METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING A CONSTANT LOAD CURRENT WITH LINE VOLTAGE IN A SWITCH MODE POWER SUPPLY

• US 20100033147A1
• Filed: 10/16/2009
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Power Integrations Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Power Integrations Incorporated
• Inventors: Djenguerian, Alx B., Wong, Kent, Matthews, David Michael Hugh, Balakrishnan, Balu
• Granted Patent: US 7,834,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/282
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0009 Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/0822 in field-effect transistor switches

Abstract

A power supply regulator including a variable current limit threshold that increases during an on time of a switch. In one aspect, a power supply regulator includes a comparator that has a first input coupled to sense a voltage representative of a current flowing through a switch during an on time of the switch. The comparator has a second input coupled to receive a variable current limit threshold that increases during the on time of the switch. A feedback circuit is coupled to receive a feedback signal representative of an output voltage at an output of a power supply. A control circuit is coupled to generate a control signal in response to an output of the comparator and in response to an output of the feedback circuit. The control signal is to be coupled to a control terminal of the switch to control switching of the switch.

Claims

1. A power supply regulator, comprising:

a comparator having a first input coupled to sense a voltage representative of a current flowing through a switch during an on time of the switch, the comparator having a second input coupled to receive a variable current limit threshold that increases during the on time of the switch;

a feedback circuit coupled to receive a feedback signal representative of an output voltage at an output of a power supply; and

a control circuit coupled to generate a control signal in response to an output of the comparator and in response to an output of the feedback circuit, the control signal to be coupled to a control terminal of the switch to control switching of the switch.

2. The power supply regulator of claim 1 further comprising an oscillator having a first output to generate a sawtooth waveform, wherein the variable current limit threshold is generated in response to the sawtooth waveform.

3. The power supply regulator of claim 2 wherein the feedback circuit is coupled to receive the sawtooth waveform.

4. The power supply regulator of claim 2 wherein the oscillator further has a second output to generate a maximum duty cycle signal, wherein the control circuit is coupled to generate the control signal further in response to the maximum duty cycle signal.

5. The power supply regulator of claim 2 wherein the control circuit includes a latch to provide the control signal, wherein the latch includes a reset input coupled to the output of the comparator.

6. The power supply regulator of claim 5 wherein the latch further includes a set input coupled to be responsive to a clock signal generated from a third output of the oscillator.

7. The power supply regulator of claim 5 wherein the reset input of the latch is further coupled to be responsive to a maximum duty cycle signal from a second output of the oscillator.

8. The power supply regulator of claim 5 wherein the feedback circuit comprises a feedback comparator coupled to receive the feedback signal and the sawtooth waveform, wherein the reset input of the latch is coupled to be responsive to an output of the feedback comparator.

9. The power supply regulator of claim 1 wherein a duty cycle of the control signal is modulated in response to an output of the feedback circuit.

10. The power supply of regulator of claim 2 further comprising a current mirror coupled to the oscillator to receive the sawtooth waveform, wherein the variable current limit threshold is generated in response to the current mirror.

11. The power supply regulator of claim 1 wherein the switching of the switch provides at the output of the power supply an output characteristic having an approximately constant output current below an output voltage threshold.

12. The power supply regulator of claim 11 wherein the approximately constant output current remains substantially constant at all line voltages.