Electronic circuit control element with tap element

• US 20060268584A1
• Filed: 07/28/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donald R. Disney
• Original Assignee: Donald R. Disney
• Inventors: Disney, Donald R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,333,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/21.40
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/14 using tap transformers or tap changing inductors as final control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0634 Multiple reduced surface field (multi-RESURF) structures, e.g. double RESURF, charge compensation, cool, superjunction (SJ), 3D-RESURF, composite buffer (CB) structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0653 adjoining the input or output region of a field-effect device, e.g. the source or drain region
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0847 of field-effect transistors with insulated gate H01L29/0653 takes precedence; with a passive supplementary region between source or drain and substrate related to punch-through, capacity or isolation phenomena H01L29/1079; with LDD or DDD structure H01L29/7833; for thin film transistors H01L29/78618
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/407 Recessed field plates, e.g. trench field plates, buried field plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/42368 the thickness being non-uniform
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7802 Vertical DMOS transistors, i.e. VDMOS transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7803 structurally associated with at least one other device assemblies H01L25/00; integrated circuits H01L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7813 with trench gate electrode, e.g. UMOS transistors trench gate electrodes per se H01L29/4236
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0009 Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/335 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33507 with automatic control of the output voltage or current, e.g. flyback converters H02M3/33561, H02M3/33569 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33553 with galvanic isolation between input and output of both the power stage and the feedback loop
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33561 having more than one ouput with independent control

Abstract

A technique for controlling a power supply with power supply control element with a tap element. In one embodiment, a power supply regulator includes a power transistor having first, second, third and fourth terminals. A control circuit is included, which is coupled to the third and fourth terminals of the power transistor. The power transistor is configured to switch a current between the first and second terminals in response a control signal received from the control circuit at the third terminal. A voltage between the fourth and second terminals of the power transistor is substantially proportional to a current flowing between the first and second terminals when a voltage between the first and second terminals is less than a pinch off voltage. The voltage between the fourth and second terminals of the power transistor is substantially constant and less than the voltage between the first and second terminals when the voltage between the first and second terminals is greater than the pinch off voltage.

Claims

1. A power supply control element, comprising:

a power transistor to be coupled to an energy transfer element of a power supply, the power transistor having first and second main terminals, a control terminal and a tap terminal; and

a control circuit coupled to the control terminal, the tap terminal and the second main terminal of the power transistor to control switching of the power transistor, wherein the tap terminal is coupled to provide a signal to the control circuit substantially proportional to a current flowing through the power transistor when a voltage between the first and second main terminals is less than a pinch off voltage and wherein the tap terminal is coupled to provide a substantially constant voltage to the control circuit when the voltage between the first and second main terminals is greater than the pinch-off voltage.

2. The power supply control element of claim 1 wherein the tap terminal is coupled to provide power to the control circuit

3. The power supply control element of claim 1 wherein the tap terminal is coupled to a current limit function of the control circuit.

4. The power supply control element claim 1 wherein the tap terminal is coupled to a line sense function of the control circuit.

5. The power supply control element of claim 1 wherein the power transistor and control circuit are packaged together in a single package.

6. The power supply control element of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is coupled to control switching of the power transistor to control the transfer of energy across the energy transfer element of the power supply.