CONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR A RESONANT MODE POWER CONVERTER

• US 20080198638A1
• Filed: 01/18/2008
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Power Integrations Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Potentia Semiconductor Corp. (Power Integrations Incorporated)
• Inventors: Demone, Paul, Reinberger, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,848,117 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/74
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0058 by employing soft switching techniques, i.e. commutation of transistors when applied voltage is zero or when current flow is zero using an auxiliary actively switched resonant commutation circuit connected to an intermediate DC voltage or between two push-pull branches of an inverter bridge H02M7/4811; in resonant inverters H02M7/4815; in inverters operating from a resonant DC source H02M7/4826
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3376 with automatic control of output voltage or current
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

The switching frequency of an LLC converter is controlled by a control unit to which a feedback circuit provides a first current dependent upon the output voltage of the converter. An oscillator circuit produces a sawtooth waveform at a frequency dependent upon the first current, up to a limit equal to a second current set by a resistor. Two complementary switch control signals are produced for controlling two switches of the converter for conduction in alternate cycles of the sawtooth waveform. A timer produces dead times between the two complementary switch control signals in dependence upon the second current. Another resistor provides a current constituting a minimum value of the first current, and a charging current of a capacitor in series with a resistor modifies the first current for soft starting of the converter.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a switching frequency of a power converter having an output voltage that is dependent upon the switching frequency, comprising the steps of:

producing a first current that is dependent upon the output voltage;

producing a second current corresponding to a desired maximum value of the first current;

limiting the first current to the desired maximum value in dependence upon the second current; and

producing a control signal for the power converter with a frequency determined by the first current.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of producing a control signal for the power converter comprises mirroring the first current.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of producing a control signal for the power converter comprises cyclically charging a capacitor with a current dependent upon the first current and discharging the capacitor in response to it being charged to a threshold voltage thereby to produce a sawtooth voltage waveform.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 and further comprising the step of varying the charging current of the capacitor in a pseudo-random manner.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3 and further comprising the step of producing two complementary switch control signals, constituting said control signal for the power converter, for controlling two switches of the power converter for conduction in alternate cycles of the sawtooth waveform with dead times between the conduction times of the two switches.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 and including the step of determining each dead time in dependence upon the second current.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 and including the step of providing a desired minimum value of the first current.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of limiting the first current comprises the steps of:

coupling differential inputs of an amplifier respectively to a voltage reference and a junction point to which the first current is supplied;

mirroring the second current via a first transistor to a second transistor;

conducting the first current via a third transistor to the second transistor;

controlling the third transistor in dependence upon an output of the amplifier; and

changing a voltage at the junction point in response to a change of voltage at the output of the amplifier.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 and including the step of determining dead times of the control signal for the power converter in dependence upon the second current.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 and including the step of modifying the first current by a current of a capacitor being charged via a resistor to change the switching frequency of the power converter for soft starting of the power converter.

11. A control unit for a resonant mode converter having an output voltage that is dependent upon a switching frequency of the converter, comprising:

a feedback circuit for providing a first current dependent upon the output voltage of the converter;

a resistor for producing a second current from a reference voltage;

a circuit for limiting the first current to the second current; and

an oscillator circuit for producing a control signal for the converter at a frequency dependent upon the first current thereby to control said output voltage.

12. A control unit as claimed in claim 11 wherein the circuit for limiting the first current to the second current comprises a current mirror circuit for mirroring the second current.

13. A control unit as claimed in claim 11 wherein the oscillator circuit comprises a capacitor, a current mirror circuit responsive to the first current for supplying a charging current to the capacitor, and a comparator circuit responsive to the capacitor being charged to a threshold voltage for discharging the capacitor thereby to produce a sawtooth voltage waveform.

14. A control unit as claimed in claim 13 and further comprising a circuit for producing two complementary switch control signals, constituting said control signal for the converter, for controlling two switches of the converter for conduction in alternate cycles of the sawtooth waveform, and a timer for producing dead times between the two complementary switch control signals.

15. A control unit as claimed in claim 14 wherein the timer is responsive to the second current for determining each dead time in dependence upon the second current.

16. A control unit as claimed in claim 11 and including a resistor for providing a current constituting a minimum value of the first current.

17. A control unit as claimed in claim 11 wherein the circuit for limiting the first current to the second current comprises:

an amplifier having differential inputs coupled respectively to a voltage reference and a junction point to which the first current is supplied;

a current mirror comprising a first transistor to which the second current is supplied and a second transistor;

a third transistor via which the first current is conducted to the second transistor, the third transistor being controlled by an output of the amplifier; and

a circuit for changing a voltage at the junction point in response to a change of voltage at the output of the amplifier.

18. A control unit as claimed in claim 11 and including a capacitor In series with a resistor for modifying the first current by a charging current of the capacitor for soft starting of the converter.

19. In combination, a resonant mode converter, having an output voltage that is dependent upon a switching frequency of the converter, and a control unit as claimed in claim 11 arranged to control a switching frequency of the converter with said control signal.

20. The combination of claim 19 wherein the resonant mode converter comprises an LLC converter.