Patent · US Active

Switched mode power supply having variable minimum switching frequency

US7471072B2 · kind B2 · utility

16Cited by
9References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 16, 2006
Grant dateDec 30, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 20, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH02M1/44
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a switched mode power supply (SMPS) then selectively operates in continuous current mode (CCM) and discontinuous current mode (DCM), the minimum switching frequency of the SMPS is adjusted by setting a minimum duration for DCM operation. A resistance value applied to an external pin of the SMPS controls the duration of a timer that is reset in CCM and activated upon entering DCM. Upon expiration of the variable duration, the SMPS reverts to CCM for at least one switching cycle. This allows the SMPS minimum effective switching frequency to be set, for each application in which the SMPS is deployed, at a level that avoids audible noise (but which may be lower than an ultrasonic frequency), thus taking maximum advantage of the efficiencies of DCM operation under light load conditions.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.