Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Salvatore Tumminaro

Alfio Pasqua

Claudio Adragna

Salvatore Giombanco

Giovanni Lombardo

Filippo Marino

Andrea Rapisarda

Marco Sammartano

Michele Grande

Eliana Cannella

Igor Lisciandra

A circuit includes an electronic switch configured to be coupled intermediate a high-voltage node and low-voltage circuitry and configured to couple the low-voltage circuitry to the high-voltage node. A voltage-sensing node is configured to be coupled to the high-voltage node via a pull-up resistor. A further electronic switch can be switched to a conductive state to couple the voltage-sensing node and the control node of the electronic switch. A comparator compares a threshold with a voltage at the voltage-sensing node and causes the further electronic switch to switch on in response to the voltage at said voltage-sensing node reaching said threshold. A charge pump coupled to the current flow-path of the electronic switch is activated to the conductive state to pump electric charge from the current flow-path of the electronic switch to the control node of the electronic switch via the further electronic switch switched to the conductive state.

Regulator circuit, corresponding system and method

In an embodiment, a brown-out protection circuit includes: a monitoring terminal; a threshold generator supplying a threshold voltage; a comparator to compare a monitoring voltage at the monitoring terminal and the threshold voltage; and a logic module supplying an enable signal having a brown-in logic value and a brown-out logic value. When the enable signal is at the brown-out logic value, the logic module checks transition conditions, relating to a number of usable transitions of the monitoring voltage from lower to greater than the threshold voltage, and time conditions, relating to permanence of the monitoring voltage above the threshold voltage after a usable transition or in an aggregated manner after a plurality of consecutive usable transitions. The logic module sets the enable signal to the brown-in logic value when the transition conditions or the time conditions are met.

Brown-out protection circuit for a switching converter and method for controlling a switching converter

An embodiment PFC control circuit includes a first terminal providing a drive signal to an electronic switch of a boost converter, a second terminal receiving a feedback signal indicative of an output voltage generated by the boost converter, and a third terminal connected to a compensation network. An error amplifier generates a current as a function of the voltage at the second terminal and a reference voltage, wherein an output of the error amplifier is coupled to the third terminal. A driver circuit generates the drive signal as a function of the voltage at the third terminal, and selectively activates or deactivates the generation of the drive signal as a function of a burst mode enable signal. A detection circuit generates the burst mode enable signal as a function of the voltage at the second terminal.

PFC control circuit for a boost converter, related integrated circuit, boost converter, power supply and method

An integrated circuit includes an output terminal a first input terminal is configured to receive a signal proportional to a voltage between first and second terminals of the primary winding, and a second input terminal is configured to receive a signal proportional to a current flowing through the primary winding. A quasi-resonant (QR) circuit has a first input coupled to the first terminal, and a second input coupled to an output of an oscillator circuit. A selector circuit has a first input coupled to the output of the oscillator circuit, a second input coupled to an output of the QR circuit, and a select input. An output control circuit includes a first input coupled to the second input terminal, a second input coupled to an output of the selector circuit, and an output coupled to a control terminal of the switching transistor.

Control method and device for switching power supplies having more than one control mode

A switching converter converts an input signal to a regulated output signal using a switch and a transformer with a primary winding and a secondary winding. A wake up management circuit receives a transformer demagnetization signal and forces by wake up pulses the switch on when the switching converter operates in a burst mode. Sampled values of the transformer demagnetization signal are received. A setting circuit sets a first peak value of the current of the primary winding. A comparison circuit compare the sampled values with a voltage threshold and the preceding sampled value. In response thereto, the first peak value of the primary winding current is either maintained or a new peak value is set.

Wake up management circuit for a switching converter and related wake up method

A power-supply circuit includes a transformer with primary and secondary windings, and an energy accumulator on the secondary winding. A circuit monitors the secondary winding and generates a feedback signal that is transferred by a transmission circuit through the secondary winding by selectively transferring energy from the energy accumulator. The transmission circuit includes: a) an electronic switch having a control terminal; and b) a driver circuit for driving the electronic switch. The driver circuit includes a charge-accumulation capacitor connected to the control terminal, and a charge circuit configured to draw energy from the secondary winding and charge the charge-accumulation capacitor.

Power-supply circuit, related transmission circuit, integrated circuit, and method of transmitting a signal

A control device for controlling a switching power supply adapted to convert an input voltage into an output voltage according to a switching rate of a switching element. The control device includes first control means for switching the switching element in a first working mode at a constant frequency and second control means for switching the switching element in a second working mode at a variable frequency, under a maximum frequency, in response to the detection of a predefined operative condition of the switching power supply. The control device further includes means for selecting the first working mode or the second working mode.

A power switching converter includes a switch coupled to an input terminal through a primary winding of a transformer and a control circuit configured to drive the switch to provide a regulated output signal at a secondary winding of the transformer. A wake up circuit is provided to force the switching-on of the switch when the power converter enters in a burst mode. The wake up circuit includes a transmitting section coupled to the secondary winding and a receiving section coupled to an auxiliary winding of the transformer and the control circuit. The transmitting section is configured to provide a wake up signal communicated in a wireless manner to the receiving section when the output signal falls below a threshold value.

Wake up management circuit for a power switching converter

A circuit includes a transformer with a primary, secondary, and auxiliary. A first control circuit actuates a first switch circuit based on a wake-up signal to cause the primary to transmit power to the secondary. A second control circuit actuates a second switch circuit based on an output voltage at the secondary being less than a threshold to generate the wake-up signal to the secondary for transmission to the auxiliary. The second switch circuit has a transistor with a source coupled to a reference node, a gate coupled to the second control circuit. A first diode has an anode coupled to the source and a cathode coupled to the drain, and blocks flow of current from the drain to the source. A second diode has an anode coupled to the substrate and a cathode coupled to the drain, and blocks flow of current from the drain to the substrate.

Power switching converter

A receiver of a signal communication apparatus; the apparatus including a transmitter adapted to transmit coded signals, the receiver for receiving the signal and a wireless interface interposed between the transmitter and the receiver and having a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna. The receiver includes a decoder configured to decode the received signal and circuitry coupled to the receiving antenna and capable of triggering the decoder if the value of the received signal is outside a logical hysteresis having a first logic threshold having a value smaller than the value of the direct current component of the received signal and a second logic threshold having a value greater than the value of the direct current component of the received signal.

Receiver for signal communication apparatus and related signal communication apparatus

A receiver of a signal communication apparatus; the apparatus having a transmitter for transmitting the signals, the receiver for receiving the signals and a galvanically isolated wireless interface interposed between the transmitter and the receiver and having a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna. The receiver including a disturbance rejection circuit coupled to the receiving antenna and capable of compensating for the parasite currents flowing between the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna at the potential variations between the input and output of the galvanic isolation interface.

Receiver for signal communication system with disturbance rejection circuit

A transmission and reception apparatus includes a transmitter, a receiver and a galvanically isolated interface arranged between the transmitter and the receiver. The transmitter, receiver and interface are arranged so as to form a two-level isolated digital channel and the transmitter includes a block adapted to send a clock signal to the receiver. The receiver includes a circuit adapted to synchronize the receiver and the transmitter using the received clock signal and a circuit adapted to memorize information related to the synchronization in a storage element to hold the synchronization while the receiver is receiving the digital data. The transmitter block is adapted to send the digital data signal after the synchronization of the receiver and transmitter.

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Marianopoli, Italy

Salvatore Tumminaro