System General Corporation

Industrial Technology Research Institute

Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC

Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation

Primax Electronics Ltd.

Fairchild (taiwan) Corporation

Gelie Co., Ltd.

Li Kuei Lin

Ta-Yung Yang

Jung-Sheng Chen

Yue-Hong Tang

Chih-Hsien Hsieh

Zhibo Tao

Chuh-Ching Li

Chin-Yen Lin

Hangseok Choi

Rui-Hong Lu

Kai-Fang Wei

Wen-Faa Kuo

Chien-Shiun Liao

Ju-Hyun Kim

Chi-Yin Lo

Sheng-Fu Hsu

Chih Hsien Hsieh

Ching Wen Fu

Zhao-Jun Wang

Ying-Chieh Su

Youngbae Park

Kuo-Hsien Huang

Jhih-Da Hsu

Chien-Tsun Hsu

Chao-Chih Lin

Hung-Chun Chen

George Ho

Kuo-Hsiem Huang

A switched-mode power supply with near valley switching includes a quasi-resonant converter. The converter includes a switch element that is turned on not only at the valley, but also in a window range of &#x394;tclose to the valley, where the voltage across the switch element is at its minimum. This advantageously reduces switching loss and maintains a balance between efficiency and frequency variation.

Power supply with near valley switching in near valley window time period

A method for frequency reduction of a quasi-resonant (QR) converter includes detecting a valley point of a resonant waveform of the QR converter, by detecting a voltage level of the resonant waveform falling below a first threshold voltage. A blanking time is formed from the beginning of a QR conversion cycle to the valley point. The blanking time is extended in response to a first reduction of an output loading of the QR converter, while maintaining a primary current of the QR converter at a first current level. The primary current is reduced to a second current level being less than the first current level, while maintaining the blanking time at a maximum blanking time, in response to a second reduction of the output loading.

Advanced frequency reduction of quasi-resonant converters

Power supply with near valley switching

A method for communicating with a power converter comprises initiating a communication sequence by sensing a first distortion of a sensed waveform during a discharge period of a first power transfer cycle of the power converter. The sensed waveform is proportional to a secondary current of the power converter. At a primary side of the power converter, a data bit is received from a secondary side of the power converter, by sensing a second distortion to represent one state of the data bit and sending an absence of the second distortion to represent another state of the data bit. The secondary distortion is applied to the secondary current during the discharge period of a subsequent power transfer cycle.

Communication circuit for flyback power converter with synchronous rectifier

An electrical circuit for a power supply includes a primary-side controller integrated circuit (IC) that outputs a drive signal on a switch pin to control a switching operation of a switch that is coupled to a primary winding of a transformer. The primary-side controller IC places the switch pin at high impedance during a sense window and turns on the switch in response to sensing a dynamic detection signal on the switch pin during the sense window. The dynamic detection signal is induced by a secondary-side controller IC by controlling switching of a switch that is coupled to a secondary winding of the transformer when the output voltage drops below a predetermined threshold during standby or other low load conditions.

Power supply circuit with secondary side to primary side communication

The present invention proposes a method for controlling an adaptive power converter. The method comprises: generating an output-sense signal by sampling a reflected voltage of a transformer; receiving a feedback signal related to an output power of the adaptive power converter; generating a clock signal in response to the feedback signal and the output-sense signal; generating a switching signal for switching the transformer and regulating an output voltage of the adaptive power converter. The reflected voltage is correlated to the output voltage of the adaptive power converter. The switching signal is generated in response to the feedback signal. The frequency of the switching signal is determined by the clock signal. The frequency of the switching signal is decreased in response to a decrement of the feedback signal.

Method and apparatus of frequency modulation for power saving of adaptive power converter

An adaptive sampling circuit of the power converter according to the present invention comprises a sample-and-hold unit and a signal-generation circuit. The sample-and-hold unit is coupled to a transformer to generate a feedback signal by sampling a demagnetized voltage of the transformer in response to a sample signal. The signal-generation circuit generates the sample signal in response to a magnetized voltage of the transformer, the demagnetized voltage of the transformer, a switching signal and a code. The sample signal is used for sampling the demagnetized voltage. The feedback signal is correlated to an output voltage of the power converter. The switching signal is generated in response to the feedback signal for switching the transformer and regulating the output of the power converter. The adaptive sampling circuit is used to precisely measure the demagnetized voltage of the transformer without the limitation of the transformer design.

