Isolated power converter circuit and control method thereof

• US 9,287,796 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2013
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Inventors: Liao, Chia-Wei, Liu, Jing-Meng
• Primary Examiner(s): Han, Jessica
• Application Number:
  US13/765,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20130215651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0032 Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode
• 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: H02M 5/40 with intermediate conversion into dc
• 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

The present invention discloses an isolated power converter circuit and a control method thereof. The isolated power converter circuit includes: a transformer circuit, a power switch circuit, an opto-coupler circuit, and a control circuit. The transformer circuit includes a first winding and a second winding. The power switch circuit is coupled to the transformer circuit to control it according to a driving signal. The opto-coupler circuit generates a feedback signal. The control circuit is coupled to the power switch circuit and the opto-coupler circuit, for generating the driving signal according to the feedback signal. The control circuit includes a distinguishing circuit for distinguishing a status of the feedback signal.

Claims

1. An isolated power converter circuit, comprising:

a transformer circuit, which includes a first winding and a second winding, configured to operably convert an input voltage to an output voltage;

a power switch circuit, which is coupled to the first winding, configured to operably control the transformer to convert the input voltage to the output voltage according to a driving signal;

an opto-coupler circuit, which has a first opto-coupler coupled to the second winding, configured to operably generate a feedback signal according to the output voltage; and

a control circuit, which are coupled to the power switch circuit and the opto-coupler circuit, configured to operably generate the driving signal according to the feedback signal, wherein the control circuit includes;

a distinguishing circuit configured to operably generate a distinguishing signal by directly or indirectly determining a status of the feedback signal; and

a driving signal generation circuit configured to operably determine, by the distinguishing signal, whether or not generating the driving signal according to the feedback signal;

wherein the isolated power converter circuit has a normal operation mode and a stand-by mode, wherein when the isolated power converter circuit operates in the stand-by mode, an opto-coupler current flowing through the opto-coupler circuit is less than a maximum level of the opto-coupler current flowing through the opto-coupler circuit when the isolated power converter circuit operates in the normal operation mode;

wherein the opto-coupler circuit further comprises a second opto-coupler, which is coupled to the second winding, and configured to operably generate a stand-by signal according to the output voltage.

2. The isolated power converter circuit of claim 1, wherein the distinguishing circuit includes an enable circuit, which is coupled to the second opto-coupler, and configured to operably generate an enable signal functioning as the distinguishing signal according to the stand-by signal or a signal related to the stand-by signal.

3. The isolated power converter circuit of claim 1, wherein the first opto-coupler is turned OFF when the output voltage is larger than the second predetermined voltage.

4. The isolated power converter circuit of claim 3, wherein the opto-coupler circuit further includes a second level determination circuit, configured to operably turn OFF the first opto-coupler when the output voltage is larger than the second predetermined voltage.

5. The isolated power converter circuit of claim 3, wherein the opto-coupler circuit further includes a current determination circuit, configured to operably turn OFF the first opto-coupler for a period of time when a first opto-coupler current flowing through the first opto-coupler is larger than a predetermined current.

6. The isolated power converter circuit of claim 1, wherein a maximum level of a second opto-coupler current flowing through the second opto-coupler is less than a maximum level of the first opto-coupler current.

7. The isolated power converter circuit of claim 1, wherein:

a first opto-coupler current flowing through the first opto-coupler circuit is an increasing function which increases as the output voltage increases in the normal operation mode; and

a second opto-coupler current flowing through the second opto-coupler circuit is an increasing function which increases as the output voltage increases, or the second opto-coupler current is an increasing function which increases as the output voltage increases when the output voltage is relatively low, and the second opto-coupler current is a decreasing function which decreases as the output voltage increases when the output voltage is relatively high.

8. A control circuit of an isolated power converter circuit, wherein the isolated power converter circuit includes:

a transformer circuit, which includes a first winding and a second winding, for converting an input voltage to an output voltage;

a power switch circuit, which is coupled to the first winding;

an opto-coupler circuit, having a first opto-coupler coupled to the second winding, for generating a feedback signal according to the output voltage, the control circuit comprising;

a distinguishing circuit configured to operably generate a distinguishing signal by directly or indirectly determining a status of the feedback signal; and

a driving signal generation circuit configured to operably determine, by the distinguishing signal, whether or not generating the driving signal according to the feedback signal;

wherein the opto-coupler circuit further comprises a second opto-coupler, which is coupled to the second winding, and configured to operably generate a stand-by signal according to the output voltage, and the distinguishing circuit includes an enable circuit, which is coupled to the second opto-coupler, and configured to operably generate an enable signal functioning as the distinguishing signal according to the stand-by signal or a signal related to the stand-by signal.

9. A control method of an isolated power converter circuit, comprising:

driving the isolated power converter circuit by a driving signal to convert an input voltage to an output voltage;

generating a first opto-coupler current by opto-coupling according to the output voltage, for generating a feedback signal corresponding to the first opto-coupler current;

generating a distinguishing signal by directly or indirectly determining a status of the feedback signal;

determining by the distinguishing signal whether or not generating the driving signal according to the feedback signal;

wherein the isolated power converter circuit has a normal operation mode and a stand-by mode, wherein when the isolated power converter circuit operates in the stand-by mode, the first opto-coupler current is less than a maximum level of the first opto-coupler current when the isolated power converter circuit operates in the normal operation mode; and

generating a second opto-coupler current by opto-coupling according to the output voltage, for generating a stand-by signal.

10. The control method of claim 9, wherein the distinguishing signal is generated according to the stand-by signal.

11. The control method of claim 9 further comprising:

stopping generating the first opto-coupler current by opto-coupling when the output voltage is larger than the second predetermined voltage.

12. The control method of claim 9 further comprising:

stopping generating the first opto-coupler current by opto-coupling for a period of time when the first opto-coupler current is larger than a predetermined current.

13. The control method of claim 9, wherein the second opto-coupler current is less than a maximum level of the first opto-coupler current.

14. The control method of claim 9, wherein:

the first opto-coupler current is an increasing function which increases as the output voltage increases in the normal operation mode, and

the second opto-coupler current is an increasing function which increases as the output voltage increases, or the second opto-coupler current is an increasing function which increases as the output voltage increases when the output voltage is relatively low, and the second opto-coupler current is a decreasing function which decreases as the output voltage increases when the output voltage is relatively high.