SYNCHRONOUS RECTIFICATION DC/DC CONVERTER

• US 20170346402A1
• Filed: 05/24/2017
• Published: 11/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: ISHINO, Tsutomu, HASHIMOTO, Tetsuro
• Application Number:
  US15/604,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20170346402A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0009 Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0048 Circuits or arrangements for reducing losses using snubbers H02M1/34
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/083 for the ignition at the zero crossing of the voltage or the current
• 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 pulse modulator generates a pulse signal, such that an output signal of a DC/DC converter approaches a target value. When a detection value of a coil current of the DC/DC converter crosses a threshold for zero crossing, a reverse flow detection circuit asserts a reverse flow detection signal and turns off a synchronous rectification transistor of the DC/DC converter. An optimizer controls an operation parameter of the reverse flow detection circuit, on the basis of a cycle of the pulse signal.

Claims

1. A controller of a synchronous rectification DC/DC converter, the controller comprising:

a pulse modulator structured to generate a pulse signal, such that an output signal of the DC/DC converter approaches a target value;

a reverse flow detection circuit structured to, when a detection value of a coil current of the DC/DC converter crosses a threshold for zero crossing, assert a reverse flow detection signal and structured to turn off a synchronous rectification transistor of the DC/DC converter; and

an optimizer structured to control an operation parameter of the reverse flow detection circuit, on the basis of the pulse signal.

2. The controller according to claim 1, wherein

the optimizer is structured to control the operation parameter of the reverse flow detection circuit, on the basis of a cycle of the pulse signal.

3. The controller according to claim 1, wherein

the optimizer is structured to control the operation parameter of the reverse flow detection circuit, such that a cycle of the pulse signal approaches a maximum value.

4. The controller according to claim 1, wherein

the optimizer is activated at an interval longer than a cycle of the pulse signal.

5. The controller according to claim 2, wherein

the optimizer includes a cycle counter structured to measure the cycle of the pulse signal.

6. The controller according to claim 5, wherein

the cycle counter is structured to measure the cycle of the pulse signal twice and stops an operation until next measurement, and

the optimizer is structured to perform first measurement using an operation parameter in an immediately previous idle period, to perform second measurement using an operation parameter obtained by changing the operation parameter used in the first measurement by a predetermined step, and to determine an operation parameter used in a next idle period, on the basis of a comparison result of two measurement values.

7. The controller according to claim 6, wherein

in the optimizer, switching of upstate and downstate is enabled,

in the upstate, the operation parameter used in the second measurement is obtained by changing the operation parameter used in the first measurement in a first direction, and

in the downstate, the operation parameter used in the second measurement is obtained by changing the operation parameter used in the first measurement in a second direction to be a direction opposite to the first direction.

8. The controller according to claim 7, wherein

when a second measurement value is larger than a first measurement value, the operation parameter is changed in the first direction more than a second operation parameter and the optimizer is set to the upstate, and

when the second measurement value is smaller than the first measurement value, the operation parameter is changed in the second direction more than the second operation parameter and the optimizer is set to the upstate.

9. The controller according to claim 1, wherein

the reverse flow detection circuit includes a comparator which compares the detection value of the coil current with the threshold and a variable delay circuit which delays an output of the comparator and generates the detection signal, and

the optimizer controls a delay time of the variable delay circuit.

10. The controller according to claim 1, wherein

the reverse flow detection circuit includes a comparator structured to compare the detection value of the coil current with the threshold, and

the optimizer is structured to control an offset voltage of the comparator.

11. The controller according to claim 1, wherein

the reverse flow detection circuit includes a comparator structured to compare the detection value of the coil current with the threshold, and

the optimizer controls the threshold.

12. The controller according to claim 1, wherein

the detection value of the coil current is generated on the basis of a voltage across an inductor of the DC/DC converter.

13. The controller according to claim 1, wherein

the detection value of the coil current is generated on the basis of a voltage drop across a sense resistor provided in series to an inductor of the DC/DC converter.

14. The controller according to claim 1, wherein

the detection value of the coil current is generated on the basis of a voltage across the synchronous rectification transistor of the DC/DC converter.

15. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller is monolithically integrated on a semiconductor substrate.

16. A synchronous rectification DC/DC converter comprising the controller according to claim 1.

17. An electronic apparatus comprising the DC/DC converter according to claim 16.

18. A synchronous rectification DC/DC converter comprising:

a pulse modulator structured to generate a pulse signal, such that an output signal of the DC/DC converter approaches a target value;

a current detection circuit structured to generate a detection value of a coil current of the DC/DC converter;

a reverse flow detection circuit structured to assert a detection signal, when the detection value of the coil current crosses a threshold for zero crossing;

a driver which structured to drive a switching transistor and a synchronous rectification transistor of the DC/DC converter, on the basis of the pulse signal, and to turn off the synchronous rectification transistor of the DC/DC converter, when the detection signal is asserted; and

an optimizer structured to control an operation parameter of the reverse flow detection circuit, on the basis of the pulse signal.

19. A control method for a synchronous rectification DC/DC converter, the control method comprising:

generating a pulse signal, such that an output signal of the DC/DC converter approaches a target value;

generating a detection value of a coil current of the DC/DC converter;

asserting a detection signal, when the detection value of the coil current crosses a threshold for zero crossing;

driving a switching transistor and a synchronous rectification transistor of the DC/DC converter, on the basis of the pulse signal;

turning off the synchronous rectification transistor of the DC/DC converter, when the detection signal is asserted; and

controlling a response speed when the detection signal is generated, on the basis of the pulse signal.

20. The control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

measuring a cycle of the pulse signal,

wherein, in the controlling of the response speed, the response speed is controlled such that the cycle of the pulse signal increases.