Converter Apparatus and Method with Auxiliary Transistor for Protecting Components at Startup

A method, comprising:

• applying an electric current to a converter circuit, the converter circuit including:
• an inductor including a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal configured to be coupled to a power source;
• a pair of serially-coupled transistors coupled to the second terminal of the inductor, a transistor intermediate node being positioned between the pair of serially-coupled transistors;
• a pair of serially-coupled diodes coupled to the second terminal of the inductor, a diode intermediate node being positioned between the pair of serially-coupled diodes;
• a first capacitor coupled in parallel with the serially-coupled transistors and the serially-coupled diodes;
• and
• a sub-circuit including a second capacitor serially-coupled with an auxiliary transistor, the sub-circuit coupled between the transistor intermediate node and the diode intermediate node and being in parallel with a transistor of the pair of serially coupled transistors and being in parallel with a diode of the pair of serially-coupled diodes;
• and
• activating, in response to the application of the electric current, the auxiliary transistor to reduce a voltage stress on at least a portion of the converter circuit.

An apparatus, comprising:

• an inductor means for storing electrical energy in a magnetic field when an electric current is applied;
• a transistor means in communication with the inductor means for switching on and off during runtime operation;
• a diode means in communication with the inductor means for allowing current to pass in a single direction;
• a protection means in communication with the diode means and the transistor means for offloading, in response to an input voltage being misapplied, at least a portion of voltage stress from the diode means and the transistor means.