Short-circuit protection system for power converters
First Claim
1. A power converter system comprising:
- a switching circuit configured to activate at least one power supply switch in response to a driver signal to provide an output voltage at an output based on an input voltage at an input and based on an inductor current associated with an inductor, the at least one power supply switch comprising a parasitic diode and interconnecting the inductor and the output; and
a short-circuit protection system configured to detect a short-circuit condition and to deactivate the at least one power supply switch in response to the detection of the short-circuit condition to provide the inductor current from the inductor to the output through the parasitic diode in response to the deactivation of the at least one power supply switch, the parasitic diode increasing a voltage difference across the power supply switch thereby allowing a variable duty cycle of the switching circuit that is at a greater value than a minimum acceptable value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One example includes a power converter system. The system includes a switching circuit configured to activate at least one power supply switch in response to a driver signal to provide an output voltage at an output based on an input voltage at an input and based on an inductor current associated with an inductor. The at least one power supply switch includes a parasitic diode that interconnects the inductor and the output. The system also includes a short-circuit protection system configured to detect a short-circuit condition and to deactivate the at least one power supply switch in response to the detection of the short-circuit condition to provide the inductor current from the inductor to the output through the parasitic diode in response to the deactivation of the at least one power supply switch.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A power converter system comprising:
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a switching circuit configured to activate at least one power supply switch in response to a driver signal to provide an output voltage at an output based on an input voltage at an input and based on an inductor current associated with an inductor, the at least one power supply switch comprising a parasitic diode and interconnecting the inductor and the output; and a short-circuit protection system configured to detect a short-circuit condition and to deactivate the at least one power supply switch in response to the detection of the short-circuit condition to provide the inductor current from the inductor to the output through the parasitic diode in response to the deactivation of the at least one power supply switch, the parasitic diode increasing a voltage difference across the power supply switch thereby allowing a variable duty cycle of the switching circuit that is at a greater value than a minimum acceptable value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A power converter system comprising:
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a switching circuit configured to activate at least one power supply switch in response to a driver signal to provide an output voltage at an output based on an input voltage at an input and based on an inductor current associated with an inductor, the at least one power supply switch comprising a parasitic diode and interconnecting the inductor and the output; and a short-circuit protection system configured to detect a short-circuit condition and to deactivate the at least one power supply switch in response to the detection of the short-circuit condition to provide the inductor current from the inductor to the output through the parasitic diode in response to the deactivation of the at least one power supply switch wherein the short-circuit protection system comprises; a first short-circuit protection system configured to detect a short-circuit condition associated with the output and to deactivate the at least one power supply switch in response to the detection of the short-circuit condition associated with the output to provide the inductor current from the input to the output through the parasitic diode; and a second short-circuit protection system configured to detect a short-circuit condition associated with the input and to deactivate the at least one power supply switch in response to the detection of the short-circuit condition associated with the input to prevent the inductor current from flowing from the output to the input, wherein the second short-circuit protection system comprises; a reference switch coupled to a detection node and being controlled by a predetermined reference voltage; at least one switch interconnecting the input and the reference switch; and a latching switch being controlled by the detection node, the latching switch and the at least one switch being arranged as a latch with respect to setting the detection node at a logic-high state in response to the input voltage being greater than a predetermined threshold that is associated with the reference voltage. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A power converter system comprising:
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a switching circuit comprising; a first power supply switch interconnecting an input having an input voltage and an inductor and being configured to activate at a variable duty-cycle to provide an inductor current through the inductor; and a second power supply switch interconnecting the inductor and the output and being configured to provide an output voltage at an output based on the inductor current; and a short-circuit protection system configured to detect a short-circuit condition associated with the output and to hold the second power supply switch in a deactivated state in response to the detection of the short-circuit condition wherein the output current flows through a parasitic diode of the second switch, the parasitic diode increasing a voltage difference across an output of the power converter system to enable the activation of the first power supply switch at the variable duty-cycle that is greater than a minimum acceptable value to maintain the inductor current through the inductor during the short-circuit condition. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A power converter system comprising:
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a switching circuit configured to activate at least one power supply switch in response to a driver signal to provide an output voltage at an output based on an input voltage at an input and based on an inductor current associated with an inductor, the at least one power supply switch comprising a parasitic diode and interconnecting the inductor and the output; and a first short-circuit protection system configured to detect a short-circuit condition associated with the output and to deactivate the at least one power supply switch in response to the detection of the short-circuit condition associated with the output to provide the inductor current from the inductor to the output through the parasitic diode during at least a portion of the short-circuit condition associated with the output; and a second short-circuit protection system configured to detect a short-circuit condition associated with the input and to deactivate the at least one power supply switch in response to the detection of the short-circuit condition associated with the input to prevent the inductor current from flowing from the output to the input, wherein the second short-circuit protection system comprises; a reference switch coupled to a detection node and being controlled by a predetermined reference voltage; at least one switch interconnecting the input and the reference switch; and a latching switch being controlled by the detection node, the latching switch and the at least one switch being arranged as a latch with respect to setting the detection node at a logic-high state in response to the input voltage being greater than a predetermined threshold that is associated with the reference voltage. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification