DC-to-DC converter having enhanced control features and associated methods
US5793193A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 14, 1997 |
| Grant date | Aug 11, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 14, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02B70/10
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A DC-to-DC converter includes a comparator for controlling a high-side switch and has one input connected to a switch signal and another input connected to a peak current reference signal. A comparator bias boost circuit increases a bias to the comparator to provide accurate comparisons even when the switch signal and the peak current reference signal are both relatively close to a voltage of the source. The additional bias may be provided by a voltage which is typically available for a DC-to-DC converter. More particularly, the high-side switch has a terminal defining a phase node, and the additional bias voltage may be provided by a capacitor referenced to the phase node to provide the bias higher than a voltage of the source and responsive to switching at the phase node. The converter preferably further includes one or more clamps for clamping the output of the comparator during a relatively rapid change in the bias. A clock may be used for turning on the high-side switch. The comparator may include an additional input, and the clamps may further deliver a blanking signal based upon the clock to the additional input of the comparator so that at least one of the comparator output…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.