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US 2017/0366087 A1Published application
Coupled-inductor power-supply controller for operating a power supply in a reduced-power-dissipation mode
AssigneeIntersil Americas Inc.
InventorsJia WEI, Kun XING
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An embodiment of a power-supply controller includes first and second circuits. The first circuit is operable to cause a first current to flow through a first phase of a power supply. And the second circuit is operable to cause the second phase of the power supply to operate in a reduced-power-dissipation mode for at least a portion of a time period during which a second current magnetically induced by the first current flows through the second phase.
Claims18
A power-supply controller, comprising:
- a first circuit operable to cause a first current to flow through a first phase of a power supply;
- and
- a second circuit operable to cause the second phase of the power supply to operate in a reduced-power-dissipation mode for at least a portion of a time period during which a second current magnetically induced by the first current flows through the second phase,
- wherein the second circuit is further operable to cause the second phase to operate in the reduced-power-dissipation mode in response to sensing a current flowing in either the first phase or the second phase and to a supply-side switch of the second phase being open.
1 more element
A power-supply controller, comprising:
- a first circuit operable to open and close a first drive element of a first power-supply phase;
- a second circuit operable to bypass and un-bypass a second circulation element of a second power-supply phase that is magnetically coupled to the first power-supply phase;
- and a third circuit operable to cause the second circuit to bypass the second circulation element for at least a portion of a time during which the first drive element is closed,
- wherein the third circuit is operable to cause the second circuit to un-bypass the second circulation element in response to at least one of:
- a magnitude of current below a threshold flowing through the second power-supply phase;
- a reverse current flowing through the second power-supply phase;
- a magnitude of current below a threshold flowing through the first power-supply phase;
- or
- a reverse current flowing through the first power-supply phase.
6 more elements
A method, comprising:
- magnetically inducing a current in a first phase of a power supply;
- bypassing a circulation element of the first phase for at least a portion of a time period during which the current is being induced;
- wherein the induced current has a first polarity;
- and
- un-bypassing the circulation element in response to at least one of:
- a current through the first phase having a second polarity that is opposite to the first polarity;
- a current through the first phase having a magnitude that is below a threshold;
- or
- a current through the first phase having a substantially zero magnitude.
6 more elements
A method, comprising:
- allowing a current to flow through a first power-supply phase that is magnetically coupled to a second power-supply phase;
- operating the second power-supply phase in a reduced-voltage-drop mode for at least a portion of a time period during which the current is flowing through the first phase;
- and
- ceasing operating the second phase in the reduced-voltage-drop mode in response to at least one of:
- a cessation of the flow of current through the first phase;
- a cessation of a flow of current through the second phase;
- a reversal of the flow of current through the first phase;
- or
- a reversal of a flow of current through the second phase.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.