Direct Current Converter

• US 20100259238A1
• Filed: 06/15/2009
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Anpec Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Anpec Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: Cheng, Chieh-Wen
• Application Number:
  US12/484,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20100259238A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/282
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load

Abstract

A direct current converter includes a first node, a second node, an input voltage terminal end, an output voltage terminal, a control power terminal, a low-voltage end, a control module for generating a control signal, a driving-stage circuit coupled to the input voltage terminal, the first node, the second node, the control module, and the low-voltage end, an output-stage circuit coupled to the second node and the output voltage terminal, and a bootstrap circuit including a capacitor coupled between the first node and the second node, and a cascade unit coupled to the control power terminal, the first node, and the control module for controlling connection between the control power terminal and the first node according to the control signal.

Claims

1. A direct current converter for converting an input voltage to an output voltage comprising:

a first node;

a second node;

an input voltage terminal, for receiving the input voltage;

an output voltage terminal, for outputting the output voltage;

a control power terminal, coupled to a voltage, as a voltage source for a bootstrap circuit;

a low-voltage end, coupled to the lowest voltage;

a control module, for generating a control signal;

a driving-stage circuit, coupled to the input voltage terminal, the first node, the second node, the control module and the low-voltage end, for being driven by a voltage of the first node, the input voltage and the low voltage, to convert the input voltage to the switching signals and output the switching signals to the second node according to the control signal;

an output-stage circuit, coupled to the second node and the output voltage terminal, for converting the switching signals to the output voltage; and

a bootstrap circuit, comprising;

a capacitor, coupled between the first node and the second node; and

a cascade unit, coupled to the control power terminal, the first node and the control module, for controlling a connection between the control power terminal and the first node according to the control signal of the control module.

2. The direct current converter of claim 1, wherein the driving-stage circuit comprises:

a first power transistor, comprising a first end coupled to the input voltage terminal, a second end, and a third end coupled to the second node, for conducting a connection between the first end and the third end according to a signal of the second end;

a second power transistor, comprising a first end coupled to the second node, a second end, and a third end coupled to the low-voltage end, for conducting a connection between the first end and the third end according to a signal of the second end;

a first driving unit, comprising a first end coupled to the first node, a second end coupled to the second node, a third end coupled to the control module, and a fourth end coupled to the second end of the first power transistor, for being driven by the voltage of the first node and a voltage of the second node, to output the control signal to the second end of the first power transistor; and

a second driving unit, comprising a first end coupled to the input voltage terminal, a second end coupled to the low-voltage end, a third end coupled to the control module, and a fourth end coupled to the second end of the second power transistor, for being driven by the input voltage and the low voltage, to output the control signal to the second end of the second power transistor.

3. The direct current converter of claim 2, wherein the first power transistor is an n-type metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor, the first end is a drain, the second end is a gate, and the third end is a source.

4. The direct current converter of claim 2, wherein the second power transistor is an n-type metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor, the first end is a drain, the second end is a gate, and the third end is a source.

5. The direct current converter of claim 2, wherein the first driving unit is an inverter, for inverting the control signal and outputting the inverted control signal to the second end to the first power transistor.

6. The direct current converter of claim 2, wherein the second driving unit is an inverter, for inverting the control signal and outputting the inverted control signal to the second end to the second power transistor.

7. The direct current converter of claim 1, wherein the output-stage circuit comprises:

an inductor, coupled between the second node and the output voltage terminal; and

a capacitor, comprising one end coupled between the inductor and the output voltage terminal, and another end coupled to the low-voltage end.

8. The direct current converter of claim 7, wherein the output-stage circuit further comprises:

a first resistor, coupled between the output voltage terminal and the control module; and

a second resistor, coupled between the control module and the low-voltage end.

9. The direct current converter of claim 7, wherein the control module is further utilized for adjusting the control signal according to a dividing voltage generated by the first resistor and the second resistor.

10. The direct current converter of claim 1, wherein the cascade unit comprises:

a diode, comprising a p-type end coupled to the control power terminal, and a n-type end; and

a transistor, comprising a first end coupled to the n-type end of the diode, a second end coupled to the control module, and a third coupled to the first node, for controlling a connection between the first end and the third end according to the control signal received by the second end.

11. The direct current converter of claim 10, wherein the transistor is a p-type metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor, the first end is a drain, the second end is a gate, and the third end is a source.

12. The direct current converter of claim 1, wherein the cascade unit comprises:

a transistor, comprising a first end coupled to the control power terminal, a second end coupled to the control module, and a third end, for controlling a connection between the first end and the third end according to the control signal received by the second end; and

a diode, comprising a p-type end coupled to the third end of the transistor, and a n-type end coupled to the first node.

13. The direct current converter of claim 12, wherein the transistor is a p-type metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor, the first end is a drain, the second end is a gate, and the third end is a source.