Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.

Jonathan King

Brett A Miwa

David Harrington

Serhii Mikhailovich Zhak

Mark Anthony Belch

A control circuit for a step-up converter includes a soft start module configured to control states of N transistor pairs of the step-up converter, where N is an integer greater than two. A driver module is in communication with the soft start module and configured to generate a first signal when N transistor pairs of the step-up converter are ready to switch. A first charging circuit is configured to charge (N-1) capacitors of the step-up converter to an input voltage of the step-up converter in response to the first signal and to generate a second signal when charging is complete. A second charging circuit is configured to sequentially charge the (N-1) capacitors of the step-up converter to (N-1) predetermined voltage values in response to the first signal and the second signal and before operation of the step-up converter begins.

Soft start systems and methods for multi-level step-up converters

A multi-level, step-up converter circuit includes an inductor including one terminal in communication with an input voltage supply. N transistor pairs are connected in series, where N is an integer greater than one. First and second transistors of a first pair of the N transistor pairs are connected together at a node. The node is in communication with another terminal of the inductor. Third and fourth transistors of a second pair of the N transistor pairs are connected to the first and second transistors, respectively. (N&#x2212;1) capacitors have terminals connected between the N transistor pairs, respectively. An output capacitor has a terminal in communication with at least one transistor of the N transistor pair.

Multi-level step-up converter topologies, control and soft start systems and methods

Multi-level step-up converter topologies, control and soft start systems and  methods

A control circuit for a step-up converter includes a soft start module configured to control states of N transistor pairs of the step-up converter, where N is an integer greater than two. A driver module is in communication with the soft start module and configured to generate a first signal when N transistor pairs of the step-up converter are ready to switch. A first charging circuit is configured to charge (N&#x2212;1) capacitors of the step-up converter to an input voltage of the step-up converter in response to the first signal and to generate a second signal when charging is complete. A second charging circuit is configured to sequentially charge the (N&#x2212;1) capacitors of the step-up converter to (N&#x2212;1) predetermined voltage values in response to the first signal and the second signal and before operation of the step-up converter begins.

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Brookline, NH, United States of America

Jonathan King