DC/DC up/down converter

• US 6,348,779 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2000
• Issued: 02/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Sluijs, Ferdinand Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Rajnikant B.
• Application Number:
  US09/630,667
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 323/222, 323/223, 323/266, 323/282, 323/284, 323/285, 363/19, 363/21, 363/23, 363/25
• US Class Current: 323/222
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1582 Buck-boost converters H02M3/1584 takes precedence

Abstract

A DC/DC up/down converter (10), comprising first and second input terminals (20, 21); first and second output terminal (30, 31); a coil (L); first switching means (S1) operatively connected to provide a conduction path from said first input terminal (20) to said coil (L) second switching means (S2) operatively connected to provide a conduction path from said first switching means (S1) and said coil (L) to said second input terminal (21); third switching means (S3) operatively connected to provide a conduction path from said coil (L) to said first output terminal (30); fourth switching means (S4) operatively connected to provide a conduction path from said coil (L) and said third switching means (S3) to said second output terminal (31); control means (11) operatively connected for controlling said switching means (S1, S2, S3, S4); reference voltage means (12) for providing a reference voltage (Vr); and comparator means (13) for providing a comparison signal (Vc) for said control means (11) in response to comparison of an output voltage (Vo) at said output terminals (30, 31) with said reference voltage (Vr), characterized in that said control means (11) are arranged for controlling said switching means (S1, S2, S3, S4) in a three phase conversion cycle wherein phase 1 (Φ1) comprising said first switching means (S1) and said fourth switching means (S4) in a conductive state and said second switching means (S2) and said third switching means (S3) switched in a non-conductive state; phase 2 (Φ2) comprising said first switching means (S1) and said third switching means (S3) in a conductive state and said second switching means (S2) and said fourth switching means (S4) switched in a non-conductive state; phase 3 (Φ3) comprising said second switching means (S2) and said third switching means (S3) in a conductive state and said first switching means (S1) and said fourth switching means (S4) in a non-conductive state.

Claims

1. A DC/DC up/down converter (10), comprising:

first and second input terminals (20, 21);

first and second output terminal (30, 31);

a coil (L);

first switching means (S1) operatively connected to provide a conduction path from said first input terminal (20) to said coil (L);

second switching means (S2) operatively connected to provide a conduction path from said first switching means (S1) and said coil (L) to said second input terminal (21);

third switching means (S3) operatively connected to provide a conduction path from said coil (L) to said first output terminal (30);

fourth switching means (S4) operatively connected to provide a conduction path from said coil (L) and said third switching means (S3) to said second output terminal (31);

control means (11) operatively connected for controlling said switching means (S1, S2, S3, S4);

reference voltage means (12) for providing a reference voltage (Vr); and

comparator means (13) for providing a comparison signal (Vc) for said control means (11) in response to comparison of an output voltage (Vo) at said output terminals (30, 31) with said reference voltage (Vr), characterized in that said control means (11) are arranged for controlling said switching means (S1, S2, S3, S4) in a three phase conversion cycle wherein

phase 1 (Φ

1) comprising said first switching means (S1) and said fourth switching means (S4) in a conductive state and said second switching means (S2) and said third switching means (S3) switched in a non-conductive state;

phase 2 (Φ

2) comprising said first switching means (S1) and said third switching means (S3) in a conductive state and said second switching means (S2) and said fourth switching means (S4) switched in a non-conductive state;

phase 3 (Φ

3) comprising said second switching means (S2) and said third switching means (S3) in a conductive state and said first switching means (S1) and said fourth switching means (S4) in a non-conductive state.

2. A DC/DC up/down converter (10) according to claim 1, wherein said control means (11) are arranged to comprise a fourth phase (Φ

4) with said switching means (S1, S2, S3, S4) in a non-conductive state.

3. A DC/DC up/down converter (10) according to claim 1, wherein phase 1 (Φ

1) and phase 2 (Φ

2) having a fixed length and phase 3 (Φ

3) having a variable length for output voltage (Vo) regulation purposes.

4. A DC/DC up/down converter (10) according to claim 1, wherein said switching means (S1, S2, S3, S4) comprise semiconductor switching means, in particular MOS (Metallic Oxide Semiconductor) transistor means.

5. A DC/DC converter (10) according to claim 1, wherein said second switching means (S2) are replaced by a first diode (D1) arranged to provide a conductive path from said second input terminal (21) to said first switching means (S1) and said coil (L),

and wherein said third switching means (S3) are replaced by a second diode (D2) arranged to provide a conductive path from said coil (L) to said first output terminal (30).

6. A DC/DC up/down converter (10) according to claim 1, further comprising a capacitor (C) parallel connected to said first and second output terminals (30, 31).

7. A power supply comprising a DC/DC up/down convertor (10) according to claim 1, arranged for receiving an input voltage (Vi) at said first and second input terminals (20, 21) and for providing an output voltage (Vo) at said first and second output terminals (30, 31).

8. A portable electronic appliance (16) comprising a DC/DC up/down converter (10) according to claim 1.