STEP-DOWN SWITCHING MODE POWER SUPPLY AND THE METHOD THEREOF

• US 20140159693A1
• Filed: 12/10/2013
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Company Limited (Monolithic Power Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Company Limited (Monolithic Power Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kuang, Naixing, Yu, Bo, Yu, Jiaqi, Zuo, Qiaoan
• Application Number:
  US14/102,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20140159693A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/285
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0003 Details of control, feedback or regulation circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0009 Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/42 Circuits or arrangements for compensating for or adjusting power factor in converters or inverters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier

Abstract

A step-down switching mode power supply having: a Buck converter configured to provide power to a load, wherein the Buck converter has a power switch and an energy storage component; a current sense circuit coupled to the power switch to generate a current sense signal; a square circuit configured to generate a first multiply signal indicating the squared value of the input voltage; a multiply circuit configured to generate a product signal based on the first multiply signal and a second multiply signal; a current comparison circuit configured to generate a current comparison signal based on the current sense signal and the product signal; and a logic circuit configured to control the power switch.

Claims

1. A step-down switching mode power supply, comprising:

a Buck converter having an input terminal configured to receive an input voltage, an output terminal configured to provide power to a load, and a control terminal configured to receive a control signal to regulate the power provided to the load, wherein the Buck converter comprises a power switch and an energy storage component storing or transferring energy as the power switch is turned ON or OFF;

a current sense circuit coupled to the power switch to generate a current sense signal based on a current flowing through the power switch;

a square circuit having an input terminal configured to receive the input voltage, and an output terminal configured to generate a first multiply signal indicating the squared value of the input voltage;

a multiply circuit having a first input terminal coupled to the square circuit to receive the first multiply signal, a second input terminal configured to receive a second multiply signal, and an output terminal configured to generate a product signal based on the first multiply signal and the second multiply signal;

a current comparison circuit having a first input terminal coupled to the current sense circuit to receive the current sense signal, a second input terminal coupled to the multiply circuit to receive the product signal, and an output terminal configured to generate a current comparison signal based on the current sense signal and the product signal; and

a logic circuit coupled between the output terminal of the current comparison circuit and the control terminal of the Buck converter, wherein the power switch is turned OFF by the logic circuit when the current sense signal is larger than or equal to the product signal.

2. The step-down switching mode power supply of claim 1, wherein the power switch is turned ON when the current flowing through the energy storage component decreases to zero.

3. The step-down switching mode power supply of claim 1, wherein the second multiply signal comprises a compensation signal.

4. The step-down switching mode power supply of claim 3, further comprising:

a peak current sample circuit having an input terminal coupled to the current sense circuit to receive the current sense signal, and an output terminal configured to generate a peak current signal based on the current sense signal; and

an error amplifier having a first input terminal coupled to the peak current sample circuit to receive the peak current signal, a second input terminal configured to receive a reference signal, and an output terminal configured to generate the compensation signal based on the peak current signal and the reference signal.

5. The step-down switching mode power supply of claim 4, wherein the peak current sample circuit comprises:

a diode having an anode terminal and a cathode terminal, wherein the anode terminal is configured to receive the current sense signal;

a first resistor having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal is coupled to the cathode terminal of the diode;

a second resistor having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the first resistor and the second terminal coupled to a reference ground; and

a capacitor coupled in parallel with the second resistor.

6. The step-down switching mode power supply of claim 1, further comprising:

a zero crossing detect circuit having an input terminal coupled to the energy storage component to detect the current flowing through the energy storage component, and an output terminal configured to generate a zero crossing detect signal based on the detection; and

a voltage comparison circuit having a first input terminal coupled to the zero crossing detect circuit to receive the zero crossing detect signal, a second input terminal configured to receive a threshold signal, and an output terminal configured to provide a voltage comparison signal.

7. The step-down switching mode power supply of claim 6, wherein the energy storage component comprises a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, and wherein the Buck converter further comprises:

an input capacitor having a first terminal configured to receive the input voltage, and a second terminal coupled to the reference ground;

a power diode having a cathode terminal coupled to the first terminal of the input capacitor, and an anode terminal coupled to the connection node of the energy storage component and the power switch; and

an output capacitor having a first terminal coupled to the cathode terminal of the power diode and a second terminal coupled to a first terminal of the primary winding, wherein the second terminal of the primary winding is coupled to the power switch.

8. The step-down switching mode power supply of claim 1, further comprising an input voltage sample circuit coupled between the input voltage and the square circuit, wherein the input voltage sample circuit samples the input voltage to generate an input voltage sample signal indicating the input voltage to the square circuit, and wherein the square circuit provides the first multiply signal indicating the square value of the input voltage sample signal instead of first multiply signal indicating the square value of the input voltage.

9. A method of controlling a step-down switching mode power supply, wherein the step-down switching mode power supply comprises a Buck converter, and wherein the Buck converter comprises a power switch and an energy storage component configured to store energy or to transfer energy to a load as the power switch is turned ON or OFF, the method comprising:

sampling an input voltage of the Buck converter to generate an input voltage sample signal;

sensing a current flowing through the power switch to generate a current sense signal;

squaring the input voltage sample signal to generate a first multiply signal;

multiplying the first multiply signal with a second multiply signal to generate a product signal based thereupon;

comparing the current sense signal with the product signal; and

turning OFF the power switch when the current sense signal is larger than or equal to the product signal.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising turning ON the power switch when the current flowing through the energy storage component decreases to zero.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the second multiply signal comprises a compensation signal.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

sampling the peak of the current sense signal to generate a peak current signal; and

amplifying an error between the peak current signal and a threshold signal to generate the compensation signal.