Power conversion circuit having inrush current limiting resistor bypass

A power conversion circuit, comprising:

• a bridge rectifier, including:
• first and second input terminals configured to receive an AC voltage, and
• first and second output terminals configured to output a rectified voltage;
• a current limiting resistor having a first terminal coupled to the second output terminal of the bridge rectifier and a second terminal coupled to an electrical ground;
• a controllable current switching device having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal, the first terminal coupled to the first terminal of the current limiting resistor, and the second terminal coupled to the second terminal of the current limiting resistor;
• and
• a driver coupled between the first terminal of the current limiting resistor and the third terminal of the current switching device, the driver configured to control an operation of the current switching device based on a current through the current limiting resistor,
• wherein the driver includes:
• a comparator having a first input terminal coupled to the first terminal of the current limiting resistor and a second input terminal coupled to a reference voltage, the comparator configured to turn on the current switching device in response to a voltage at the first input terminal being greater in magnitude than the reference voltage.

A device, comprising:

• a bridge rectifier, including:
• first and second input nodes,
• first and second output nodes,
• a first diode coupled between the first input node and the first output node,
• a second diode coupled between the second input node and the first output node,
• a third diode coupled between the first input node and the second output node, and
• a fourth diode coupled between the second input node and the second output node;
• a first current limiting resistor coupled between the third diode and the second output node;
• a second current limiting resistor coupled between the fourth diode and the second output node;
• a first silicon controlled rectifier coupled between the first input node and the second output node, the first silicon controlled rectifier having a first control terminal;
• and
• a second silicon controlled rectifier coupled between the second input node and the second output node, the second silicon controlled rectifier having a second control terminal.

A method of manufacturing a power conversion circuit, the power conversion circuit including a bridge rectifier having first and second input terminals and first and second output terminals, the method comprising:

• coupling a current limiting resistor between the second output terminal and an electrical ground;
• coupling first and second terminals of a controllable current switching device across the current limiting resistor;
• electrically coupling a driver between a first terminal of the current limiting resistor and the third terminal of the current switching device, the driver configured to control an operation of the current switching device based on a voltage across the current limiting resistor;
• and
• electrically coupling, by the driver, the third terminal of the current switching device to a negative power supply based on a current through the current limiting resistor.