MULTIPLE OUTPUT INTEGRATED POWER FACTOR CORRECTION

• US 20150188413A1
• Filed: 01/29/2014
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Yu, Zhenyu, Ye, Zhong, Choudhury, Shamim
• Granted Patent: US 9,912,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/009 having two or more independently controlled outputs for DC-DC converter with intermediate AC H02M3/33561
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/088 for the simultaneous control of series or parallel connected semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4208 Arrangements for improving power factor of AC input
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4225 using a non-isolated boost converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/217 using semiconductor devices only
• 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 multiple-output integrated power factor correction system includes, for example, a processor that is formed in a substrate and is arranged to monitor each voltage output of two or more output stages of a power supply and in response to generate an individual voltage error signal for each monitored output stage. A combined output voltage error signal is generated in response to each of the individual voltage error signals. The voltage input to the power supply and the total inductor current of the power supply are monitored and used to generate a combined output voltage control signal in response to the monitored input voltage total inductor current as well as the combined output voltage error control signal. Each individual output voltage control signal for each monitored output stage is generated in response to each of the respective generated individual voltage error signals.

Claims

1. A circuit for controlling a power supply, comprising:

a substrate; and

a processor that is formed in the substrate and is arranged to monitor each voltage output of two or more output stages of the power supply and in response to generate an individual voltage error signal for each monitored output stage, is arranged to generate a combined output voltage error signal in response to each of the individual voltage error signals, is arranged to monitor a voltage input to the power supply and to generate a combined output voltage control signal in response to the monitored input voltage and the combined output voltage error control signal, and is arranged to generate an individual output voltage control signal for each monitored output stage in response to each of the respective generated individual voltage error signals.

2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein each individual output voltage control signal is generated in response to the combined output voltage control signal.

3. The circuit of claim 2, wherein the processor is arranged to monitor a total inductor current of the power supply and to generate a combined output voltage control signal in response to the monitored input voltage and the monitored total inductor current.

4. The circuit of claim 3, wherein the processor is arranged to monitor the voltage input to the power supply via a respective first and second terminal and to monitor the total inductor current of the power supply via a third terminal, the first, second, and third terminals each being arranged in the substrate.

5. The circuit of claim 4, wherein the processor is arranged to monitor a first and second voltage output of two output stages of the power supply via a respective fourth and fifth terminal, the fourth and fifth terminals each being arranged in the substrate.

6. The circuit of claim 5, wherein the processor is arranged to monitor a third voltage output of a third output stage of the power supply via a sixth terminal, the sixth terminal being arranged in the substrate.

7. The circuit of claim 4, wherein each voltage output of two or more output stages of the power supply is compared against a respective voltage reference to generate each of the individual voltage error signals.

8. The circuit of claim 4, wherein a current reference signal is generated in response to the monitored voltage input to the power supply and the combined output voltage error signal.

9. The circuit of claim 8, wherein combined output voltage error control signal is generated in response to comparing the current reference signal and the monitored total inductor current of the power supply.

10. The circuit of claim 9, wherein each of the individual output voltage control signals is a pulse-width modulation signal that is arranged to control a respective modulator in each of the two or more output stages of the power supply.

11. A power supply system, comprising:

a power supply that is electrically coupled to a substrate; and

a processor that is formed in the substrate and is arranged to monitor each voltage output of two or more output stages of the power supply and in response to generate an individual voltage error signal for each monitored output stage, is arranged to generate a combined output voltage error signal in response to each of the individual voltage error signals, is arranged to monitor a voltage input to the power supply and to monitor a total inductor current of the power supply and to generate a combined output voltage control signal in response to the monitored input voltage and the monitored total inductor current and the combined output voltage error control signal, and is arranged to generate an individual output voltage control signal for each monitored output stage in response to each of the respective generated individual voltage error signals.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the monitored voltage input to the power supply is an alternating current.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is arranged to monitor the voltage input to the power supply via a respective first and second terminal, to monitor the total inductor current of the power supply via a third terminal, and to monitor arranged to monitor a first and second voltage output of two output stages of the power supply via a respective fourth and fifth terminal, the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth terminals each being arranged in the substrate.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is arranged to monitor a third voltage output of a third output stage of the power supply via a sixth terminal, the sixth terminal being arranged in the substrate.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein each voltage output of two or more output stages of the power supply is compared against a respective voltage reference to generate each of the individual voltage error signals, wherein a current reference signal is generated in response to the monitored voltage input to the power supply and the combined output voltage error signal, and wherein combined output voltage error control signal is generated in response to comparing the current reference signal and the monitored total inductor current of the power supply.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each of the individual output voltage control signals is a pulse-width modulation signal that is arranged to control a respective modulator in each of the two or more output stages of the power supply.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein each respective modulator is coupled between an output of a respective inductor of the respective output stage of power supply and a ground of the power supply.

18. A method of controlling individual output voltages of a power supply, comprising:

monitoring each voltage output of two or more output stages of the power supply and in response generating an individual voltage error signal for each monitored output stage;

generating a combined output voltage error signal in response to each of the individual voltage error signals;

monitoring a voltage input to the power supply and generating a combined output voltage control signal in response to the monitored input voltage and the combined output voltage error control signal; and

generating an individual output voltage control signal for each monitored output stage in response to each of the respective generated individual voltage error signals.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising:

monitoring a total inductor current of the power supply and to generate a combined output voltage control signal in response to the monitored input voltage and the monitored total inductor current.

20. The method of claim 19, controlling a respective modulator in each of the two or more output stages of the power supply in accordance with using a pulse-width modulation signal that is encoded within a respective individual output voltage control signal.