Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC

Gabriel Eirea

Yung-I Chang

Shawn Laliberte

A circuit to control the peak current of a single inductor multiple output (SIMO) power converter operating in continuous current mode (CCM) is disclosed. The circuit generates a peak-current threshold signal that can be raised or lowered based on an error signal generated by comparing output voltages to their respective regulated levels. Additionally, the circuit can lower the peak-current threshold signal when an energy storage element of the SIMO power converter is in a freewheeling state. The lowering can occur at a rate that continues as long at the freewheeling state persists. The disclosed circuits and methods allow the peak-current threshold to converge on a level that facilitates the sufficient charging of the energy storage element to provide enough energy to the outputs but not excessive charging so as to increase ohmic loss associated with the freewheeling state.

Circuit and method for adjusting an inductor current in a power converter

An electronic circuit includes a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) circuit, a sub-harmonic reduction circuit, and a voltage feedback circuit. The PWM circuit produces a PWM signal according to a voltage control signal, a current of the electronic circuit, and a maximum duty cycle. When the electronic circuit is operating in a peak current limit mode, the sub-harmonic reduction circuit generates a feedback adjustment signal according to whether the current of the electronic circuit exceeds a peak current limit, whether a duty cycle of the PWM signal is greater than or equal to the maximum duty cycle, whether the voltage control signal is controlling the duty cycle of the PWM signal, or combinations thereof. The voltage feedback circuit generates the voltage control signal according to an output voltage produced using the PWM signal, a value of a reference voltage, and a value of the feedback adjustment signal.

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Gabriel Eirea