Controller for switch mode power supply

• US 6,636,025 B1
• Filed: 01/09/2002
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsemi Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Asic Advantage Inc. (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Irissou, Pierre R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhane, Adolf D.
• Application Number:
  US10/042,600
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 323/312, 323/313, 323/314, 363/20, 363/21.01
• US Class Current: 323/313
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0006 Arrangements for supplying an adequate voltage to the control circuit of converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0009 Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/32 Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection

Abstract

An integrated circuit power supply controller for use in a power supply that provides voltage regulating and current limiting functions. A current limit circuit is provided that includes a band-gap circuit for producing a reference voltage for precisely setting the current limit point, with the band-gap circuit being powered by a current sense voltage indicative of the load current rather than being powered by the regulated output voltage. Thus, the current limit circuit will operate even the power supply output is shorted. Voltage control circuitry is provided also includes a band-gap circuit for precisely controlling the magnitude of the regulated output voltage.

Claims

1. A power supply controller for use in a power supply which provides a load current at a regulated output voltage, said power supply controller being formed in a single integrated circuit and comprising:

a current sense input configured to receive a current sense voltage indicative of a magnitude of the load current;

current limit circuitry, including a first band-gap reference circuit powered by the current sense voltage, and configured to provide a first output indicative of a relative magnitudes of the current sense voltage and a first reference voltage, with the first reference voltage being produced by the first band-gap reference circuit;

voltage control circuitry configured to provide a second output indicative of a relative magnitudes of an output sense voltage related to the regulated output voltage and a second reference voltage; and

combining circuitry configured to provide a feedback signal based on the first and second outputs.

2. The power supply controller of claim 1 wherein the current limit circuit includes an amplification stage responsive to the band-gap reference circuit and powered by the current sense voltage.

3. The power supply controller of claim 2 wherein the voltage control circuitry includes a second band-gap reference circuit configured to produce the second reference voltage.

4. The power supply controller of claim 3 wherein the current sense input includes first and second integrated circuit terminals which receive the current sense voltage and wherein the first band-gap circuit includes a positive temperature coefficient circuit element and a negative temperature coefficient circuit element connected in series between the first and second integrated circuit terminals.

5. The power supply controller of claim 4 wherein the positive temperature coefficient circuit element includes a first resistor that conducts a current related to a difference in base-emitter voltage of a pair of bipolar transistors and the negative temperature coefficient circuit element includes a base-emitter junction of a bipolar transistor.

6. The power supply controller of claim 5 wherein the positive temperature coefficient circuit element includes a plurality of resistors, including the first resistor, connected in series so as to conduct the current related to a difference in base-emitter voltage.

7. The power supply controller of claim 6 wherein the positive temperature coefficient circuit element includes trim pads to permit selected ones of the plurality of resistors to be electrically shorted.

8. The power supply controller of claim 5 further including a third integrated circuit terminal and the combining circuitry includes a current mirror circuit having a current mirror input that receives the first and second outputs and a current mirror output coupled to the third integrated circuit terminal.

9. The power supply controller of claim 8 further including a fourth integrated circuit terminal and wherein the second band-gap reference circuit includes a positive temperature coefficient circuit element and a negative temperature coefficient circuit element connected in series between the first and a fourth integrated circuit terminals.

10. The power supply controller of claim 9 wherein the positive temperature coefficient circuit element of the second band-gap reference circuit includes a second resistor that conducts a second current related to a difference in base-emitter voltages of a pair of bipolar transistors and the negative temperature coefficient circuit element of the second band-gap reference circuit includes a base-emitter junction of a bipolar transistor.

11. The power supply controller of claim 10 where the positive temperature coefficient circuit element includes a plurality of resistors, including the second resistor, connected in series so as to conduct the second current related to a difference in base-emitter voltage.

12. The power supply controller of claim 11 wherein the negative temperature coefficient circuit element of the second band-gap reference circuit includes a first base-emitter junction of a first bipolar transistor.

13. The power supply controller of claim 12 wherein the first bipolar transistor has a base connected to the fourth integrated circuit terminal.

14. The power supply controller of claim 13 wherein the negative temperature coefficient circuit element of the second band-gap reference circuit further includes a second base-emitter junction of a second bipolar transistor having an emitter connected to the first integrated circuit terminal.

15. The power supply controller of claim 14 where the positive temperature coefficient circuit element of the second band-gap reference circuit includes trim pads to permit selected ones of the plurality of resistors to be electrically shorted.

