage. The IC includes a switching element coupled across the first and second input terminals and a detector circuit. The detector circuit including first and second comparators that produce first and second output signals responsive to a zero-crossing event of the ac line voltage. The first and second output signals being used to generate a reset signal coupled to a timer circuit responsive to the zero-crossing event. When the reset signal is not received within a delay time period, the timer circuit outputs a discharge signal that turns the switching element on, thereby discharging the capacitor.

Controller IC with zero-crossing detector and capacitor discharge switching element

A power converter controller includes a primary controller and a secondary controller. The primary controller is coupled to receive one or more request signals from the secondary controller and transition a power switch from an OFF state to an ON state in response to the received request signals. The secondary controller is coupled to transmit the request signals to the primary controller and control the amount of time between the transmission of each of the request signals. The secondary controller includes a timing circuit that sets a minimum amount of time between the transmission of the request signals. The secondary controller also includes a secondary switch control circuit coupled to trigger the timing circuit in response to transmitting a request signal.

Power converter using multiple controllers

An integrated circuit package includes an encapsulation and a lead frame with a portion of the lead frame disposed within the encapsulation. The lead frame includes first and second conductive loops. A first voltage is induced between first and second ends of the first conductive loop in response to an external magnetic field that passes through the integrated circuit package. A second voltage is induced between third and fourth ends of the second conductive loop of the lead frame in response to the external magnetic field that passes through the integrated circuit package. The first conductive loop is coupled to the second conductive loop such that the first voltage between the first and second ends combined with the second voltage between the third and fourth ends substantially cancel.

A circuit for use in a power converter includes a control circuit coupled to detect whether an electrical energy source is coupled to an input of the power converter. A switch is coupled to the control circuit, and is coupled to transfer energy from the input of the power converter to an output of the power converter during a first operating mode. The control circuit is coupled to drive the switch in the first operating mode when the electrical energy source is coupled to the input of the power converter. The control circuit is coupled to drive the switch in a second operating mode when the electrical energy source is uncoupled from the input of the power converter to drive the switch to discharge a capacitance coupled between input terminals of the power converter to a threshold voltage in less than a maximum period of time.

An integrated circuit (IC) comprises a rectifier/regulator circuit coupled to receive an ac source voltage and output a regulated dc voltage. The rectifier/regulator circuit includes first and second switching elements that provide charging current when enabled. The first and second switching elements do not provide charging current when disabled. A sensor circuit is coupled to sense the regulated dc voltage and generate a feedback control signal coupled to the rectifier/regulator circuit that enables the first and second switching elements when the regulated do voltage is above a target voltage, and disables the first and second switching elements when the regulated do voltage is below the target voltage.

Monolithic AC/DC converter for generating DC supply voltage

An integrated circuit package includes an encapsulation and a lead frame with a portion of the lead frame disposed within the encapsulation. The lead frame includes a first conductor having a first conductive loop and a third conductive loop disposed within the encapsulation. The third conductive loop is wound in a direction relative to the first conductive loop such that the first conductive loop is coupled out of phase with the third conductive loop. The lead frame also includes a second conductor galvanically isolated from the first conductor. The second conductor includes a second conductive loop disposed within the encapsulation proximate to the first conductive loop to provide a communication link between the first and second conductors.

An example controller circuit includes a feedback sampling circuit, an oscillator, a drive logic, and a false sampling prevention circuit. The feedback sampling circuit generates a sample signal in response to a sampling of a feedback signal. The oscillator generates an on-time signal that transitions from a first logic state to a second logic state during each period of the on-time signal. The drive logic controls a switch to regulate the output of a power converter. The drive logic turns on the switch to end an off-time of the switch in response to the on-time signal transitioning from the first logic state to the second logic state. The false sampling prevention circuit prevents the on-time signal from transitioning from the first logic state to the second logic state to extend the off-time of the switch until a sampling complete signal indicates that sampling of the feedback signal is complete.

On time sampling prevention

A controller includes a first controller terminal, a second controller terminal, a first p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor, and a second pMOS transistor. The first controller terminal is to be coupled to a bypass capacitor coupled to a secondary side of an isolated power converter. The second controller terminal to be coupled to an output node of the secondary side. The first pMOS transistor includes a first source terminal coupled to the second controller terminal, a first drain terminal, and a first body diode. The second pMOS transistor includes a second source terminal coupled to the first controller terminal, a second drain terminal coupled to the first drain terminal, and a second body diode. A cathode of the second body diode is coupled to the second source terminal. An anode of the second body diode is coupled to the second drain terminal.

Charging circuit for a power converter controller

A power converter controller includes a primary controller and a secondary controller. The primary controller is coupled to receive one or more request signals from the secondary controller and transition a power switch from an OFF state to an ON state in response to each of the received request signals. The primary controller is coupled to detect a turn-off condition when the power switch is in the ON state and transition the power switch from the ON state to the OFF state in response to detection of the turn-off condition. The secondary controller is galvanically isolated from the primary controller. The secondary controller is coupled to transmit the request signals to the primary controller and control the amount of time between the transmission of each of the request signals.

A circuit includes a control circuit coupled to detect whether an electrical energy source is coupled to an input of a power converter. A switch is coupled to the control circuit to transfer energy from the input of the power converter to an output of the power converter during a first operating mode. The control circuit is coupled to drive the switch in the first operating mode when the electrical energy source is coupled to the input of the power converter. The control circuit is coupled to drive the switch in a second operating mode when the electrical energy source is uncoupled from the input of the power converter. The control circuit is coupled to discharge a capacitance coupled between input terminals of the power converter through the switch to a threshold voltage in less than a maximum period of time in the second operating mode.

An example circuit includes a capacitance circuit, a regulator circuit, and a slew rate control circuit. The capacitance circuit is coupled between a first node and a second node. The regulator circuit is coupled to the capacitance circuit to regulate a supply voltage across the capacitance circuit with a charge current during a normal operation mode of the circuit. The slew rate control circuit is coupled to the capacitance circuit and the regulator circuit. The slew rate control circuit is coupled to lower a slew rate of a change in voltage over change in time between the first and second nodes during a power up mode of the circuit. The slew rate control circuit includes a transistor coupled between the first and second nodes to shunt excess current from the charge current.

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Foster City, CA, United States of America

David Kung