International Rectifier Corporation

Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.

Infineon Technologies Austria Ag

Peter Green

Thomas J Ribarich

Dana S Wilhelm

Iulia Rusu

Zan Huang

Roberto Quaglino

Hongying Ding

Cecilia Contenti

Muthu Subaramanian

In one example, a circuit for controlling synchronous rectification includes a first current compensation module, a second current compensation module, and a control module. The first current compensation module is configured to provide a first current into parasitic capacitance at a drain pin when a drain of a synchronous rectifier draws current from the parasitic capacitance. The drain pin is coupled to the drain of the synchronous rectifier via a resistor. The first current compensation module is further configured to generate a triggering signal using the first current. The second current compensation module is configured to draw a second current from the parasitic capacitance when the drain of the synchronous rectifier provides current into the parasitic capacitance and generate an arming signal using the second current. The control module is configured to activate the synchronous rectifier using the triggering signal and the arming signal.

Synchronous rectification controller

There are disclosed herein various implementations of a power converter having an advanced control integrated circuit (IC). The power converter includes the control IC and a power switch. The control IC includes a driving stage for driving the power switch, and a sensing stage coupled to the driving stage. The sensing stage is configured to produce a control signal for the driving stage based on an output current of the power converter sensed at a high side bus of the power converter.

Power converter having an advanced control IC

According to one embodiment, a flyback power converter comprises a primary circuit including a flyback driver, and an isolated output circuit responsive to the primary circuit. The isolated output circuit is used to power a load. The flyback driver is configured to identify a load current in the isolated output circuit from an input power to the primary circuit, and to regulate the load current according to the input power. In one embodiment, the flyback driver is configured to sense an input voltage to the flyback power converter, to identify an average current value corresponding to a current through a converter switch in the primary circuit, and to multiply the average current value and the input voltage to determine the input power to the primary circuit.

Flyback driver for use in a flyback power converter and related method

A ballast control integrated circuit for a ballast driving a high intensity discharge (HID) lamp. The control integrated circuit has a first circuit for controlling a DC to DC converter receiving a first DC voltage and providing an increased DC voltage. The first circuit includes a driver for providing a pulsed signal to drive a first switch coupled to a flyback transformer of the DC to DC converter. A second circuit controls a DC to AC converter, the second circuit controlling a switching circuit receiving the increased DC voltage and driving the HID lamp with an AC voltage. The second circuit has a driver circuit for driving the switching circuit. The switching circuit is an H-bridge switching circuit coupled to drive the HID lamp.

Automotive HID headlamp ballast control IC

A ballast circuit operable to drive a high intensity discharge lamp in accordance with an embodiment of the present applications includes an energy conversion circuit operable to convert an input voltage into a bus voltage and to provide the bus voltage to a DC bus, a first half bridge connected across the DC bus and operable to control an output voltage supplied to the lamp, a control circuit operable to control the half bridge such that a desired output voltage is provided to the lamp, a series inductor connected in series between the half bridge and the lamp; and a parallel capacitor resistor connected across the lamp. The control circuit operates the half bridge at a high frequency for a set period of time such that a high voltage is built up across the parallel resistor, and then reduces the frequency of the half bridge until it approaches a resonance frequency which ignites the lamp.

HID lamp ballast circuit

A three-way dimming ballast circuit for driving a ballast power switching circuit powering a gas discharge lamp such as a CFL. The circuit includes a driver circuit for driving high and low side switches of the ballast power switching circuit; a control circuit for driving the driver circuit including an oscillator circuit for providing an oscillating signal to control the frequency of operation of the ballast power switching circuit, the ballast power switching circuit outputting lamp-powering pulsed signals; and a dimming control circuit having an input, the dimming control circuit receiving an AC lamp current feedback signal at the input, the dimming control circuit further receiving a DC input voltage reference at the input, whereby the DC input voltage reference determines a desired dimming level of the lamp and the AC lamp current feedback signal maintains the lamp brightness at the desired dimming level. The DC input voltage reference is provided by one or both of a setting circuit comprising forward-biased diodes and/or an override circuit comprising transistors that are switched on to apply a maximum DC voltage.

Three-way dimming ballast circuit

A driving circuit for providing a control signal to a power semiconductor device for providing power to a filament lamp, said driving circuit comprising an oscillator for generating said control signal. The driving circuit may further comprise a soft start circuit which controls said oscillator so as to avoid excessive current in said lamp at start-up; a voltage compensation circuit which controls said oscillator so as to compensate for variations in load; a shutdown circuit for shutting down and automatically restarting said oscillator in response to a fault condition; an adaptive dead time circuit which controls said oscillator for providing cool running of said power semiconductor device; and/or a dimming circuit which controls said oscillator for driving said lamp. The driving circuit and its control circuitry may be implemented in an integrated circuit.

