Systems and methods for output current regulation in power conversion systems

• US 10,686,373 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2017
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (Orthosie Investment Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (Orthosie Investment Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Fang, Qian, Lan, Cong, Fang, Lieyi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thienvu V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Quddus, Nusrat
• Application Number:
  US15/815,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20180123456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 363 2112- 2118, 363 52, 363 53, 363125-127
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0009 Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/335 using semiconductor devices only
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for regulating a power converter. An example system controller includes: a driver configured to output a drive signal to a switch to affect a current flowing through an inductive winding of a power converter, the drive signal being associated with a switching period including an on-time period and an off-time period. The switch is closed in response to the drive signal during the on-time period. The switch is opened in response to the drive signal during the off-time period. A duty cycle is equal to a duration of the on-time period divided by a duration of the switching period. One minus the duty cycle is equal to a parameter. The system controller is configured to keep a multiplication product of the duty cycle, the parameter and the duration of the on-time period approximately constant.

Claims

1. A system controller for regulating a power converter, the system controller comprising:

a first controller terminal configured to provide a compensation signal based on at least information associated with a first current flowing through an inductive winding of a power converter;

a ramp current generator configured to receive a modulation signal, the compensation signal and a first reference signal and generate a ramp current based at least in part on the modulation signal, the compensation signal and the first reference signal;

a ramp signal generator configured to receive the ramp current and generate a ramping signal based at least in part on the ramp current; and

a modulation signal generator configured to receive the ramping signal and the compensation signal and generate the modulation signal based at least in part on the ramping signal and the compensation signal, the modulation signal being related to a drive signal, the drive signal being associated with a switching period including an on-time period and an off-time period;

wherein;

a duty cycle is equal to a duration of the on-time period divided by a duration of the switching period; and

one minus the duty cycle is equal to a parameter;

wherein the ramp current generator is further configured to generate the ramp current approximately proportional in magnitude to a multiplication product of the duty cycle, the parameter and a difference, the difference representing the first reference signal minus the compensation signal in magnitude.

2. The system controller of claim 1 is configured to keep a multiplication product of the duty cycle, the parameter and the duration of the on-time period approximately constant in response to the ramp current being approximately proportional in magnitude to the multiplication product of the duty cycle, the parameter and the difference.

3. The system controller of claim 1 wherein the ramp current generator is further configured to generate the ramp current proportional in magnitude to the multiplication product of the duty cycle, the parameter and the difference.

4. The system controller of claim 3 is configured to keep a multiplication product of the duty cycle, the parameter and the duration of the on-time period constant in response to the ramp current being proportional in magnitude to the multiplication product of the duty cycle, the parameter and the difference.

5. The system controller of claim 1 wherein the ramp current generator includes:

a first filter configured to generate a first filtered signal based on at least information associated with the modulation signal;

a gain stage configured to receive the first filtered signal and generate a first amplified signal based at least in part on the first filtered signal;

a second filter configured to receive the first amplified signal and generate a second filtered signal based at least in part on the first amplified signal; and

a voltage-to-current converter configured to receive the second filtered signal and generate the ramp current based at least in part on the second filtered signal.

6. The system controller of claim 5 wherein:

the ramp current generator further includes a first amplifier configured to receive the modulation signal and generate a second amplified signal based at least in part on the modulation signal; and

the first filter is further configured to receive the second amplified signal and generate the first filtered signal based at least in part on the second amplified signal.

7. The system controller of claim 6, wherein the first amplifier is further configured to:

in response to the modulation signal being at a first logic level, receive a differential signal indicating a difference between the first reference signal and the compensation signal and generate the second amplified signal based at least in part on the differential signal; and

in response to the modulation signal being at a second logic level, receive a ground voltage and generate the second amplified signal based at least in part on the ground voltage.

8. The system controller of claim 7, wherein the ramp current generator further includes:

a first switch coupled to the first amplifier and configured to be closed to pass the differential signal in response to the modulation signal being at the first logic level; and

a second switch coupled to the first amplifier and configured to be closed to pass the ground voltage in response to the modulation signal being at the second logic level.

9. The system controller of claim 7, wherein the ramp current generator further includes:

a differential signal generator configured to receive the first reference signal and the compensation signal and generate the differential signal based at least in part on the first reference signal and the compensation signal.

10. The system controller of claim 7, and further comprising:

a second amplifier configured to receive a second reference signal and generate a third amplified signal based at least in part on the second reference signal to charge a capacitor to generate the compensation signal.

11. The system controller of claim 1 wherein the ramp signal generator is further configured to:

in response to the modulation signal being at a first logic level, generate the ramping signal based at least in part on the ramp current; and

in response to the modulation signal being at a second logic level, generate the ramping signal based at least in part on an amplified signal.

12. The system controller of claim 11 wherein the ramp signal generator further includes:

an amplifier configured to receive a second reference signal and generate the amplified signal based at least in part on the second reference signal.

13. The system controller of claim 11, and further comprising:

a first switch coupled to a capacitor and configured to be closed to pass the ramp current in response to the modulation signal being at the first logic level; and

a second switch coupled to the capacitor and configured to be closed to pass the amplified signal in response to the modulation signal being at the second logic level.

14. The system controller of claim 1, and further comprising:

a demagnetization detector configured to receive a feedback signal associated with an output signal of the power converter and generate a trigger signal based at least in part on the feedback signal, the trigger signal indicating an end of a demagnetization process of the power converter; and

a first signal generator configured to receive the trigger signal and generate a first signal based at least in part on the trigger signal to affect the drive signal.

15. The system controller of claim 14, and further comprising:

a second signal generator configured to receive a current sensing signal associated with the first current and generate a second signal based at least in part on the current sensing signal.

16. The system controller of claim 1 wherein the ramping signal increases in magnitude at a ramping slope during the on-time period.

17. The system controller of claim 1, and further comprising:

a second controller terminal configured to receive a first signal related to an input signal of the power converter; and

a third controller terminal configured to receive a current sensing signal associated with the first current flowing through the inductive winding;

wherein a switch is connected between the second controller terminal and the third controller terminal.

18. A method for regulating a power converter, the method comprising:

providing a compensation signal based on at least information associated with a first current flowing through a primary winding of a power converter;

receiving a modulation signal, the compensation signal and a reference signal;

generating a ramp current based at least in part on the modulation signal, the compensation signal and the reference signal;

receiving the ramp current;

generating a ramping signal based at least in part on the ramp current;

receiving the ramping signal and the compensation signal; and

generating the modulation signal based at least in part on the ramping signal and the compensation signal, the modulation signal being related to a drive signal, the drive signal being associated with a switching period including an on-time period and an off-time period;

wherein;

a duty cycle is equal to a duration of the on-time period divided by a duration of the switching period; and

a parameter is equal to one minus the duty cycle;

wherein the generating the ramp current based at least in part on the modulation signal, the compensation signal and the reference signal includes generating the ramp current approximately proportional in magnitude to a multiplication product of the duty cycle, the parameter and a difference, the difference representing the reference signal minus the compensation signal in magnitude.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the generating the ramp current approximately proportional in magnitude to a multiplication product of the duty cycle, the parameter and a difference includes generating the ramp current proportional in magnitude to the multiplication product of the duty cycle, the parameter and the difference.