Apparatus and method for loosely regulated power converters
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A converter comprising:
- an input coupled to a power source;
a plurality of power switches coupled to the input; and
a controller coupled to the power switches, wherein the controller is configured to generate a plurality of gate drive signals for the power switches, and wherein the gate drive signals are arranged such that an output voltage of the converter is in between a fully regulated output voltage and an unregulated output voltage, and wherein the gate drive signals are generated from a control signal in a band, and wherein the control signal is configured to swing back and forth between a lower limit and an upper limit of the band based upon a damped gain control mechanism, and wherein a gain of a control loop of a tight control mechanism is higher than a gain of a control loop of the damped gain control mechanism.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for improving a power converter'"'"'s efficiency comprises detecting an input voltage of a power converter, determining an operation mode of the power converter based upon the input voltage of the power converter and generating a plurality of gate drive signals based upon a damped gain control, wherein the damped gain control is configured such that an output voltage of the power converter is in a range from a tightly regulated output voltage to an unregulated output voltage.
-
Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A converter comprising:
-
an input coupled to a power source; a plurality of power switches coupled to the input; and a controller coupled to the power switches, wherein the controller is configured to generate a plurality of gate drive signals for the power switches, and wherein the gate drive signals are arranged such that an output voltage of the converter is in between a fully regulated output voltage and an unregulated output voltage, and wherein the gate drive signals are generated from a control signal in a band, and wherein the control signal is configured to swing back and forth between a lower limit and an upper limit of the band based upon a damped gain control mechanism, and wherein a gain of a control loop of a tight control mechanism is higher than a gain of a control loop of the damped gain control mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A method comprising:
-
detecting an input voltage of a power converter, wherein the power converter comprises; an input coupled to a power source; a plurality of power switches coupled to the input; and a controller coupled to the power switches; and generating a plurality of gate drive signals for the power switches, wherein the gate drive signals are arranged such that an output voltage of the power converter is in between a fully regulated output voltage and an unregulated output voltage, and wherein the gate drive signals are generated from a control signal in a band, and wherein the control signal is configured to swing back and forth between a lower limit and an upper limit of the band based upon a damped gain control mechanism, and wherein a gain of a control loop of a tight control mechanism is higher than a gain of a control loop of the damped gain control mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method comprising:
-
detecting an input voltage of a power converter; determining an operation mode of the power converter based upon the input voltage of the power converter; and generating a plurality of gate drive signals based upon a damped gain control when the power converter operates a damped gain control operation mode, wherein the damped gain control is configured such that an output voltage of the power converter is in a range from a tightly regulated output voltage to an unregulated output voltage, and wherein the gate drive signals are generated from a control signal in a band, and wherein the control signal is configured to swing back and forth between a lower limit and an upper limit of the band based upon a damped gain control mechanism, and wherein a gain of a control loop of a tight control mechanism is higher than a gain of a control loop of the damped gain control mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
-
Specification