ELECTRONIC SYSTEM, VOLTAGE CONVERSION CIRCUIT AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20150137777A1
• Filed: 01/29/2014
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anpec Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Anpec Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: CHEN, CHIH-NING
• Granted Patent: US 9,413,244 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/271
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0048 Circuits or arrangements for reducing losses using snubbers H02M1/34
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/08 Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1588 comprising at least one synchronous rectifier element H02M3/1582, H02M3/1584 take precedence
• 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

A voltage conversion circuit is disclosed. The voltage conversion circuit comprises an energy-storing inductor, an N-type transistor, a P-type transistor, a current comparator, a multiplexer, a first driver and a second driver. When load connected to the voltage conversion circuit is a light load, the P-type transistor will be switched off so as to avoid generating a switching current and the switching current flowing gate-source and gate-drain parasitic capacitor of the N-type transistor is generated from an input voltage. The number of N-type transistor and switching frequency also decrease accordingly so that voltage conversion efficiency of the voltage conversion circuit may be increased.

Claims

1. A voltage conversion circuit, used for boosting an input voltage, the voltage conversion circuit comprising:

an energy-storing inductor, having one terminal connected to the input voltage;

a N type transistor, having drain connected to another terminal of the energy-storing inductor, having gate receiving a first driving signal and accordingly determining switched-on or switched-off state, having source connected to a ground voltage;

a P type transistor, having source connected to another terminal of the energy-storing inductor, having gate receiving a second driving signal and accordingly determining switched-on or switched-off state, having drain outputting an output voltage;

a current comparator, connected to source of the N type transistor for receiving a sensing current, wherein the current comparator compares the sensing current and a threshold current so as to determine load type and accordingly outputs a comparison signal;

a multiplexer, electrically connected to the current comparator for receiving the comparison signal, wherein the multiplexer receives the input voltage and outputting voltage and accordingly output a work voltage according to the comparison signal;

a first driver, electrically connected to the multiplexer and the N type transistor, the first driver receiving a pulse width control signal and the work voltage and accordingly output the first driving signal, wherein the first driving signal is an oscillating signal and high level voltage value of the first driving signal is equal to voltage value of the work voltage; and

a second driver, electrically connected to the current comparator and the P type transistor, the second driver receiving the comparison signal, the pulse width control signal and a predetermined DC voltage and accordingly outputting the second driving signal,

wherein when current value of the sensing current is smaller than current value of the threshold current, the current comparator outputs the comparison signal with high voltage level, such that the work voltage is equal to the input voltage and voltage level of the second driving signal is the predetermined DC voltage so as to switch off the P type transistor, wherein a switching current flowing through a parasitic capacitor of the N type transistor is generated from the input voltage.

2. The voltage conversion circuit according to claim 1, wherein negative input terminal of the current comparator is electrically connected to source of the N type transistor and positive input terminal of the current comparator receives the threshold current.

3. The voltage conversion circuit according to claim 1, wherein when the current value of the sensing current is smaller than the current value of the threshold current, it represents that the output voltage of the voltage conversion circuit is electrically connected to a light load, and when the current value of the sensing current is larger than the current value of the threshold current, it represents that the output voltage of the voltage conversion circuit is electrically connected to a heavy load.

4. The voltage conversion circuit according to claim 1, wherein when the current value of the sensing current is larger than the current value of the threshold current, the current comparator outputs the comparison signal with low voltage level such that the work voltage is equal to the output voltage and the first driving signal and the second driving signal have the same wave form, wherein the switching current flowing through the parasitic capacitor of the N type transistor is generated from the output voltage.

5. The voltage conversion circuit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage selector, electrically connected to the input voltage, the output voltage and bulk of the P type transistor, and the P type transistor having a first body diode and a second body diode having a series-opposing connection therebetween, source of the P type transistor connected to anode of the first body diode.

6. The voltage conversion circuit according to claim 1, wherein the N type transistor comprises:

a first transistor, having drain connected to another terminal of the energy-storing inductor, having gate connected to the first driver so as to receive the first driving signal and having source connected to the ground voltage;

a switch, having a first terminal connected to gate of the first transistor and having a control terminal connected to the current comparator so as to receive the comparison signal and accordingly to determine switched-on or switched-off state; and

a second transistor, having drain connected to another terminal of the energy-storing inductor, having gate connected to a second terminal of the switch and having source connected to the ground voltage, width-length ratio of the second transistor is X times of width length ratio of the first transistor, wherein X is a rational number larger than 1.

