Switching regulator with DC offset (bias) in controller

• US 7,321,222 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2005
• Issued: 01/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hojo, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Riley; Shawn
• Application Number:
  US10/589,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20070170904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 323/224, 323/283, 323/284, 323/285
• US Class Current: 323/224
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0025 Arrangements for modifying reference values, feedback values or error values in the control loop of a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0032 Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• 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

After a current value flowing through a coil L is detected, it is converted into a voltage value, is then inputted to an inverting input terminal of a comparator 4, and is then compared with a voltage indicating the difference between the value of a fed back output voltage and a reference voltage. A voltage source 20 is provided at the inverting input terminal of the comparator 4 so that an offset voltage is added to the voltage value to be inputted to the inverting input terminal of the comparator 4.

Claims

1. A switching power supply apparatus, including:

a switching device for performing an on/off operation;

a control circuit for controlling on/off of the switching device;

a coil, a level of a current flowing therethrough being controlled by the switching device;

a capacitor that is connected to the coil and that performs rectification together with the coil; and

an oscillator for outputting to the control circuit an oscillating signal at intervals of a fixed time period for turning the switching device on,

wherein the switching power supply apparatus outputs an output voltage from a node at which the capacitor and the coil are connected together,

the switching power supply apparatus comprising;

a current detection portion for detecting a current value flowing through the coil, converting the detected current value into a voltage value, and then outputting the voltage value thus obtained as a current detection voltage;

a voltage source for adding an offset voltage to the current detection voltage from the current detection portion; and

a comparator for comparing the current detection voltage to which the offset voltage is added by the voltage source with a voltage commensurate with a difference between a voltage commensurate with the output voltage and a reference voltage,

wherein, if the comparator finds a magnitude of the current detection voltage to which the offset voltage is added to be greater than the voltage commensurate with a difference between the voltage commensurate with the output voltage and the reference voltage, the oscillating signal from the oscillator is masked, and the switching device is turned off.

2. The switching power supply apparatus of claim 1,

wherein a slope compensation waveform is superimposed on the current detection voltage to be fed to the comparator.

3. The switching power supply apparatus of claim 2,

wherein the slope compensation waveform has a same time period as the oscillating signal from the oscillator.

4. The switching power supply apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the offset voltage fed from the voltage source varies depending on a result of comparison preformed by the comparator.

5. The switching power supply apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a differential amplifier for receiving a voltage commensurate with the output voltage and the reference voltage,

wherein a voltage commensurate with a difference between the voltage commensurate with the output voltage and the reference voltage, the voltage being outputted from the differential amplifier, is fed to the comparator.

6. The switching power supply apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a level shifter for converting a level of the voltage outputted from the differential amplifier.

7. The switching power supply apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the control circuit includes

a flip-flop circuit having a set terminal to which the oscillating signal from the oscillator is inputted and a reset terminal to which an output from the comparator is inputted, and

a driver for controlling on/off of the switching device depending on an output from the flip-flop circuit.

8. The switching power supply apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the current detection portion includes

a detector transistor having a first electrode connected to an output side of the switching device and a control electrode to which a signal to be fed from the control circuit to the switching device is inputted, and

a resistance that is connected, at one end thereof, to a second electrode of the detector transistor, and that receives a direct-current voltage at another end thereof, wherein a voltage appearing at the second electrode of the detector transistor serves as the current detection voltage.