Power Integrations, Inc.

Potentia Semiconductor Corporation

Hartley Fred Horwitz

Roger Colbeck

Robert J Mayell

Sorin Stefan Georgescu

Kuo-Chang Robert Yang

Raymond Kenneth Orr

Steven Greig Porter

Frank Joseph Schulz

Mircea Cristian Boros

Igor Miletic

Lino Del Pup

Philip Craine

Yan-Fei Liu

David Alan Brown

Paul W Demone

Jason Cuadra

Yueming Wang

Apparatus and methods for sensing resonant circuit signals to enhance control in a resonant converter are described herein. A buffer circuit coupled in parallel with or across a resonant component (e.g., a transformer) input port avails a buffered primary port signal for use in resonant conversion. The buffered primary port signal is a comprehensive signal including information relating to both input voltage and input power; and it may be used to advantageously enhance switching and power conversion in an inductor-inductor capacitor (LLC) converter. Additionally, the LLC converter uses a sense interface circuit to provide a scaled replica of the buffered primary port signal. In one example the scaled replica can advantageously be used with a secondary side controller to control output power based on the comprehensive information contained within the buffered primary port signal.

Apparatus and methods for sensing resonant circuit signals to enhance control in a resonant converter

A controller for use in a power converter that is configured to operate in a plurality of modes including a first mode and a second mode includes a frequency monitor module coupled to measure a signal characteristic of a switch drive signal coupled to control switching of a switches block of the power converter. The frequency monitor module includes a memory coupled to store a measured signal characteristic of the switch drive signal measured during the first mode. The frequency monitor module is coupled to generate a clock signal in response to the measured signal characteristic stored in the memory. The switch drive signal is coupled to be generated in response to the clock signal during the second mode.

Apparatus and methods for controlling a switch drive signal following mode transitions in a switching power converter

A switch having a drain, a source, and a control. The switch comprising a depletion-mode transistor including a first, a second, and a control terminal and an enhancement-mode transistor including a first, a second, and a control terminal. The first terminal of the depletion-mode transistor is the drain of the switch and the control of the depletion-mode transistor is coupled to the source of the switch. The control of the enhancement-mode transistor is coupled to the control of the switch, the second terminal of the enhancement-mode transistor is the source of the switch. The switch comprises a clamp circuit to clamp a voltage of the first terminal of the enhancement-mode transistor to a threshold, the clamp circuit comprises a resistor and a pn-junction device coupled between the first and second terminals of the enhancement-mode transistor and between the second terminal and the control of the depletion-mode transistor.

Clamp for a hybrid switch

A method to control a high side switch of a motor drive includes sinking a current of an ON signal to communicate a turn ON of the high side switch. A first current signal, a second current signal, a third current signal, a fourth current signal and a common mode rejection signal are generated in response to the ON signal. The ON signal in a presence of common mode noise is determined by comparing the first current signal and the second current signal. A first output signal is generated in response to determining the ON signal. A drive signal is generated responsive to the first output signal to control the high side switch in response to the ON signal in presence of common mode noise that is caused by a slewing at a half-bridge node.

High side signal interface in a power converter

A controller configured for use in a power converter includes a multiplexer that receives a startup clock signal and a request clock signal. The multiplexer selects the startup signal or the request clock signal to generate a clock signal. A startup clock generates the startup clock signal to control a switching frequency of a primary switching circuit during a startup condition. A request clock generates the request clock signal in response to a request signal to control the switching frequency of the primary switching circuit after the startup condition. A control circuit receives the clock signal to generate a drive signal control the switching frequency of the primary switching circuit. The control circuit selects the startup clock signal during the startup condition. The control circuit receives an indication in the request signal of an end of an undervoltage condition and then selects the request clock signal after the startup condition.