7. The voltage conversion circuit according to claim 6, wherein when the comparison signal is at high voltage level, the switch enters into a switched-off state such that the second transistor enters into switched-off state, so as to decrease width-length ratio of the N type transistor and decrease capacitance of the parasitic capacitor, thereby to decrease the current value of the switching current to increase conversion efficiency;

when the comparison signal is at low voltage level, the switch enters into switched-on state such that the second transistor is coupled to the first transistor in parallel.

8. The voltage conversion circuit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a clock generator, electrically connected to the current comparator so as to receive the comparison signal;

the clock generator used for generating a clock signal and adjusting frequency of the clock signal according to the comparison signal;

wherein when the comparison signal is at low voltage level, the clock signal generated by the clock generator has a first oscillating frequency, when the comparison signal is at high voltage level, the clock generator decreases the first oscillating frequency of the clock signal to a second oscillating frequency and thereby decreases power consumption of the voltage conversion circuit.

9. The voltage conversion circuit according to claim 6, further comprising:

a clock generator, electrically connected to the current comparator so as to receive the comparison signal, the clock generator used for generating a clock signal and adjusting frequency of the clock signal according to the comparison signal;

wherein when the comparison signal is at low voltage level, the clock signal generated by the clock generator has a first oscillating frequency, when the comparison signal is at high voltage level, the clock generator decreases the first oscillating frequency of the clock signal to a second oscillating frequency and thereby decreases power consumption of the voltage conversion circuit.

10. A voltage conversion method, used in a voltage conversion circuit, the voltage conversion circuit comprising an energy-storing inductor, a N type transistor, a P type transistor, a current comparator, a multiplexer, a first driver and a second driver, one terminal of the energy-storing inductor connected to an input voltage, the N type transistor having drain connected to another terminal of the energy-storing inductor, having gate receiving a first driving signal and accordingly determining switched-on or switched-off state and having source connected to a ground voltage, the P type transistor having source connected to another terminal of the energy-storing inductor, having gate receiving a second driving signal and accordingly determining switched-on or switched-off state and having drain outputting an output voltage, the current comparator connected to source of the N type transistor so as to receive a sensing current and the current comparator comparing the sensing current with a threshold current so as to determine load type and to accordingly output a comparison signal, the multiplexer electrically connected to the current comparator so as to receive the comparison signal and the multiplexer receiving the input voltage and the output voltage and outputting a work voltage according to the comparison signal, the first driver electrically connected to the multiplexer and the N type transistor, the first driver receiving a pulse width control signal and the work voltage and accordingly outputting the first driving signal, the second driver electrically connected to the current comparator and the P type transistor, the second driver receiving the comparison signal, the pulse width control signal and a predetermined DC voltage and accordingly outputting the second driving signal, the voltage conversion method comprising:

determining whether the sensing current is smaller than the threshold current via the current comparator;

outputting the comparison signal with high voltage level via the current comparator when the current value of the sensing current is smaller than the current value of the threshold current;

choosing the input voltage as a work voltage according to the comparison signal with high voltage level via the multiplexer;

outputting the first driving signal via the first driver, wherein the first driving signal is an oscillation signal and voltage level thereof is equal to voltage level of the work voltage; and

making voltage level of the second driving signal equal to the predetermined DC voltage via the second driver and thereby switching off the P type transistor;

wherein the switching current flowing through a parasitic capacitor of the N type transistor is generated from the input voltage.

11. The voltage conversion method according to claim 10, further comprising:

determining width-length ratio of the N type transistor according to voltage level of the comparison signal;

wherein negative input terminal of the current comparator is electrically connected to source of the N type transistor, and positive input terminal of the current comparator receives the threshold current.

12. The voltage conversion method according to claim 10, wherein when the current value of the sensing current is smaller than the current value of the threshold current, it represents that the output voltage of the voltage conversion circuit is electrically connected to a light load, and when the current value of the sensing current is larger than the current value of the threshold current, it represents that the output voltage of the voltage conversion circuit is electrically connected to a heavy load.

13. The voltage conversion method according to claim 10, wherein when the current value of the sensing current is larger than the current value of the threshold current, the current comparator outputs the comparison signal with low voltage level such that the work voltage is equal to the output voltage and the first driving signal and the second driving signal have the same waveform, wherein the switching current flowing through the parasitic capacitor of the N type transistor is generated from the output voltage.