Adaptive sampling circuit for detecting the demagnetized voltage of the transformer

A control circuit of a power converter is provided. It comprises a voltage detection circuit detecting a reflected signal for generating a voltage-loop signal. A current detection circuit detects a current of a transformer for generating a current-loop signal. An oscillator generates an oscillation signal in accordance with an output load of the power converter. A PWM circuit generates a switching signal according to the voltage-loop signal, the current-loop signal and the oscillation signal for regulating an output of the power converter. A load detection circuit receives a detection signal through an signal-transfer device for increasing a switching frequency of the switching signal. The detection signal is generated once the output is lower than a low-voltage threshold. The oscillation signal determines the switching frequency of the switching signal. The control circuit reduces the voltage drop of the output when the output load is changed.

Control circuit with fast dynamic response for power converters

A sampling circuit of the power converter according to the present invention comprises an amplifier circuit receiving a reflected voltage for generating a first signal. A first switch and a first capacitor are utilized to generate a second signal in response to the reflected voltage. A sample-signal circuit generates a sample signal in response to a falling edge of a switching signal. The switching signal is generated in accordance with a feedback signal for regulating an output of the power converter. The feedback signal is generated in accordance with the second signal. The sample signal is utilized to control the first switch for sampling the reflected voltage. The sample signal is disabled once the first signal is lower than the second signal. The sampling circuit precisely samples the reflected voltage of the transformer of the power converter for regulating the output of the power converter.

Sampling circuit for measuring the reflected voltage of transformer for power converter

A controller of the power converter according to the present invention comprises a gate driver. The gate driver generates a gate-drive signal. The gate-drive signal is coupled to drive a power transistor to switch a transformer of the power converter for regulating an output of the power converter. The gate driver has a charge-pump circuit for charging pump a voltage level of the gate-drive signal. Therefore, the gate-drive signal can fully turn on the power transistor.

Transistor gate driver with charge pump circuit for offline power converters

A sampling circuit of the power converter according to the present invention comprises an amplifier circuit receiving a reflected voltage for generating a first signal. A first switch and a first capacitor are utilized to generate a second signal in response to the reflected voltage. A sample-signal circuit generates a sample signal in response to the disable of a switching signal. The switching signal is generated in accordance with a feedback signal for regulating an output of the power converter. The feedback signal is generated in accordance with the second signal. The sample signal is utilized to control the first switch for sampling the reflected voltage. The sample signal is disabled once the first signal is lower than the second signal. The sampling circuit precisely samples the reflected voltage of the transformer of the power converter for regulating the output of the power converter.

Sampling circuit for measuring reflected voltage of transformer for power converter operated in DCM and CCM

The present invention proposes a switching controller of a flyback power converter. The switching controller includes a switching circuit, a sample-and-hold circuit, a voltage detection circuit, an oscillation circuit, and a comparator. The voltage detection circuit generates a holding signal when a level of an input voltage of the flyback power converter is lower than a low-threshold. The oscillation circuit limits the maximum frequency of switching signal. The maximum frequency is increased in response to a decrement of a modulation signal. The modulation signal correlated with a level of the input voltage is used to generate a control signal when the level of the input voltage is lower than an ultra-low-threshold. The control signal is enabled to operate the flyback power converter in continuous current mode operation. Therefore, an input capacitor can be eliminated and manufacturing cost is saved.

Switching controller for flyback power converters without input capacitor

A method for controlling a power converter is provided. The method includes the following steps. A switching signal coupled to switch a transformer for regulating the output of the power converter is generated in accordance with a feedback signal and a ramp signal. The ramp signal is generated in accordance with a switching current signal and a slope compensation signal. The slope compensation signal is generated in response to an input voltage signal. The input voltage signal is generated in response to the level of the input voltage of the power converter. The feedback signal is generated in accordance with the output of the power converter, and the switching current signal is correlated with a switching current of the transformer.

Adaptive slope compensation programmable by input voltage of power converter

A control circuit of the power converter according to the present invention comprises a feedback circuit, an output circuit and an adaptive clamping circuit. The feedback circuit generates a feedback signal in accordance with an output of the power converter. The output circuit generates a switching signal in accordance with the feedback signal for regulating the output of the power converter. The adaptive clamping circuit limits the level of the feedback signal under a first level for a first load condition. The feedback circuit determines a slew rate of the feedback signal for increasing the level of the feedback signal from the first level to a second level. The adaptive clamping circuit is disabled and the level of the feedback signal can be increased to the second level for a second load condition.

Growing community of inventors

Hsinchu Hsien, Taiwan

Li Kuei Lin