Patent · US Active

Power converter controller IC having pins with multiple functions

US8988902B2 · kind B2 · utility

7Cited by
6References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 12, 2012
Grant dateMar 24, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 12, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH02M3/33523
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A controller integrated circuit (IC) for controlling a power converter uses one or more IC pins having plurality of functions such as configuration of a parameter supported by the controller IC and shutdown protection. Several different functions may be supported by a single IC pin, thereby reducing the number of pins required in the controller IC and also reducing the cost of manufacturing the controller IC. The controller IC may also share a comparison circuit among different pins and the different functions provided by those pins. Use of a shared comparison circuit further reduces the cost of manufacturing the controller IC without sacrificing the performance of the IC.

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