Intersil Americas Inc.

Other

John Stuart Kleine

Jia Wei

Thomas Andrew Jochum

Lei Zhao

Kun Xing

Wei Dong

Michael Jason Houston

Mary Kleine

Joseph Kleine

Michael Kleine

A battery charge system including an adapter node, a system node, a battery, a first isolation switch coupled between the adapter and system nodes, a second isolation switch coupled between the battery and system nodes, a boost converter, and a controller. The controller turns off the first isolation switch and turns on the second isolation switch during a battery mode, activates the boost converter when an adapter voltage is detected, turns off the second isolation switch when the system voltage rises above the battery voltage, and turns on the first isolation switch when the system voltage rises to an operating voltage level. The boost converter may then be turned off once in the adapter mode. The second isolation switch may initially be turned on partially at a low current level when the adapter is detected, and then turned fully on when the system voltage is at the operating voltage level.

Battery charge system with transition control that protects adapter components when transitioning from battery mode to adapter mode

Systems and methods for overcurrent protection in a battery charger are provided. For example, a method for overcurrent protection may include controlling a switching regulator to direct electrical current between the switching regulator and a battery port; sensing a voltage drop that is related to the electrical current passing between the switching regulator and the battery port; applying a first ramp voltage to the sensed voltage drop generating a modified sensed voltage drop; comparing the modified sensed voltage drop against at least one reference voltage; and when the modified sensed voltage drop exceeds the at least one reference voltage, changing operation of the switching regulator to protect the battery charger from an overcurrent state.

Overcurrent protection in a battery charger

Systems and methods are provided for overcurrent protection in a battery charger. In certain embodiments, a method includes turning on an adapter switch to receive electrical power from an adapter connected to the battery charger; controlling a switching regulator to direct electrical current between the switching regulator and a battery port. Further, the method includes sensing a voltage drop that is related to the electrical current passing between the switching regulator and the battery port; comparing the sensed voltage drop against at least one reference voltage; and, when the sensed voltage exceeds the reference voltage, changing operation of the adapter switch to protect the battery charger from an overcurrent state.

Circuits, methods, and apparatus that reduce the power required to drive transistors in switching power supply regulators under various load conditions. One example provides a power supply regulator having multiple parallel transistors in order to reduce series on resistance. When the regulator is lightly loaded, a reduced number of devices are driven by the regulator. That is, one or more devices are not driven, rather their gates are held at a voltage such that the devices remain in the off or non-conductive state. When the regulator is more heavily loaded, more or all of the devices are driven.

Deactivating parallel MOSFETs to improve light load efficiency

A buck regulator comprises an upper switching transistor connected between a voltage input node and a phase node. A lower switching transistor is connected between the phase node and a ground node. An inductor is connected between the phase node and an output voltage node. Circuitry generates control signals to the upper switching transistor and the lower switching transistor responsive to the output voltage and a reference voltage. The control signals to the lower switching transistor selectively turn off the lower switching transistor responsive to a current direction through the lower switching transistor and an indication of whether a voltage error signal has been clamped at a selected level.

System and method for reducing voltage overshoot during load release within a buck regulator

A DC-DC voltage converter is provided that includes a plurality of power channels and a controller. Each power channel is configured to provide a voltage output to an output node of the converter. Each power channel also includes a first sensing circuit configured to provide a primary feedback signal indicative of an output current of the power channel. Each power channel further includes an auxiliary sensing circuit to provided one or more auxiliary feedback signals indicative of an output current of each of the respective other power channels. The controller is configured to control each of the power channels based at least in part on the primary feedback signal and the one or more auxiliary feedback signals.

DC-DC voltage converter

A multi-phase DC-DC converter incorporates auxiliary resistor networks to feed back to the converter's supervisory controller voltages representative of secondary sensed currents associated with primary currents sensed relative to the common nodes of the respective phases, and derived from the output nodes for each phase. The auxiliary resistor network-coupling of these secondary sensed currents enables the controller to more completely take into account the influence of the currents of each channel on every other channel, whereby phase-balanced control of all converter channels is achieved, irrespective of symmetry of the integrated circuit layout of the different phases of the converter.

Multi-phase DC-DC converter using auxiliary resistor network to feed back multiple single-ended sensed currents to supervisory controller for balanced current-sharing among plural channels

A phase removal control system for a multiphase DC/DC converter including combination logic, disable logic, and a current detector. The multiphase DC/DC converter includes first and second output phase circuits and a controller providing first and second PWM signals for the first and second output phase circuits, respectively. The combination logic combines the second PWM signal with the first PWM signal when a phase enable signal is de-asserted and while a current detect signal indicates current above a predetermined minimum current level. The disable logic passes the second PWM signal to the second output phase circuit when the phase enable signal is asserted and blocks the second PWM signal from the second output phase circuit when the phase enable signal is de-asserted. The current detector has an input for sensing current through the second output phase circuit and an output providing the current detect signal indicative thereof.

Removing a phase in multiphase DC/DC converter without disturbing the output voltage

A droop amplifier circuit for a DC-DC regulator including an amplifier, at least one first resistive device, a second resistive device, a third resistive device, and a first capacitive device. Each first resistive device is coupled between an output inductor (phase node or current sense node) and the amplifier's non-inverting input. The first capacitive device is coupled between the regulator output and the amplifier's output. The second resistive device is coupled between the regulator output and the amplifier's inverting input. The third resistive device is coupled between the amplifier's inverting input and output. A second capacitive device may be coupled between the regulator output and the amplifier's non-inverting input. A fourth resistive device may be coupled in parallel with the second capacitive device. A relatively small, simple and low performing amplifier is sufficient. Circuit area and power are reduced, and low input offset voltage is more easily achieved.

Droop amplifier circuit

A phase activation control system for a multiphase DC/DC converter including an amplifier circuit and enable logic. The converter includes a first phase circuit providing a first PWM signal and has a reduce input for reducing duty cycle of the first PWM signal. The converter further includes a second phase circuit providing a second PWM signal and having an enable input and an increase input for increasing duty cycle of the second PWM signal. The amplifier circuit has an enable input, a current sense input for sensing output current of the converter and an output providing an adjust signal. The adjust signal is provided to the reduce input of the first phase circuit and to the increase input of the second phase circuit. The enable logic receives a phase enable signal and enables the amplifier circuit and the second phase circuit.

Activating a phase in a multiphase DC/DC converter without disturbing the output voltage

A novelty motor vehicle has a pair of rear wheels of diameter greater than that of the front wheels. An engine is mounted on the rear of the chassis aft of the rear wheels. Weights are mounted on the rear of the chassis aft of the rear wheels. A transmission is provided. A special gear box is mounted on the chassis and coupled to the engine. Two drive shafts are provided; one from the transmission to the special gear box for rotating the gears and the other from the special gear box to the rear end for driving the vehicle slower. An independent hand brake system selectively brakes either of the rear wheels to turn the vehicle about the braked wheel when the front wheels are on the ground or in the air due to the weight on the chassis aft of the rear wheels.

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Cary, NC, United States of America

John Stuart Kleine