# US 2013/0154598 A1 · Buck converter having pulse skipping mode and related method of operation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0154598 A1 - Document ID: US20130154598A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/710,614 - Filed: 2012-12-11 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-19 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: JINHYUCK YU; MINKYU SONG - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130154598A1 ## CPC - G05F 1/618: using semiconductor devices in series and in parallel with the load as final control devices (G05F1/461 takes precedence) - H02M 3/1588: {comprising at least one synchronous rectifier element (H02M3/1582, H02M3/1584 take precedence)} - H02M 1/0035: {using burst mode control} - Y02B 70/10: Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract A buck converter comprises a switching unit configured to control a connection between a power terminal and a load terminal, a PWM controller configured to provide a PWM signal to the switching unit, and a control signal generator configured to generate a first control signal and a second control signal based on a current flowing to the load terminal, wherein the first control signal controls generation of the PWM signal and the second control signal controls a pulse width of the PWM signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A buck converter having a pulse skipping mode, comprising: a switching unit configured to control a connection between a power terminal and a load terminal; a PWM controller configured to provide a PWM signal to the switching unit; and a control signal generator configured to generate a first control signal and a second control signal based on a current flowing to the load terminal, wherein the first control signal controls generation of the PWM signal and the second control signal controls a pulse width of the PWM signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The buck converter of claim 1, wherein the switching unit comprises: a first switch that turns on or off according to the PWM signal; and a second switch that operates in a complementary manner to the first switch. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The buck converter of claim 2, wherein the first switch comprises one end connected to the power terminal and another end connected to the second switch. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The buck converter of claim 1, further comprising: a feedback unit configured to provide a feedback signal based on a voltage of the load terminal, wherein the feedback signal is used to generate the first control signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The buck converter of claim 4, wherein the control signal generator comprises: a clock generator configured to provide a constant period of a clock as a third control signal; and a comparator configured to generate the first control signal based on a current flowing to the load terminal and the feedback signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The buck converter of claim 5, wherein the second control signal is generated by the clock generator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The buck converter of claim 6, wherein the second control signal has a constant period. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The buck converter of claim 5, wherein the PWM controller comprises: a first latch configured to latch the first control signal based on the third control signal; and a second latch configured to latch the second control signal based on the third control signal, wherein the PWM signal has a high level an output of the first or second latches is at a high level. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The buck converter of claim 1, wherein the second control signal is generated based on a current flowing to the load terminal and a reference voltage. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The buck converter of claim 1, wherein the buck converter is operated in a pulse skipping mode. ### Claim 11 A method of controlling a buck converter having a pulse skipping mode, comprising: controlling a PWM controller to provide a PWM signal based on a current flowing to a load terminal; expanding or narrowing a pulse width of the PWM signal; and selectively connecting a power terminal and the load terminal based on the PWM signal of which a pulse width is expanded or narrowed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the switching unit comprises: a first switch configured to turn on where the PWM signal is at a low or high level; and a second switch configured to operate complementary to the first switch. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the control signal generator comprises a clock generator configured to generate a clock signal having a constant period to control the PWM signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the PWM controller comprises: a first latch and a second latch operated based on the clock signal; an operator configured to perform an OR operation on respective outputs of the first and second latches to generate the PWM signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a feedback signal to adjust the PWM signal based on a voltage of the load terminal. ### Claim 16 A buck converter, comprising: a switching unit configured to control a connection between a power terminal and a load terminal; a PWM controller configured to provide a PWM signal to the switching unit; and a control signal generator configured to generate a first control signal and a second control signal based on a current flowing to the load terminal, wherein the control signal generator generates the first control signal with a first value to cause the PWM controller to provide the PWM signal to the switching unit, and generates the first control signal with a second value to prevent the PWM controller from providing the PWM signal to the switching unit, and wherein the control signal generator generates the second control signal to control a duty cycle of the PWM signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The buck converter of claim 16, wherein the control signal generator generates the first control signal with the second value during a pulse skipping mode of the buck converter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The buck converter of claim 16, wherein the switching unit comprises: a first switch that turns on or off according to the PWM signal; and a second switch that operates in a complementary manner to the first switch. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The buck converter of claim 18, wherein the first switch comprises one end connected to the power terminal and another end connected to the second switch. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The buck converter of claim 1, further comprising a feedback unit configured to provide a feedback signal based on a voltage of the load terminal, wherein the feedback signal is used to generate the first control signal.