The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 27, 2012
Filed:
Aug. 22, 2008
Matthew A. Grant, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Matthew A. Grant, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Active-Semi, Inc., British Virgin Islands (VG), VG;
Abstract
An average current-mode controlled converter has a buck mode, a boost mode, and a four-switch mode. In one example, the converter operates in one of the three modes, depending on the difference between the converter output voltage VOUT and the converter input voltage VIN. Whether the four-switch mode is a full-time four-switch mode or a partial four-switch mode is user programmable. The novel converter can also be programmed to operate in other ways. For example, the converter can be programmed so that there is no intervening four-switch mode, but rather the converter operates either in a buck or a boost mode depending on VOUT-VIN. The converter can also be programmed so that the converter always operates in a conventional full-time four-switch mode. In one embodiment, the converter is programmed by setting an offset between two internally generated ramp signals and by setting associated limiting and inverting circuits.