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Controlling power loss in a switched-capacitor power converter

  • US 8,541,999 B2
  • Filed: 05/20/2010
  • Issued: 09/24/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for actively controlling a power loss in a switched-capacitor power converter, the method comprising:

  • operating the switched-capacitor power converter, wherein the switched-capacitor power converter includes one or more switched-capacitor blocks (SCBs) and a clocking circuit which produces gate drive signals for switching transistors in the one or more SCBs; and

    while the switched-capacitor power converter is operating, actively controlling the gate drive signals from the clocking circuit to substantially minimize the power loss for the switched-capacitor power converter;

    wherein actively controlling the gate drive signals involves controlling a voltage of the gate drive signals; and

    wherein controlling the voltage of the gate drive signals involves, measuring a power loss for the switched-capacitor power converter, and using the measured power loss as an input to a control system which controls the voltage of the gate drive signals to substantially minimize the power loss for the switched-capacitor power converter.

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