Method and apparatus providing final test and trimming for a power supply controller

• US 6,954,057 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2004
• Issued: 10/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Power Integrations Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Power Integrations Incorporated
• Inventors: Balakrishnan, Balu, Bircan, Erdem, Djenguerian, Alex B.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, KIM NGOC
• Application Number:
  US10/834,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20040207381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 702/57, 702/64, 327/525, 327/530, 323/283, 323/314, 361/103, 361/93.1
• US Class Current: 323/314
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/02 Detection or location of defective auxiliary circuits, e.g. defective refresh counters
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/021 in voltage or current generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/32 Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/00 Conversion of dc power input into dc power output
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/157 with digital control

Abstract

A power supply controller having final test and trim circuitry. In one embodiment, a power supply controller for switched mode power supply includes a selector circuit, a trim circuit, a shutdown circuit and a disable circuit. The trim circuit includes a programmable circuit connection that can be selected by the selector circuit by toggling a voltage on an external terminal such as for example a power supply terminal, a control terminal or a function terminal of the power supply controller. The programmable circuit connection in the trim circuit can be programmed by applying a programming voltage to the external terminal. The shutdown circuit shuts down the power supply controller if the temperature rises above an over temperature threshold voltage. The shutdown circuit includes adjustment circuitry that can be used to test the shutdown circuit. The adjustment circuitry can adjust and reduce the over temperature threshold of the power supply controller. Thus, the power supply controller can be tested without having to actually heat the part. The disable circuit includes a programmable circuit connection, which when programmed prevents further trimming of power supply controller and prevents adjustment of the shutdown circuit over temperature threshold.

Claims

1. A method for providing a power supply controller circuit, comprising:

toggling a voltage of a signal applied to an external terminal of the power supply controller circuit between a low selection voltage and a high selection voltage to select a first trim circuit of the power supply controller circuit, the external terminal one of a power supply terminal, a control terminal or a function terminal of the power supply controller circuit; and

applying a programming voltage to the external terminal after selecting the first trim circuit to program a first programmable circuit connection of the first trim circuit, wherein the programming voltage is greater than an operating voltage to be applied to the external terminal.

2. The method for providing the power supply controller circuit of claim 1 further comprising verifying that the first programmable circuit connection of the first trim circuit is programmed by measuring a power supply current flowing through the external terminal after applying the programming voltage.

3. The method for providing the power supply controller circuit of claim 2 further comprising comparing the power supply current flowing through the external terminal after applying the programming voltage with the power supply current flowing through the external terminal before applying the programming voltage to verify that the first programmable circuit connection of the first trim circuit is programmed.

4. The method for providing the power supply controller circuit of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting a disable circuit of the power supply controller circuit; and

applying the programming voltage to the external terminal after selecting the disable circuit to program a second programmable circuit connection of the disable circuit, the disable circuit to disable a plurality of programmable trim circuits of the power supply controller circuit from being further programmed, the first trim circuit one of the plurality of trim circuits.

5. The method for providing the power supply controller circuit of claim 4 wherein an over temperature shutdown temperature to shut down the power supply controller circuit is adjusted from a second threshold temperature to a first threshold temperature after the second programmable circuit connection is programmed.

6. The method for providing the power supply controller circuit of claim 1 further comprising selecting an over temperature shutdown circuit of the power supply controller circuit with the external terminal of the power supply controller circuit to adjust to a third threshold temperature an over temperature shutdown temperature to shut down the power supply controller circuit.

7. An integrated circuit, comprising:

an external terminal, wherein the external terminal is a supply terminal of the integrated circuit, wherein the integrated circuit is configured to operate with a first voltage at the external terminal; and

a trim circuit coupled to the external terminal, the trim circuit including a first programmable circuit connection to be programmed in response to a signal on the external terminal, wherein the signal on the external terminal is to be toggled between a second voltage and a third voltage to select the trim circuit; and

a selector circuit coupled to the external terminal and to the trim circuit, the selector circuit to select the trim circuit to programmed in response to the signal on the external terminal.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 7 wherein the first programmable circuit connection is to add a circuit path to the trim circuit in response to the signal on the external terminal.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 7 wherein the first programmable circuit connection is to remove a circuit path from the trim circuit in response to the signal on the external terminal.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 7 further comprising a disable circuit coupled to the external terminal and the trim circuit, the disable circuit including a second programmable circuit connection, when programmed the disable circuit to disable the first programmable circuit connection from being programmed in response to the signal on the external terminal.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 7 further comprising a shutdown circuit coupled to the external terminal, the shutdown circuit to disable the integrated circuit if a temperature of the shutdown circuit rises above a first threshold temperature.

12. The integrated circuit of claim 11 wherein the shutdown circuit comprises adjustment circuitry coupled to the external terminal, the adjustment circuitry configured to adjust the first threshold temperature to a second threshold temperature or a third threshold temperature in response to the signal on the external terminal, the first threshold temperature greater than the second threshold temperature and the second threshold temperature greater than the third threshold temperature.

13. The integrated circuit of claim 7 wherein the signal on the external terminal is configured to apply a programming voltage to the first programmable circuit connection to pass a programming current through the first programmable circuit connection to program the first programmable circuit connection, the programming voltage greater than the third voltage.