Overload protection for power converter

A circuit for controlling a power converter comprising:

• an overload monitor configured to compare a value of a current sense signal to a value of a threshold signal, to generate an output signal that has a first logic value throughout a plurality of periods of the current sense signal in response to a comparison result of the current sense signal to the threshold signal, each of the plurality of periods including a time when the value of the current sense signal is equal to or greater than the value of the threshold signal, and to adjust a value of a first count signal in response to the output signal, the overload monitor determining whether or not the power converter is operating in an overload condition;
• and
• an overload protection signal generator configured to generate an overload protection signal indicating whether or not the power converter is operating in the overload condition,
• wherein the overload protection signal generator includes a first comparator comparing the value of the first count signal to a value of a reference signal.

A power converter comprising:

• a switching device;
• and
• an overload protection circuit configured to determine an occurrence of an overload of the power converter based on a current sense signal, the current sense signal indicating a magnitude of a current that flows through the switching device, the overload protection circuit generating an overload protection signal indicating the occurrence of the overload,
• wherein the overload protection circuit includes:
• an overload monitor configured to compare a value of the current sense signal to a value of a threshold signal, to generate an output signal that has a first logic value throughout a plurality of periods of the current sense signal in response to a comparison result of the current sense signal to the threshold signal, each of the plurality of periods including a time when the value of the current sense signal is equal to or greater than the value of the threshold signal, and to adjust a value of a count signal in response to the output signal;
• and
• an overload protection signal generator including a comparator comparing the value of the count signal to a value of a reference signal, and
• wherein the overload monitor includes a counter that keeps increasing the value of the count signal when the value of the current sense signal is equal to or greater than the value of the threshold signal throughout the plurality of periods of the current sense signal.