US 11,909,316 B2 · In-rush current protected power converter

Abstract

Circuits and methods for protecting the switches of charge pump-based power converters from damage if a VOUT short circuit event occurs and/or if VIN falls rapidly with respect to VX or VOUT. A general embodiment includes a VX Detection Block coupled to the core block of a power converter. The VX Detection Block is coupled to VX and to a control circuit that disables operations of an associated converter circuit upon detection of large, rapid falls in VX during the dead time between clock phase signals, thereby prevent damaging current spikes. Some embodiments include a VIN Detection Block configured to detect and prevent excessive in-rush current due to rapidly falling values of VIN to the power converter. The VIN Detection Block is coupled to VIN, and to VX or VOUT in some embodiments, and to a control circuit to that disables operation of an associated converter circuit.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A power converter including:

(a) a converter circuit configured to convert an input voltage VIN to a different output voltage VOUT;
(b) a control block for disabling operation of the converter circuit;
(c) a voltage node VX between the converter circuit and the output VOUT;
(d) a VIN detection block, coupled to the input voltage VIN and to the control block, and optionally coupled to one of VOUT or the voltage node VX, and configured to detect a voltage drop in the input voltage VIN and generate a control signal to the control block to disable operation of the converter circuit;
wherein the converter circuit is coupled to a source of at least two non-overlapping clock signals having ON states separated by a dead time, and wherein the VIN detection block is configured to detect the voltage drop in the input voltage VIN during the dead time.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

In-rush current protected power converter

Life of this patent

In-rush current protected power converter

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9