Basic halogen convertor IC

The functionality of electronic convertors for low voltage filament lamp applications, such as halogen lamps, can be increased by including auxiliary circuits. Such auxiliary circuits may include gate drive resistors; a charge pump for sustaining the DC supply; open circuit protection; short circuit protection; thermal protection; extended resetting time; latched shutdown; self-dimming; a digital (DALI) interface; and line voltage compensation.

Applications of halogen converter control IC

An IC for controlling a power supply circuit for delivering power to a fluorescent lamp in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a ballast control section operable to provide drive signals to the power supply circuit and an amplifier section integrated into the IC and operable to provide a dimming signal to the ballast control section. The ballast control section drives the power supply circuit to provide for dimming of the lamp based on the dimming signal. An IC for controlling a power supply circuit for delivering power to a fluorescent lamp in accordance with another embodiment of the present application includes a ballast control section operable to provide drive signals to the power supply circuit; and an amplifier section integrated into the IC. The ballast control section provides the drive signals to the power supply circuit, receives current sense signals indicative of current in said lamp, and responds to the current sense signals by modifying the drive signals.

Dimmable ballast control integrated circuit

A ballast control circuit for driving at least one gas discharge lamp in accordance with an embodiment of the present application includes a high side driver operable to provide a high side driving signal to a high side switch of a half bridge controlled by the ballast control circuit, wherein the high side driving signal indicates a preferred duty cycle for the high side switch, a low side driver operable to provide a low side driving signal to a low side switch of the half bridge, wherein the low side driving signal indicates a preferred duty cycle for the low side switch and a dead time control circuit operable to provide a dead time signal that indicates a dead time during which both the high side and low side switches are turned OFF, wherein the dead time is set based on a value of an external dead time resistor.

Ballast control circuit for use with CCFL and EEFL lamps

A high voltage offset detection circuit registers the voltage at the midpoint of a switching half-bridge and may determine when the midpoint voltage reaches a given value to avoid hard-switching in the half-bridge switches. The midpoint voltage of the switching half-bridge is applied through a buffer to a MOSFET that is current limited to produce a voltage that reflects the voltage of the midpoint of the switching half-bridge. The voltage produced by the MOSFET may be supplied to a comparator with a threshold input to obtain a signal that indicates when the switches of the switching half-bridge may be turned on to avoid hard-switching. An adaptive dead-time circuit and method may comprise the above sensing circuit, a first circuit for generating a first signal indicative of a high to low transition of the midpoint voltage; and an output circuit for generating an adaptive dead-time output signal based thereon. A second circuit may generate a second signal indicative of a low to high transition of the voltage; wherein the output circuit generates the adaptive dead-time output signal based on both the first and second signals. The second circuit preferably generates the second signal by reproducing the first signal. The first circuit may generate the first signal by charging a capacitor in response to pulses, and the second circuit may generate the second signal by charging a second capacitor corresponding to said first capacitor, and the adaptive dead-time output signal may be responsive to the charges on the first and second capacitors.

Half bridge adaptive dead time circuit and method

A high speed buck control IC for constant LED current regulation. A continuous mode hysteretically controlled buck regulator monitors the load current using an accurate on-chip band-gap voltage reference. This style of current regulation allows the designer to dispense with large and sometimes bulky output capacitors. The IC is inherently protected against short circuit conditions, and an additional circuit provides open circuit protection. An external high side bootstrap circuit aids in driving the buck switching element especially at high frequencies. A low side driver is also provided for use, e.g. in synchronous rectifier designs. All functions are realized within a small 8 pin DIP or SOIC package.

LED buck regulator control IC

An electronic ballast for driving a high intensity discharge (HID) lamp is provided. The electronic ballast includes a voltage boost stage for receiving a DC input voltage and outputting a boosted DC output voltage with a controlled current. It further includes a switching stage for converting the boosted DC output voltage to a switched AC voltage capable of driving the HID lamp. An integrated circuit (IC) is coupled to the voltage boost stage and the switching stage for controlling both. The IC includes a lamp power control circuit comprising a sensing circuit for sensing an output current from the switching stage and the boosted DC output voltage, a current control loop which controls the lamp power if the lamp current is at a maximum level and a power control loop which controls the lamp power if the lamp current is below a maximum level. The IC also includes a controller unit interface and provides an ignition mode and a regular operation mode.

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Redondo Beach, CA, United States of America

Peter Green