Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Allegro Microsystems, LLC

Paolo Selvo

Valerio Bendotti

Diego Alagna

Salvatore Cannavacciuolo

Vittorio D'Angelo

Michele Suraci

Giorgio Oddone

Vittorio D′Angelo

An adaptive current limit circuit is provided in a power converter to achieve a fixed output current limit over duty cycle. In a converter including a high side switch, a low side switch coupled to the high side switch at a switch node, and an inductor coupled between an input voltage source and the switch node, the adaptive current limit circuit is coupled to receive the high side control signal and configured to generate an adaptive current limit threshold that varies based at least in part on the duty cycle of the high side switch.

Adaptive current limiter

In an embodiment a method includes receiving, at an input of a low-voltage section of a gate driver, a PWM control signal with a switching frequency, providing, at an output of a high-voltage section of the gat driver, a gate-driving signal as a function of the PWM control signal to a power stage, wherein the high-voltage section is galvanically isolated from the low-voltage section, receiving, at a feedback input of the high-voltage section, at least one feedback signal indicative of an operation of the power stage, converting, at an ADC module of the high-voltage section, the feedback signal into a digital data stream, providing, to the ADC module, a conversion-trigger signal designed to determine a start of a conversion for acquiring a new sample of the feedback signal and sending, via an isolation communication channel between the low-voltage section and the high-voltage section, the digital data stream to the low-voltage section.

Isolated gate driver device for a power electrical system and corresponding power electrical system

In an embodiment an isolated gate driver device includes a low-voltage section having a control input configured to receive a PWM control signal with a switching frequency from a control stage, a high-voltage section, galvanically isolated from the low-voltage section the high-voltage section including a driving output configured to provide a gate-driving signal as a function of the PWM control signal to a power stage having at least one switch, a feedback input configured to receive at least one feedback signal indicative of an operation of the power stag, and an ADC module configured to convert the feedback signal into a digital data stream and a conversion-control module coupled to the ADC module and configured to provide a conversion-trigger signal designed to determine a start of a conversion for acquiring a new sample of the feedback signal.

Growing community of inventors

Milan, Italy

Paolo Selvo