POWER CONVERSION APPARATUS AND OVER CURRENT PROTECTION METHOD THEREOF

• US 20120008342A1
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Published: 01/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Power Forest Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Power Forest Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Chia, Ju-Lin, Hsu, Chih-Hsiung
• Granted Patent: US 8,300,427 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/21.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/32 Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection
• 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

Abstract

A power conversion apparatus and an over current protection (OCP) method thereof are provided. The OCP method includes generating a pulse-width-modulation (PWM) signal according to a loading status of an electronic device, so as to switch a power switch in the power conversion apparatus and thus making the power conversion apparatus providing an output voltage to the electronic device; generating an OCP reference signal with variable slope according to a feedback signal related to the loading status of the electronic device and a system operation voltage of a PWM controller chip in the power conversion apparatus that is used for generating the PWM signal; and comparing a sensing voltage corresponding to a current following through the power switch on a resistor, and the OCP reference signal with variable slope to determine whether to activate an OCP mechanism to control the PWM controller chip whether to generate the PWM signal.

Claims

1. A power conversion apparatus, comprising:

a transformer, having a primary side and a secondary side, wherein a first end of the primary side receives an input voltage, and the secondary side provides an output voltage to an electronic device;

a power switch, having a first end coupled to a second end of the primary side, a second end coupled to a first node, and a control end receiving a pulse width modulation signal;

a first resistor, coupled between the first node and a ground potential;

a feedback unit, coupled to the secondary side, for receiving the output voltage, and accordingly outputting a feedback signal related to a loading status of the electronic device; and

a pulse width modulation controller chip, coupled to the control end of the power switch, the first node and the feedback unit, for generating an over current protection reference signal with variable slope according to the feedback signal and a system operation voltage of the pulse width modulation controller chip, and accordingly comparing a voltage of the first node and the over current protection reference signal with variable slope to determine whether or not to generate the pulse width modulation signal to switch the power switch.

2. The power conversion apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pulse width modulation controller chip comprises:

a compensation circuit, coupled to the feedback unit, for receiving the system operation voltage and the feedback signal, and accordingly generating the over current protection reference signal with variable slope;

a pulse width modulation signal generator, coupled to the control end of the power switch, for generating and adjusting the pulse width modulation signal according to the feedback signal; and

an over current protection unit, coupled to the first node, the compensation circuit and the pulse width modulation signal generator, for receiving and comparing the voltage of the first node and the over current protection reference signal with variable slope, so as to determine whether or not to activate an over current protection mechanism to control the pulse width modulation controller chip whether or not to generate the pulse width modulation signal.

3. The power conversion apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the compensation circuit comprises:

a judging unit, for receiving the system operation voltage and the feedback signal, and accordingly judging whether booting of the electronic device is completed, so as to output a judging signal;

a first current source;

a second resistor, wherein the first current source and the second resistor are connected in series between the system operation voltage and the ground potential;

a second current source;

a first switch, wherein the second current source and the first switch are connected in series between the system operation voltage and a second node between the first current source and the second resistor;

a first buffer, having an input terminal coupled to the second node;

a third current source;

a first capacitor, wherein the third current source and the first capacitor are connected in series between the system operation voltage and an output terminal of the first buffer;

a fourth current source;

a second switch, wherein the fourth current source and the second switch are connected in series between the system operation voltage and a third node between the third current source and the first capacitor;

a second buffer, having an input terminal coupled to the third node, and an output terminal outputting the over current protection reference signal with variable slope;

a Zener diode, having an anode coupled to the ground potential, and a cathode coupled to the output terminal of the second buffer; and

an inverter, having an input terminal receiving the judging signal and coupled to a control end of the second switch, and an output terminal coupled to a control end of the first switch.

4. The power conversion apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein

when booting of the electronic device is not completed, the first switch is turned on in response to an output of the inverter, and the second switch is turned off in response to an input of the inverter;

and

when booting of the electronic device is completed, the first switch is turned off in response to the output of the inverter, and the second switch is turned on in response to the input of the inverter.

5. The power conversion apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

when booting of the electronic device is not completed, an initial voltage of the over current protection reference signal with variable slope is a first predetermined voltage, a slope of the over current protection reference signal with variable slope is a first predetermined slope, and a highest voltage of the over current protection reference signal with variable slope is a second predetermined voltage;

and

when booting of the electronic device is completed, an initial voltage of the over current protection reference signal with variable slope is a third predetermined voltage, a slope of the over current protection reference signal with variable slope is a second predetermined slope, and a highest voltage of the over current protection reference signal with variable slope is the second predetermined voltage,

wherein the second predetermined slope is greater than the first predetermined slope, the first predetermined voltage is greater than the third predetermined voltage, and the second predetermined voltage is greater than the first and the third predetermined voltages.

6. The power conversion apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power switch is an N-type transistor.

7. An over current protection method, adapted to a power conversion apparatus, the over current protection method comprising:

generating a pulse width modulation signal according to a loading status of an electronic device, so as to switch a power switch in the power conversion apparatus and thus make the power conversion apparatus to provide an output voltage to the electronic device;

generating an over current protection reference signal with variable slope according to a feedback signal related to the loading status of the electronic device and a system operation voltage of a pulse width modulation controller chip in the power conversion apparatus that is used for generating the pulse width modulation signal; and

comparing a sensing voltage corresponding to a current following through the power switch on a resistor to the over current protection reference signal with variable slope so as to determine whether or not to activate an over current protection mechanism to control the pulse width modulation controller chip whether or not to generate the pulse width modulation signal.

8. The over current protection method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step of generating the over current protection reference signal with variable slope comprises:

determining whether booting of the electronic device is completed according to the system operation voltage and the feedback signal, so as to determine an initial voltage, a slope and a highest voltage of the over current protection reference signal with variable slope.

9. The over current protection method as claimed in claim 8, wherein

when booting of the electronic device is not completed, an initial voltage of the over current protection reference signal with variable slope is a first predetermined voltage, a slope of the over current protection reference signal with variable slope is a first predetermined slope, and a highest voltage of the over current protection reference signal with variable slope is a second predetermined voltage;

and

when booting of the electronic device is completed, an initial voltage of the over current protection reference signal with variable slope is a third predetermined voltage, a slope of the over current protection reference signal with variable slope is a second predetermined slope, and a highest voltage of the over current protection reference signal with variable slope is the second predetermined voltage,

wherein the second predetermined slope is greater than the first predetermined slope, the first predetermined voltage is greater than the third predetermined voltage, and the second predetermined voltage is greater than the first and the third predetermined voltages.