Method and apparatus to reduce maximum power from a power supply with transition region regulation

• US 7,728,572 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Power Integrations Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Power Integrations Incorporated
• Inventors: Currell, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, YOUNGHUIE JESSICA
• Application Number:
  US11/966,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20080100275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 323/282, 323/284, 323/285, 323/351, 323/266, 363/16, 363/21.01
• US Class Current: 323/285
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• 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 3/33523 with galvanic isolation between input and output of both the power stage and the feedback loop

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed to regulate the output power of a power supply. An example technique for regulating a power supply output includes regulating in response to a feedback signal an output current of a power supply in a regulated current region of operation if an output voltage of the power supply is less than a second transition voltage. The output voltage and the output current of the power supply are regulated in a transition region current region of operation in response to the feedback signal if the output voltage of the power supply is between first and second transition voltages or if the output current of the power supply is between first and second transition currents.

Claims

1. A method of regulating a power supply output, comprising:

regulating in response to a feedback signal an output current of a power supply in a regulated current region of operation if an output voltage of the power supply is less than a second transition voltage; and

regulating in response to the feedback signal the output voltage of the power supply and the output current of the power supply in a transition region current region of operation if the output voltage of the power supply is between first and second transition voltages or if the output current of the power supply is between first and second transition currents.

2. The method of regulating the power supply output of claim 1 further comprising switching a power switch coupled to an energy transfer element at an input of a power supply in response to the feedback signal.

3. The method of regulating the power supply output of claim 1 further comprising generating the feedback signal in response to the power supply output.

4. The method of regulating the power supply output of claim 1, wherein generating the feedback signal comprises:

sensing the output voltage and output current of the power supply;

generating a voltage regulation signal in response to the output voltage of the power supply;

generating a current regulation signal in response to the output current of the power supply;

generating a transition region regulation signal in response to the output voltage and the output current of the power supply; and

summing the voltage regulation signal, the current regulation signal and the transition region regulation signal.

5. The method of regulating the power supply output of claim 1 further comprising regulating in response to the feedback signal the output voltage of the power supply in a regulated voltage region of operation if the output current of the power supply is less than the first transition current.

6. The method of regulating the power supply output of claim 1 further comprising isolating an input of the power supply from the power supply output.