14. The voltage conversion method according to claim 10, wherein the voltage conversion circuit further comprises:

a voltage selector, electrically connected to the input voltage, the output voltage and bulk of the P type transistor, and the P type transistor having a first body diode and a second body diode having a series-opposing connection therebetween, source of the P type transistor connected to anode of the first body diode.

15. The voltage conversion method according to claim 11, wherein the N type transistor comprises:

a first transistor, having drain connected to another terminal of the energy-storing inductor, having gate connected to the first driver so as to receive the first driving signal and having source connected to the ground voltage;

a switch, having a first terminal connected to gate of the first transistor, having a control terminal connected to the current comparator so as to receive the comparison signal and accordingly determining switched-on or switched-off state; and

a second transistor, having drain connected to another terminal of the energy-storing inductor, having gate connected to a second terminal of the switch and having source connected to the ground voltage, width-length ratio of the second transistor is X times of length ratio of the first transistor, wherein X is a rational number larger than 1.

16. The voltage conversion method according to claim 15, wherein when the comparison signal is at high voltage level, the switch enters into switched-off state such that the second transistor enters into switched-off state, so as to decrease width-length ratio of the N type transistor and to decrease capacitance of the parasitic capacitor, and thereby to decrease the current value of the switching current so as to increase conversion efficiency;

when the comparison signal is at low voltage level, the switch enters into switched-on state such that the second transistor is coupled to the first transistor in parallel.

17. The voltage conversion method according to claim 11, wherein the voltage conversion circuit further comprises:

a clock generator, electrically connected to the current comparator so as to receive the comparison signal, the clock generator used for generating a clock signal and adjusting frequency of the clock signal according to the comparison signal;

wherein when the comparison signal is at low voltage level, the clock signal generated by the clock generator has a first oscillating frequency, and when the comparison signal is at high voltage level, the clock generator decreases the first oscillating frequency of the clock signal to a second oscillating frequency, and thereby decreases power consumption of the voltage conversion circuit.

18. The voltage conversion method according to claim 17, wherein the voltage conversion circuit further comprises:

a clock generator, electrically connected to the current comparator so as to receive the comparison signal, the clock generator used for generating a clock signal and adjusting frequency of the clock signal according to the comparison signal;

wherein when the comparison signal is at low voltage level, the clock signal generated by the clock generator has a first oscillating frequency, and when the comparison signal is at high voltage level, the clock generator decreases the first oscillating frequency of the clock signal to a second oscillating frequency and thereby decreases power consumption of the voltage conversion circuit.

19. An electronic system, comprising:

a voltage conversion circuit, used for boosting an input voltage, the voltage conversion circuit comprising;

an energy-storing inductor, having one terminal connected to the input voltage;

a N type transistor, having drain connected to another terminal of the energy-storing inductor, having gate receiving a first driving signal and accordingly determining switched-on or switched-off state and having source connected to a ground voltage;

a P type transistor, having source connected to another terminal of the energy-storing inductor, having gate receiving a second driving signal and accordingly determining switched-on or switched-off state and having drain outputting an output voltage;

a current comparator, connected to source of the N type transistor so as to receive a sensing current, the current comparator compare the sensing current with a threshold current so as to determine load type and accordingly output a comparison signal;

a multiplexer, electrically connected to the current comparator so as to receive the comparison signal, the multiplexer receiving the input voltage and the output voltage and outputting a work voltage according to the comparison signal;

a first driver, electrically connected to the multiplexer and the N type transistor, the first driver receiving a pulse width control signal and the work voltage and accordingly outputting the first driving signal, wherein the first driving signal is an oscillation signal and voltage value of high voltage level is equal to voltage level of the work voltage; and

a second driver, electrically connected to the P type transistor, the second driver receiving the pulse width control signal and a predetermined DC voltage with high voltage level and accordingly outputting the second driving signal; and

wherein when the current value of the sensing current is smaller than the current value of the threshold current, the current comparator outputs the comparison signal with high voltage level, such that the work voltage is equal to the input voltage and voltage level of the second driving signal is equal to the predetermined DC voltage, so as to switch off the P type transistor, wherein a switching current flowing through a parasitic capacitor of the N type transistor is generated from the input voltage;

a load, electrically connected to the voltage conversion circuit so as to receive the output voltage.