Infineon Technologies Ag

Infineon Technologies Austria Ag

Derek Bernardon

Thomas Ferianz

Hubert Rothleitner

Kennith Kin Leong

Dieter Haerle

David Levy

Markus Müllauer

Olivier Trescases

Alberto Flore

An isolated DC/DC converter includes: a transformer having a primary side and a secondary side; an inverter configured to change a DC input voltage (Vin) to an AC current for energizing the primary side of the transformer; a capacitor in series with the primary side of the transformer; and a controller configured to operate the inverter in a first mode such that the capacitor pre-charges to |Vin| before the controller receives a turn ON command, the capacitor charges to X*|Vin| during a first part of a first switching cycle after the controller receives the turn ON command where X>1, and the capacitor voltage resonates with a magnetizing inductance of the primary side of the transformer during a second part of the first switching cycle. A power electronics device that includes the isolated DC/DC converter is also described.

Isolated DC/DC converter and power electronics system

A power stage includes: a first transformer; a second transformer; a third transformer; a GaN (gallium nitride) enhancement mode power transistor configured to conduct a load current when driven by a gate current derived from energy transferred by the first transformer; a GaN depletion mode transistor configured to turn off the GaN enhancement mode power transistor absent a threshold voltage applied across a gate and a source of the GaN depletion mode transistor; a voltage clamping device or circuit configured to turn off the GaN depletion mode transistor when reverse biased by a bias current derived from energy transferred by the second transformer; and a GaN enhancement mode transistor configured to turn on the GaN depletion mode transistor when driven by a gate current derived from energy transferred by the third transformer.

Transformer-based drive for GaN devices

A voltage converter is provided. The voltage converter comprises a switching circuit that includes a first pair of switches and a second pair of switches. The voltage converter comprises a transformer having a magnetizing inductance and a leakage inductance that are a function of a windings ratio of the transformer. The voltage converter comprises a capacitor coupled to the transformer and the switching circuit. The voltage converter comprises a switch control circuit configured to generate a frequency for controlling the first pair of switches and the second pair of switches. The frequency is set of a value to control the pairs of switches so that a peak capacitor voltage of the capacitor is a factor of an output voltage of the voltage converter and the windings ratio of the transformer.

Voltage converter with switch control circuitry

Current sense circuitry includes: a current mirror circuit for sensing a power transistor current; a capacitor directly connected to the current mirror circuit at a first node; and a comparator circuit having a first input electrically connected to an input terminal of the current mirror circuit, a second input electrically connected to a drain or source terminal of the power transistor, and an output that is in a first state when a voltage at the first input is higher than a voltage at the second input and in a second state when the voltage at the first input is lower than the voltage at the second input. Current is sourced to the first node if the power transistor is on and the comparator output is in the second state, and sunk from the first node if the power transistor is on and the comparator output is in the first state.

Current sense circuitry

A circuit, which might be a full-bridge driver circuit, comprises a first PMOS high-side transistor device and a first NMOS low-side transistor device. The circuit further comprises turn-on circuitry configured to turn on the first PMOS high-side transistor device while simultaneously turning on the first NMOS low-side transistor device, by routing charge stored in a gate of the first PMOS high-side transistor device to a gate of the first NMOS low-side transistor device, to charge the gate of the first NMOS low-side transistor device.

Efficiency concept for driving a PMOS and NMOS full-bridge power stage

A parameter is compared to a lower threshold. The parameter is a gate-to-source voltage that is associated with a first transistor or a drain current that is associated with the first transistor. The first transistor is a field effect transistor, and the first transistor is a power device. If one or more of at least one supplemental transistor is coupled to the first transistor, and the parameter is less than the lower threshold, a plurality of switches is controlled to decouple at least one of the at least one supplemental transistor from the first transistor.

Dimension regulation of power device to eliminate hot spot generation

In one example, a circuit includes a pass module, a first sensing module, a second sensing module, a decision module, and a control module. The pass module is configured to modify, based on a control signal, a resistance of a channel that electrically connects an input voltage and a load. The first sensing module is configured to generate a first sensed current. The second sensing module is configured to generate a second sensed current. The decision module is configured to generate a first decision current, generate a second decision current, and generate a composite sensed current based on a summation of the first decision current, the second decision current, the first sensed current, and the second sensed current. The control module is configured to generate the control signal based on the composite sensed current.

