# US 12,003,230 B2 · Systems for controlling a slew rate of a switch > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,003,230 B2 - Document ID: US12003230B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/216,805 - Filed: 2018-12-11 - Published: 2019-06-20 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-20 - Assignees: Mediatek Inc. - Applicants: MediaTek Inc. - Inventors: Yun-Yao Hung; Chien-Lung Lee; Shao-Siang Ng; Chun-Yen Tseng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003230B2 ## CPC - H03K 17/168: {in composite switches} - H03K 17/08116: {in composite switches (H03K17/0812, H03K17/0814 take precedence)} - H03K 17/166: {Soft switching} - H03K 2217/0036: Means reducing energy consumption - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract Systems and methods are described herein for controlling a switch. In some embodiments, circuitry may detect a voltage across the switch. A current reference signal may be generated based on the voltage across the switch. The switch may be controlled based, at least in part, on the current reference signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for controlling a switch, the apparatus comprising: a difference signal circuitry configured to detect a voltage across the switch; a reference signal circuitry configured to generate a current reference signal based on the voltage across the switch; a feedback current circuitry configured to receive a feedback current signal representing a current level in the switch; and a control circuitry configured to provide a control signal for the switch based, at least in part, on a difference between the current reference signal and the feedback current signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reference signal circuitry is further configured to, in response to a reduction in amplitude of the voltage across the switch, increase the amplitude of the current reference signal. ### Claim 3 A method for controlling a switch, the method comprising: detecting a voltage across the switch; generating a current reference signal based on the voltage across the switch, the current reference signal being a continuous function of the voltage across the switch; receiving a feedback current signal representing a current level in the switch; and controlling the switch based, at least in part, on a difference between the current reference signal and the feedback current signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the difference signal circuitry is further configured to generate a difference signal proportional to the voltage across the switch. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the difference signal is a current signal that is limited by a peak current signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the difference signal circuitry is further configured to generate the peak current signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reference signal circuitry is further configured to add a minimum current reference signal to the current reference signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reference signal circuitry is further configured to apply a gain to the current reference signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein controlling the switch based, at least in part, on the current reference signal comprises determining, based on the current reference signal, a maximum input to be provided to an input of the switch to limit a current level in the switch. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising, in response to a reduction in amplitude of the voltage across the switch, increasing the amplitude of the current reference signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein controlling the switch based, at least in part, on the current reference signal comprises determining, based on the current reference signal, a maximum input to be provided to an input of the switch to limit a current level in the switch. ### Claim 12 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising generating a difference signal proportional to the voltage across the switch. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the difference signal is a current signal that is limited by a peak current signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising generating the peak current signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising adding a minimum current reference signal to the current reference signal and/or applying a gain to the current reference signal. ### Claim 16 An apparatus for controlling a switch, the apparatus comprising: device circuitry connected to the switch, the device circuitry being configured to receive electrical power through the switch from a power source; and switch control circuitry connected to the switch and configured to: detect a voltage across the switch; generate a current reference signal based on the voltage across the switch, the current reference signal being a continuous function of the voltage across the switch; receive a feedback current signal representing a current level in the switch; and control the switch based, at least in part, on a difference between the current reference signal and the feedback current signal.