16. The power supply controller of claim 15 wherein the current limit circuit includes an bipolar transistor having an emitter coupled to the second integrated circuit terminal and a collector coupled to the input of the current mirror circuit and wherein the voltage control circuitry includes a bipolar transistor having an emitter coupled to the second integrated circuit terminal, and a collector coupled to the input of the current mirror circuit.

17. The power supply controller of claim 16 further including a fifth integrated circuit terminal and wherein the current mirror circuit includes a bipolar transistor having an emitter coupled to the fifth integrated circuit terminal and a collector which forms the current mirror circuit output and another bipolar transistor having an emitter coupled to the fifth integrated circuit terminal and a collector that forms the input of the current mirror circuit.

18. A power supply controller for use in a power supply which provides a load current at a regulated output voltage, said power supply controller being formed in an integrated circuit having first, second, third and fourth integrated circuit terminals, said controller including:

current limit circuitry configured to provide a first output indicative of a magnitude of a current sense signal indicative of the load current and a reference, with the current limit circuit including a first band-gap reference circuit which includes a positive temperature coefficient circuit element and a negative temperature coefficient circuit element connected in series between the first and second integrated circuit terminals;

voltage control circuitry configured to provide a second output indicative of a relative magnitude of a voltage sense signal related to the regulated output voltage and a second reference, with the voltage control circuitry including a second band-gap reference circuit which includes a positive temperature coefficient circuit element and a negative temperature coefficient circuit element connected in series between the first and fourth integrated circuit terminals; and

combining circuitry configured to provide a feedback signal to the third integrated circuit output terminal in response to the first and second outputs.

19. The power supply controller of claim 18 wherein the first-band gap circuit includes a first and second bipolar transistors configured to operate at differing current densities so as to produce respective base-emitter voltages of differing magnitudes, with the positive temperature coefficient circuit element of the first band-gap voltage connected to conduct a current related to the differing magnitude base-emitter voltages, with the first and second bipolar transistors having emitters coupled to the second integrated circuit terminal.

20. The power supply controller of claim 19 where the first and second bipolar transistors each have collectors coupled to the first integrated circuit terminal by way of an active load.

21. The power supply controller of claim 20 wherein the second-band gap circuit includes a third and fourth bipolar transistors configured to operate at differing current densities so as to produce respective base-emitter voltages of differing magnitudes, with the positive temperature coefficient circuit element of the second band-gap voltage connected to conduct a current related to the differing magnitude base-emitter voltages, with the third and fourth bipolar transistors having emitters coupled to the first integrated circuit terminal.

22. The power supply controller of claim 21 further including a fifth integrated circuit terminal and wherein the combining circuitry includes a current mirror circuit which includes fifth and sixth bipolar transistors, each having an emitter coupled to the fifth integrated circuit terminal and each having bases coupled together, with a collector of the fifth transistor being coupled to the third integrated circuit terminal and with a collector of the sixth transistor being coupled to receive the first and second outputs.

23. A power supply controller for use in a power supply which provides a load current at a regulated output voltage, said controller including:

a current sense resistor connected to conduct the load current and disposed intermediate first and second circuit nodes;

a first band-gap circuit which includes a pair of bipolar transistors, a positive temperature coefficient circuit element producing a voltage derived from a difference in base-emitter voltages of the pair of bipolar transistors and a negative temperature coefficient circuit element coefficient, with the positive and negative temperature coefficient elements connected in series between the first and second circuit nodes;

a drive transistor responsive to the first band-gap circuit and connected to provide a first output, with the first output having a state determined by a magnitude of the current sense voltage; and

an optical coupler having an input responsive to the first output and an output to be connected to a regulator circuit.

24. The power supply controller of claim 23 further including a voltage control circuitry configured to provide a second output indicative of a relative magnitude of a sense voltage related to the regulated output voltage and a second reference voltage and with the optical coupler being responsive to both the first and second outputs.

25. The power supply controller of claim 24 wherein the voltage control circuitry includes a second band-gap circuit which produces the second reference voltage, with the second band-gap circuit including positive and negative temperature coefficient circuit elements connected in series to form a serial circuit, with one end of the serial circuit connected to the first circuit node.

26. The power supply controller of claim 25 wherein the first band-gap circuit, the drive transistor and the voltage control circuitry are formed in a common integrated circuit.