Synchronizing multiple controllers in a power converter

A power converter controller includes a control loop clock generator that generates a switching frequency signal in response to a sense signal representative of a characteristic of the power converter, a load signal responsive to an output load, and a limit signal representative of a maximum length of a current half cycle of the switching frequency signal. A comparator generates an enable signal in response to the load signal and a load threshold. A limit control generates the limit signal in response to the enable signal and the switching frequency signal. A rate of change of half cycles of the switching frequency signal is controlled in response to the limit signal. A request transmitter generates a request signal in response to the switching frequency signal to control switching of a switching circuit coupled to the energy transfer element and an input of the power converter.

Controller with limit control to change switching period or switching frequency of power converter and methods thereof

A controller for use in a power converter includes a control loop clock generator that is coupled to generate a switching frequency signal in response to a sense signal representative of a characteristic of the power converter, a load signal responsive to an output load of the power converter, and a hard switch sense output. A hard switch sense circuit is coupled to generate the hard switch sense output in response to the switching frequency signal and a rectifier conduction signal that is representative of a polarity of an energy transfer element of the power converter. A request transmitter circuit is coupled to generate a request signal in response to the switching frequency signal to control switching of a switching circuit coupled to an input of the energy transfer element of the power converter.

Secondary winding sense for hard switch detection

A resonant converter includes a resonant transformer having a leakage inductance and a magnetizing inductance coupled in series to form a resonant transformer input port. The resonant transformer has an output that is coupled to provide an output power to a load. A primary bridge circuit is coupled to provide an input power to the resonant transformer input port. A buffer circuit is coupled in parallel with the resonant transformer input port. A control module is coupled to receive a buffered primary port signal from the buffer circuit to control the primary bridge circuit to control the output power to the load in response to the buffered primary port signal.

A controller for use in a power converter of a motor drive includes a control circuit configured to turn ON a high side switch by sinking a current of an ON signal. A high side signal interface circuit is coupled to receive the ON signal to generate a drive signal to control switching of the high side switch in a presence of a common mode signal caused by slewing at a half bridge node. The high side signal interface circuit includes a common mode cancellation circuit coupled to provide a common rejection signal to provide a cancellation or rejection of the common mode signal. A first current hysteresis comparator is coupled to receive a common mode rejection signal, a first current signal, and a fourth current signal, and generate a first output signal in a presence of a common mode voltage.

A switch having a drain terminal, a source terminal and a control terminal. The switch comprises a normally-on device including a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal, a normally-off device including a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal, and a clamp circuit. The first terminal of the normally-on device is the drain terminal of the switch and the control terminal of the normally-on device is coupled to the source terminal of the switch. The control terminal of the normally-off device is coupled to the control terminal of the switch. The second terminal of the normally-off device is the source terminal of the switch, and the first terminal of the normally-off device is coupled to the second terminal of the normally-on device. The clamp circuit coupled across the normally-off device and comprises a first transistor coupled to the first terminal of the normally-off device.

A power converter controller includes a high side signal interface circuit that includes a common mode cancellation circuit that is coupled to generate a fourth current signal representative of an OFF signal referenced to a bypass voltage during an initial state, and a first current signal in response to an ON signal being pulled to a lower value relative to the OFF signal to turn ON a high side switch. The common mode cancellation circuit generates a common mode rejection signal in response to the first and fourth current signals. A first current hysteresis comparator receives the first and fourth current signals, the common mode rejection signal, and a drive signal to generate a first output signal. A drive signal generated in response to the first output signal in a presence of a common mode voltage caused by slewing at a half bridge node.

A switch having a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal. The switch includes a normally-on device with a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal. The first terminal of the normally-on device is the first terminal of the switch. The control terminal of the normally-on device is coupled to the second terminal of the switch. A normally-off device includes a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal. The control terminal of the normally-off device is coupled to the control terminal of the switch. The second terminal of the normally off-device is the second terminal of the switch. The first terminal of the normally-off device is coupled to the second terminal of the normally-on device. A clamp circuit is coupled across the normally-off device. The clamp circuit is coupled to clamp a voltage of the first terminal of the normally-off device to a threshold.

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Ottawa, Canada

Hartley Fred Horwitz