Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.

Stmicroelectronics Gmbh

Francis Yu

James Nguyen

Peng Xu

Hunt Hang Jiang

Eric Braun

Chao Liu

Chinh D Nguyen

Chiahsin Chang

Fangyu Zhang

Li-Hsin D Lu

Huaifeng Wang

Huichun Dai

A multi-phase voltage converter has a plurality of integrated circuits (ICs), and a controller. Each IC has a power switch, a monitoring pin and a current sense pin. The power switch is controlled to convert an input voltage to an output voltage. The current sense pin is capable of providing a current sense signal representative of a current flowing through the power switch. The controller is capable of providing a clock signal via the monitoring pin, and provides a plurality of data signals via the current sense pin of the plurality of ICs. Each of the plurality of ICs is assigned an identification code based on the clock signal and one of the plurality of data signals.

Multi-phase voltage converter with identification codes assignment

A semiconductor device reducing parasitic loop inductance of system for the switching converter. The semiconductor device has an input voltage pin, a ground reference pin, a switching pin, and a semiconductor die, wherein the semiconductor die comprises a high-side power switch and a low-side power switch and a metal connection. The metal connection directly connects the high-side power switch and the first terminal of the low-side power switch, and is along and proximity to an edge of the semiconductor device to which the input voltage pin is distributed.

Semiconductor device reducing parasitic loop inductance of system

In one embodiment, a current sensing circuit includes a differential current sensing amplifier adapted for sensing a voltage drop across a main transistor, the differential current sensing amplifier being adapted for providing a switched current output to a timing circuit which is adapted for providing a timing signal to one or more switching current sample-and-hold circuits based on a current waveform of the switched current output, and the one or more switching current sample-and-hold circuits, each of which are adapted for producing a substantially continuous output current. In another embodiment, a method for detecting a current includes driving a main transistor with a first current, driving one or more sensing transistors with a second current, measuring a sensing inductor current of the one or more sensing transistors, and determining the first current based on the sensing inductor current, wherein the sensing inductor current is related to the first current.

Methods for sensing current in a switching regulator

A power supply includes a half-bridge circuit. The power supply further includes an output inductor connected to a switch node that is common to a high side switch and a low side switch of the half-bridge. During a turn ON time of the low side switch, a current detection circuit of the power supply samples and holds in a capacitor a valley of an inductor current flowing through the output inductor. Also during the turn ON time of the low side switch, the current detection circuit samples and holds in another capacitor a peak of the inductor current. During a turn OFF time of the low side switch, a sense inductor current that is representative of the inductor current is generated by combining the charges stored in the capacitors.

Current detection and averaging circuit for switching power supplies with a half-bridge switch circuit topology

A current detection circuit for detecting a current in a SMPS which has a first switch and a second switch; a current sensing circuit sensing a second switch current flowing through the second switch and providing a current sensing signal; and a current emulation circuit which generates a first current according to the current sensing signal and generate a second current according to the first current source, and the current emulation circuit further providing a current emulation signal based on the first current source and the second current source; wherein a current detection signal during a first period is proportional to the current emulation signal, and the current detection signal during a second period is proportional to the current sensing signal.

Current detection and emulation circuit, and method thereof

A circuit for determining an initial winding combination for motor startup of a polyphase dc motor having a transistor driver circuit comprising a plurality of high side winding drivers and low side winding drivers operably connected to first and second voltage sources comprises a current mirror circuit and a plurality of sense FETs each operably connected between one of the voltage sources and the gate of one of the winding driver transistors in each phase combination. The sense FETs are operably connected to one side of the current mirror circuit. The mirror circuit compares the current through the sense FET with a current threshold provided on the other side of the current mirror and produces an output signal when the threshold is reached. At the same time, the time to reach the threshold is measured and the phase combination having the longest time is stored. Also when the threshold is reached, the sequencer advances to the next phase combination for measurement until all phase combination have been sequenced. The motor is then started with the phase combination having the longest time measurement energized first.

Growing community of inventors

Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Francis Yu