BOOST CONVERTER WITH ADAPTIVE COIL PEAK CURRENT
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A controller for a DC-to-DC power converter, the controller comprising:
- a modulator configured to generate a driving signal for alternately turning on and off a switching transistor, wherein the switching transistor conducts a coil current that increases while the switching transistor is on and the driving signal turns off the switching transistor after the coil current reaches a desired peak current level;
a feedback comparator configured to generate a feedback signal based on comparing a target reference with a sensed signal indicative of a load condition; and
a desired peak current circuit configured to generate an output to indicate the desired peak current level and to vary the desired peak current level based at least in part on the feedback signal while the controller operates in a discontinuous switching mode in which the feedback signal transitions to a first state that enables the modulator when the sensed signal is less than the target reference and transitions to a second state that disables the modulator when the sensed signal is greater than the target reference.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A power conversion circuit operates in a discontinuous switching mode over a wide range of loading conditions and varies a coil peak current to maintain efficiency over the wide range of loading conditions. The coil peak current is adjustable based at least in part on a feedback signal generated in response to a load condition.
115 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A controller for a DC-to-DC power converter, the controller comprising:
-
a modulator configured to generate a driving signal for alternately turning on and off a switching transistor, wherein the switching transistor conducts a coil current that increases while the switching transistor is on and the driving signal turns off the switching transistor after the coil current reaches a desired peak current level; a feedback comparator configured to generate a feedback signal based on comparing a target reference with a sensed signal indicative of a load condition; and a desired peak current circuit configured to generate an output to indicate the desired peak current level and to vary the desired peak current level based at least in part on the feedback signal while the controller operates in a discontinuous switching mode in which the feedback signal transitions to a first state that enables the modulator when the sensed signal is less than the target reference and transitions to a second state that disables the modulator when the sensed signal is greater than the target reference. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for controlling a switch in a DC-to-DC power converter, the method comprising:
-
comparing a sensed signal indicative of a load condition with a target reference to generate an outer feedback signal; varying a desired peak current level responsive to said generated outer feedback signal; comparing a sensed coil current with the desired peak current level to generate an inner feedback signal; generating, responsive to said generated inner feedback signal, a driving signal arranged to conducted a temporally increasing coil current through the switch when active and cease conduction through the switch when inactive; enabling, responsive to a first condition of said outer feedback signal, said driving signal to conduct the current through the switch; and disabling, substantially over an entire designed load range and responsive to a second condition of said outer feedback signal, said driving signal from conducting the current through the switch. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A controller comprising:
-
a means for generating a feedback signal that indicates whether a load condition is above a reference level or below the reference level; a means for generating a driving signal to alternately turn on and off a semiconductor switch, wherein the semiconductor switch turns on for a duration that varies with a desired peak current level; and a means for adjusting the desired peak current level based on the feedback signal while the controller operates in a discontinuous switching mode in which the driving signal is enabled and disabled responsive to different conditions of said feedback signal. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
Specification