Load current measurement

US10447142B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED · US

Inventors

• Vinod Menezes · Bengaluru, IN
• Manikandan RR · Bengaluru, IN
• Rajat Chauhan · Bengaluru, IN
• Vipul Kumar Singhal · Kanchinakote, IN
• Mahesh M. Mehendale · Bengaluru, IN
• Kaichien Tsai · Allen, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 20, 2018
• Grant date: Oct 15, 2019
• Expiry date: Dec 20, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H02M1/0009
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A switch-mode power supply includes a DC-DC converter and metering circuitry that is coupled to the DC-DC converter. The metering circuitry includes scaling circuitry, a current source, a capacitor, switching circuitry, and a comparator. The scaling circuitry is configured to generate a reference current scaled to be a predetermined fraction of a peak current flowing in an inductor of the DC-DC converter. The current source is configured to output a first current that is one-half of the reference current. The capacitor is coupled to the current source. The switching circuitry is configured to switchably connect the current source to the capacitor. The comparator is coupled to the capacitor. The comparator is configured to generate a signal indicating that a voltage across the capacitor exceeds a threshold voltage.