Current sensing for linear voltage regulator

An engine control system operates to communicate via a sensor link with one or more sensors in a vehicle based on different communication protocols. The sensors alter communication protocols for communicating via the sensor link to an engine control unit to reduce or increase a current consumption according to one or more predetermined criteria. In response to a predetermine threshold of one or more of the predetermined criteria being satisfied, a sensor communicates in a first communication protocol as opposed to a second communication protocol while operating to communicate a current signal or a modulated current signal.

Reduced power consumption with sensors transmitting data using current modulation

According to an embodiment, a system includes a switching regulator and an electrochemical storage test circuit. The switching regulator is coupled to a power supply input and configured to supply a regulated voltage to a regulated supply terminal that is configured to be coupled to a device. The electrochemical storage test circuit is configured to be coupled to an electrochemical storage unit. The electrochemical storage test circuit includes a bidirectional switch with a first switch terminal coupled to the regulated supply terminal, a second switch terminal configured to be coupled to the electrochemical storage unit, and a switch control terminal. The electrochemical storage test circuit also includes a built-in self-test (BIST) circuit configured to be coupled to the electrochemical storage unit and to the switch control terminal.

System and method for a built-in-self-test of a battery

A method may comprise receiving a first clock signal; receiving a digital duty cycle value; using the first clock signal and digital duty cycle value to generate a digital pulse width modulation (DPWM) signal having a plurality of discrete steps to control a switch of a switched-mode power supply; and using a voltage control circuit to modify a duration of each of the plurality of discrete steps of the DPWM signal, wherein the voltage control circuit is configured to receive an analog voltage input.

Feedforward circuit for DC-to-DC converters with digital voltage control loop

In one example, a circuit includes a voltage source, a pass module, a differential amplifier module, and a control module. The pass module is configured to electronically couple, using a channel having a resistance, the voltage source and a load and to modify the resistance of the channel based on a control signal. The differential amplifier module is configured to generate a differential signal based on a comparison of a voltage reference and a representation of a voltage at the load. The control signal is based on the differential signal. The control module is configured to generate the representation of the voltage at the load according to a transfer function. The transfer function includes a zero positioned substantially at a crossover frequency of the transfer function.

Adaptive control for linear voltage regulator

In various embodiments a circuit is provided including: an input terminal to receive an input voltage; a switch, a first controlled input of which being coupled to the input terminal; an inductor, a first terminal of which may be coupled in series to a second controlled input of the switch; a freewheeling diode, wherein a first diode terminal may be coupled with the second controlled input of the switch and with the first terminal of the inductor, and wherein a second diode terminal may be coupled with a reference potential; a capacitor coupled with a second terminal of the inductor; and a controller configured to operate the switch and the inductor in continuous current mode to charge the capacitor.

Inrush current limiting circuit

System and method for a built-in self-test of a battery

In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a power supply includes measuring an output signal of the power supply, determining a control voltage based on the measured output signal, and determining whether a supply voltage of a voltage follower circuit is greater than a first threshold. When the supply voltage of the voltage follower circuit is greater than the first threshold, the control voltage is applied to an input of the voltage follower circuit and an output of the voltage follower circuit is applied to a control node of an output transistor in a first mode. When the supply voltage of the voltage follower circuit is not greater than the first threshold, the voltage follower circuit is shut down and the control voltage is applied to the control node of the output transistor in a second mode.

System and method for a linear voltage regulator

In accordance with an embodiment, a method of testing a power supply controller includes detecting whether an external switch is coupled between a first supply pin and the second supply pin. If the external switch is detected, the method determines whether there is a short circuit between the second supply pin and the switching output pin. If the short circuit between the second supply pin and the switching output pin is not detected, however, the method determines whether there is a short circuit between a switch control pin and the second supply pin. If the short circuit between the switch control pin and the second supply pin is not detected, the method determines whether there is a conductive path between the first supply pin and the second supply pin when the switch control pin activates the external switch.

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Villach, Austria

Derek Bernardon