Switching mode power supplies

• US 7,394,669 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Zoellinger, Harald, Fahlenkamp, Marc, Gong, Xiao Wu
• Primary Examiner(s): Sterrett; Jeffrey L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HANSEN, STUART ALAN
• Application Number:
  US10/529,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20060044845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,902 Days
• Field of Search: 363/21.05, 363 2107- 2111, 363/21.15, 363/21.16, 363/21.18, 363/56.1, 363/56.11, 363/97
• US Class Current: 363/21.15
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0032 Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33523 with galvanic isolation between input and output of both the power stage and the feedback loop
• 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

In a switching mode power supply, an input received from the secondary side of the transformer 7 and indicative of the power being drawn by the loads is used to control the timing of bursts. The input is compared with two threshold different threshold values V2, V3, and switching is enabled if the input rises above a first higher threshold value V2, and disabled if it falls below a second lower threshold value V3. A memory device FF1 controls a current limitation circuit which limits currents in the primary of the transformer when the switching mode power supply is operating in the burst mode.

Claims

1. A switching mode power supply comprising:

a transformer,

a transistor operably coupled to switch current through a primary of the transformer, and

a control unit comprising a first comparator and a second comparator configured to control the switching of the transistor to generate current pulses through the transformer, the control unit further configured to receive a signal related to power drawn by a load from a secondary side of the transformer and the first comparator configured to compare the signal with a first threshold level and the second comparator configured to compare the signal with a second threshold level, two threshold levels defining a range, the control unit configured to enable switching of the transistor in the case that a characteristic of the signal is outside the range in a first direction, and disabling switching of the transistor in the case that the characteristic of the signal is outside the range in a second direction, and

a blanking window definition circuit configured to prevent the control unit from disabling switching of the transistor in the case that the signal is below the second lower threshold value for less than a preset period of time.

2. The switching mode power supply according to claim 1 wherein the characteristic of the signal is inversely related to power drawn by a load coupled to the secondary side, and wherein the control unit is further configured to enable switching when the characteristic of the signal is above a first threshold value, and disable switching of the transistor in the case that the characteristic of the signal is below a second lower threshold value.

3. The switching mode power supply according to claim 1 wherein the characteristic of the signal is directly related to the power drawn by a load coupled to the secondary side, and wherein the control unit is further configured to enable switching when the characteristic of the signal is above a first threshold value, and disable switching of the transistor in the case that the characteristic of the signal is below a second lower threshold value.

4. The switching mode power supply according to claim 1 further comprising a current limitation circuit arranged to receive a second signal indicative of the current through the primaiy of the transformer and to limit the current pulses if the second signal indicates that the current through the primary of the transformer is above a threshold value.

5. The switching mode power supply according to claim 4 further comprising a memory device for storing data indicating whether the switching mode power supply is operating in a first power supply mode, and arranged to enable the current limitation circuit only in the case that the power supply is operating in first power supply mode.

6. The switching mode power supply according to claim 5, wherein the memory device comprises a flip flop.

7. The switching mode power supply according to claim 6, wherein the current limitation circuit further comprises a logic gate coupled to receive a logic signal indicative of the power supply mode from the flip flop, the logic gate further coupled to receive an indication of whether the current through the primary of the transformer is above the threshold value.

8. A switching mode power supply comprising:

a transformer,

a transistor coupled to control the current through a primary of the transformer,

a control unit configured to control switching of the transistor to generate current pulses in the transformer,

a memory device for storing data indicating whether the switching mode power supply is operating in a burst mode, and

a current limitation circuit arranged to receive a first signal indicative of the current through the primary of the transformer and to limit the current pulses responsive to a signal that is indicative of a condition in which both the first signal indicates that the current is above a burst mode threshold value and the memory device indicates that the switching mode power supply is operating in the burst mode.

9. The switching mode power supply according to claim 8 wherein the control unit is a single integrated circuit logic device.

10. The switching mode power supply according to claim 9 wherein the threshold value is on a value received at a pin input of the logic device.

11. The switching mode power supply according to claim 9 wherein the threshold value has a value determined by an internal reference voltage of the integrated circuit.

12. A method of operating a power supply, the power supply having a transformer, a transistor controlling the current through the primary of the transformer, and a control unit for controlling the switching of the transistor to generate current pulses in the transformer, the method including:

a) receiving a signal related to power drawn by a load from a secondary side of the transformer and comparing the signal with two threshold levels, the two threshold levels defining a range, and

b) enabling switching of the transistor in the case that the characteristic of the signal is outside the range in a first direction, and disabling switching to the transistor in the case that the characteristic of the signal is outside the range in a second direction; and

c) preventing the control unit from disabling switching of the transistor in the case that the signal is below the second lower threshold value for less than a preset period of time.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the characteristic of the signal is inversely related to power drawn by a load coupled to the secondary side, and wherein step b) further comprises enabling switching when the characteristic of the signal is above a first threshold value, and disabling switching of the transistor in the case that the characteristic of the signal is below a second lower threshold value.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the characteristic of the signal is directly related to the power drawn by a load coupled to the secondary side, and wherein step b) further comprises enabling switching when the characteristic of the signal is above a first threshold value, and disabling switching of the transistor in the case that the characteristic of the signal is below a second lower threshold value.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the characteristic of the signal comprises a magnitude of the signal.

16. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

c) receiving a second signal indicative of the current through the primary of the transformer and limiting the current pulses if the second signal indicates that the current is above a threshold value.

17. The switching mode power supply according to claim 16 further comprising performing step c) only in the case that the power supply is operating in a first power supply mode of a plurality of power supply modes.

18. A method of operating a power supply having a transformer, a transistor controlling the current through a primary of the transformer, and a control unit for controlling the switching of the transistor to generate current pulses in the transformer, the method comprising:

a) receiving a signal indicative of the current through the primary of the transformer, and

b) limiting the current pulses responsive to a signal that is indicative of a condition in which both the signal indicates that the current is above a threshold value and the power supply is operating in a burst mode of a plurality of power supply modes.

19. A switching mode power supply comprising:

a transformer,

a transistor operably coupled to switch current through a primary of the transformer,

a control unit configured to control the switching of the transistor to generate current pulses through the transformer, the control unit further configured to receive a signal from a secondary side of the transformer and compare the signal with the two threshold levels defining a range, the control unit configured to enable switching of the transistor in the case that a characteristic of the signal is outside the range in a first direction, and disabling switching of the transistor in the case that the characteristic of the signal is outside the range in a second direction,

a current limitation circuit arranged to receive a second signal indicative of the current through the primary of the transformer and to limit the current pulses if the second signal indicated that the current through the primary of the transformer is above a threshold value, and

a memory device for storing data indicating whether the switching mode power supply is operating in a first power supply mode, and arranged to enable the current limitation circuit only in the case that the power supply is operating in first power supply mode, wherein the memory device comprises a flip flop,

wherein the current limitation circuit further comprises a logic gate coupled to receive a logic signal indicative of the power supply mode from the flip flop, the logic gate further coupled to receive an indication of whether the current through the primary of the transformer is above the threshold value.