Silicon Laboratories Inc.

Flextronics International Usa, Inc.

Ross Fosler

Allen F Rozman

Daniel A Artusi

Donald E Alfano

Ka Yin Leung

A power system having a power converter with an adaptive controller. In one embodiment, a power converter coupled to a load includes a power switch configured to conduct for a duty cycle to provide an output characteristic at an output thereof. The power converter also includes a power converter controller configured to receive a signal from the load indicating a system operational state of the load and enable a power converter topological state as a function of the signal.

Power system with power converters having an adaptive controller

A power system having a power converter with an adaptive controller. The power system is coupled to a load and includes a power system controller that receives a signal indicating a system operational state of the load and selects a power converter operational state as a function thereof. The power system also includes a power converter with a power switch that conducts for a duty cycle to provide a regulated output characteristic at an output thereof. The power converter also includes a controller that receives a command from the power system controller to enter the power converter operational state and provides a signal to control the duty cycle of the power switch as a function of the output characteristic and in accordance with the command, thereby regulating an internal operating characteristic of the power converter to improve an operating efficiency thereof as a function of the system operational state.

A distributed power system delivers DC power to a plurality of loads. The distributed power system includes a plurality of power converter modules having an associated DC to DC power conversion operation. Each of the modules includes a power regulation section for receiving a distributed input power from a distributed power line to generate a DC output by controlling the operation of the switching pulse generator. A processing section within the module interfaces with a data communications line for interfacing with the commands. The processing section is capable of operating in both a slave mode to receive commands from said data communication bus and a master mode for generating the commands. In at least one of the modules operating in the master mode, the processing section generates the commands for transmission over the data communications line to an address of one of the other modules. Processing sections in the slave mode of operation are configurable to monitor the operation of said power regulation section. Processing sections in the slave mode of operation are further able to negotiate among active slaves for assignment of a selected module as a new master responsive to the failure of a previous master.

Distributed power supply system having reassignable master

A power factor correction circuit utilizes a digital controller string comprised of an analog-to-digital converter, which is input to a digital compensator followed by a pulse width modulation circuit for generating a switching pulse. The loop current in a regulator circuit such as a boost regulator is sensed and input to one side of a differential analog-to-digital converter, the other side thereof providing a digital reference current. This digital reference current is derived from comparing the input AC voltage to the regulator with the DC output voltage and processing these two voltages with a PFC algorithm to provide this reference voltage.

Digital controller based power factor correction circuit

A system for analyzing the operation of a switching power converter includes a digital controller for receiving an analog signal representing the output DC voltage of the power converter for comparison to a desired output voltage level and generating switching control signals to control the operation of the power supply to regulate the output DC voltage to said output voltage level. At least one portion of a control loop within the digital controller may be switched into the control loop in a first mode of operation and out of the control loop in a second mode of operation. A microcontroller emulates the operation of the at least one portion of the control loop during the second mode of operation.

In system analysis and compensation for a digital PWM controller

A system for controlling a soft start for a switching converter includes a digital feedback control system for receiving an analog voltage signal representing the output of a switching converter, for digitally processing the analog voltage signal by comparing it to a corrected reference voltage to generate a voltage error signal and for generating drive signals to control the operation of the switching converter to provide a regulated output. A microcontroller provides a secondary feedback loop for generating the corrected reference voltage. The secondary feedback loop enabling the output voltage signal to vary linearly over time during a soft start.

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Buda, TX, United States of America

Ross Fosler