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:
Aug. 14, 2012
Filed:
Mar. 12, 2010
John M. Pigott, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Gustavo J. Mehas, Mercer Island, WA (US);
Gerrit Van Der Horn, Delft, NL;
Richard Willem Visee, The Hague, NL;
John M. Pigott, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Gustavo J. Mehas, Mercer Island, WA (US);
Gerrit van der Horn, Delft, NL;
Richard Willem Visee, The Hague, NL;
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
A DC to DC converter has first and second transistor coupled at a first node and coupled between first and second power supply terminals. An inductor has a first terminal coupled to the first node and a second terminal coupled to an output terminal for receiving a variable load. Transistor drive circuitry controls conduction of the first and second transistor in a non-overlapping conduction operation. A duty cycle controller controls a duty cycle for the first transistor and the second transistor. Control circuitry determines a mode of operation by monitoring cycles of operation and detecting a predetermined pattern of cycles in which inductor current becomes negative. A first mode of operation permits both the first transistor and the second transistor to alternately conduct and a second mode of operation does not permit the second transistor to conduct during each cycle when the inductor current is reduced to substantially zero.