Overload protection in a voltage converter based on feedback from a circuit powered by the voltage converter

A method comprising:

• via a controller:
• controlling input current through a primary winding of a transformer, a secondary winding of the transformer magnetically coupled to the primary winding, the secondary winding operative to produce an output voltage based on the input current through the primary winding;
• operating in a first operating mode;
• operating in a second operating mode different than the first operating mode;
• monitoring a magnitude of an auxiliary voltage received from an auxiliary winding magnetically coupled to the secondary winding;
• and
• detecting an overload condition associated with the output voltage based on the magnitude of the auxiliary voltage received from the auxiliary winding and a mode of operating the controller;
• wherein controlling the input current through the primary winding includes:
• at the controller, receiving a feedback signal from a circuit powered by the output voltage, the circuit being selectable between:
• i) a first output voltage mode in which the circuit generates the feedback signal based on a first gain value applied to a magnitude of the output voltage, and ii) a second output voltage mode in which the circuit derives the feedback signal supplied to the controller based on a second gain value applied to the magnitude of the output voltage.

An apparatus comprising:

• a controller operative to:
• control input current through a primary winding of a transformer, a secondary winding of the transformer magnetically coupled to the primary winding, the secondary winding operative to produce an output voltage based on the input current through the primary winding;
• operate in a first operating mode;
• operate in a second operating mode different than the first operating mode;
• monitor a magnitude of an auxiliary voltage received from an auxiliary winding magnetically coupled to the secondary winding;
• detect an overload condition associated with the output voltage based on:
• the magnitude of the auxiliary voltage received from the auxiliary winding and a mode of operating the controller;
• wherein execution of the controller in the first operating mode is operative to supply a first magnitude of the input current through the primary winding;
• wherein execution of the controller in the second operating mode is operative to supply a second magnitude of the input current through the primary winding, the second magnitude greater than the first magnitude;
• and
• wherein the controller is operative to detect the overload condition based on the magnitude of the auxiliary voltage being less than a threshold level for a predetermined amount of time while the controller operates in the second operating mode.

An apparatus comprising:

• a controller operative to:
• control input current through a primary winding of a transformer, a secondary winding of the transformer magnetically coupled to the primary winding, the secondary winding operative to produce an output voltage based on the input current through the primary winding;
• monitor a magnitude of the input current through the primary winding;
• monitor a magnitude of an auxiliary voltage received from an auxiliary winding magnetically coupled to the primary winding;
• monitor for overload conditions associated with the output voltage based on:
• i) the magnitude of the input current through the primary winding, and ii) the magnitude of the auxiliary voltage received from the auxiliary winding;
• wherein the controller is further operative to detect a first overload condition associated with the output voltage based on the magnitude of the input current through the primary winding being above a current threshold value during a first output voltage mode of operating a load powered by the output voltage;
• and
• wherein the controller is further operative to detect a second overload condition associated with the output voltage based on the magnitude of the auxiliary voltage received from the auxiliary winding being less than a voltage threshold level during a second output voltage mode of operating the load powered by the output voltage.