Method and apparatus for a control circuit with multiple operation modes

• US 7,518,885 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2006
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Power Integrations Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Power Integrations Incorporated
• Inventors: Pham, Giao, Baurle, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Riley; Shawn
• Application Number:
  US11/543,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20080084713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 363/16, 363/21.13, 363/131
• US Class Current: 363/16
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33507 with automatic control of the output voltage or current, e.g. flyback converters H02M3/33561, H02M3/33569 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33515 with digital control

Abstract

An apparatus for regulating a power converter with multiple operating modes includes a switch coupled to an energy transfer element coupled between an input and an output of the power converter. A control circuit is also included, which is coupled to the switch to control the switch. The control circuit includes first and second duty cycle control modes to regulate power delivered to the output of the power converter. A transition between the first and second duty cycle control modes is responsive to a magnitude of a current flowing in the switch reaching a current threshold value.

Claims

1. A power converter comprising:

a switch coupled to an energy transfer element coupled between an input and an output of the power converter; and

a control circuit coupled to the switch to control the switch, the control circuit including first and second duty cycle control modes to regulate power delivered to the output of the power converter, wherein a transition between the first and second duty cycle control modes is responsive to a magnitude of a current flowing in the switch reaching a current threshold value.

2. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the control circuit further includes a third duty cycle control mode to regulate the power delivered to the power converter output such wherein a transition between the second and third duty cycle control modes is responsive to a switching frequency of the switch reaching a frequency threshold value.

3. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the first duty cycle control mode is a voltage mode control mode.

4. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the first duty cycle control mode is a current mode control mode.

5. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the first duty cycle control mode is a quasi-resonant control mode.

6. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the first duty cycle control mode is a variable on time fixed off time control mode.

7. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the second duty cycle control mode is a fixed current limit variable switching cycle time control mode.

8. The power converter of claim 2, wherein the third duty cycle control mode is a voltage control mode.

9. The power converter of claim 2, wherein the third duty cycle control mode is a current mode control mode.

10. The power converter of claim 2, wherein the third duty cycle control mode is a quasi resonant control mode.

11. The power converter of claim 2, wherein the third duty cycle control mode is a variable on time fixed off time control mode.

12. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the current threshold value of the current flowing in the switch is varied in response to an operating condition of the power converter.

13. The power converter of claim 12 wherein the operating condition of the power converter is a magnitude of an input voltage to the power converter.

14. The power converter of claim 12 wherein the operating condition of the power converter is a switching frequency of the control circuit in the first duty cycle control mode.

15. A power converter comprising:

a switch coupled to an energy transfer element coupled between an input and an output of the power converter;

a control circuit coupled to the switch; and

a control loop coupled between the output of the power converter and the control circuit to generate a feedback signal having a control loop gain responsive to an output parameter of the power converter, the control circuit including first and second duty cycle control modes to switch the switch to regulate power delivered to the output of the power converter in response to the feedback signal, wherein the control loop gain is substantially constant during a transition between the first and second duty cycle control modes.

16. The power converter of claim 15 wherein the control circuit further includes a third duty cycle control mode to regulate the power delivered to the output of the power converter, wherein the control loop gain is substantially constant during a transition between the second and third duty cycle control modes.

17. The power converter of claim 15 wherein the first duty cycle control mode is a voltage mode control mode.

18. The power converter of claim 15 wherein the first duty cycle control mode is a current mode control mode.

19. The power converter of claim 15 wherein the first duty cycle control mode is a quasi-resonant control mode.

20. The power converter of claim 15 wherein the first duty cycle control mode is a variable on time fixed off time control mode.

21. The power converter of claim 15 wherein the second duty cycle control mode is a fixed current limit variable switching cycle time control mode.

22. The power converter of claim 16 wherein the third duty cycle control mode is a voltage mode control mode.

23. The power converter of claim 16 wherein the third duty cycle control mode is a current mode control mode.

24. The power converter of claim 16 wherein the third duty cycle control mode is a quasi-resonant control mode.

25. The power converter of claim 16 wherein the third duty cycle control mode is a variable on time fixed off time control mode.

26. A power converter comprising:

a switch coupled to an energy transfer element coupled between an input and an output of the power converter;

a control circuit coupled to the switch; and

a control loop coupled between the output of the power converter and the control circuit to generate a feedback signal having a control loop gain responsive to an output parameter of the power converter, the control circuit including first and second duty cycle control modes to switch the switch to regulate power delivered to the output of the power converter in response to the feedback signal, wherein a switch on time is proportional to a magnitude of the feedback signal when the control circuit operates in the first duty cycle control mode and wherein a switching cycle time period is proportional to the ratio of a switch on time and the value of the feedback signal when the control circuit operates in the second duty cycle control mode.

27. The power converter of claim 26 wherein the control circuit further includes a third duty cycle control mode to regulate the power delivered to the output of the power converter, wherein the switch on time is proportional to the magnitude of the feedback signal when the control circuit operates in the third duty cycle control mode.

28. The power converter of claim 26 wherein the first duty cycle control mode is a voltage mode control mode.

29. The power converter of claim 26 wherein the first duty cycle control mode is a current mode control mode.

30. The power converter of claim 26 wherein the first duty cycle control mode is a quasi-resonant control mode.

31. The power converter of claim 26 wherein the first duty cycle control mode is a variable on time fixed off time control mode.

32. The power converter of claim 26 wherein the second duty cycle control mode is a fixed current limit variable switching cycle time control mode.

33. The power converter of claim 27 wherein the third duty cycle control mode is a voltage mode control mode.

34. The power converter of claim 27 wherein the third duty cycle control mode is a current mode control mode.

35. The power converter of claim 27 wherein the third duty cycle control mode is a quasi-resonant control mode.

36. The power converter of claim 27 wherein the third duty cycle control mode is a variable on time fixed off time control mode.

37. A method of regulating power delivered from an input of a power converter to an output of the power converter, comprising:

switching a power switch coupled to an energy transfer element coupled between the input and output of the power converter;

controlling the switching of the power switch with a control circuit coupled to the switch to regulate the power delivered from the input of a power converter to the output of the power converter;

generating a feedback signal to which the control circuit is responsive with a control loop coupled between the output of the power supply and the control circuit, the feedback signal having a control loop gain that is substantially constant during a transition of the control circuit from a first duty cycle control mode included in the control circuit to a second duty cycle control mode included in the control circuit.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the control circuit further includes a third duty cycle control mode to regulate the power delivered from the input of the power converter to the output of the power converter, wherein the control loop gain is substantially constant during a transition between the second and third duty cycle control modes.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein the first duty cycle control mode is a voltage mode control mode.

40. The method of claim 37 wherein the first duty cycle control mode is a current mode control mode.

41. The method of claim 37 wherein the first duty cycle control mode is a quasi-resonant control mode.

42. The method of claim 37 wherein the first duty cycle control mode is a variable on time fixed off time control mode.

43. The method of claim 37 wherein the second duty cycle control mode is a fixed current limit variable switching cycle time control mode.

44. The method of claim 38 wherein the third duty cycle control mode is a voltage mode control mode.

45. The method of claim 38 wherein the third duty cycle control mode is a current mode control mode.

46. The method of claim 38 wherein the third duty cycle control mode is a quasi-resonant control mode.

47. The method of claim 38 wherein the third duty cycle control mode is a variable on time fixed off time control mode.