# US 2021/0281167 A1 · Closed loop commutation control for a switching power converter

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- Number: US 2021/0281167 A1
- Document ID: US20210281167A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/193,724
- Filed: 2021-03-05
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-05
- Assignees: Texas Instruments Incorporated
- Applicants: Texas Instruments Incorporated
- Inventors: Pavol BALAZ
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210281167A1

## CPC

- H02M 1/44: Circuits or arrangements for compensating for electromagnetic interference in converters or inverters
- H02M 3/158: including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
- H02M 1/0006: {Arrangements for supplying an adequate voltage to the control circuit of converters}
- H02M 1/08: Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters
- 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
- 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 system includes a switching power converter, including a first transistor having a first gate, a first drain, and a first source, the first drain adapted to be coupled to a power supply. The switching power converter also includes a second transistor having a second gate, a second drain, and a second source, the second gate coupled to a second gate driver, the second source adapted to be coupled to ground, and the second drain coupled to the first source. The switching power converter also includes a third transistor having a third gate, a third drain, and a third source, the third gate adapted to be coupled to a current source, the third source coupled to a resistor, and the third drain coupled to the first gate. The switching power converter includes a capacitor coupled to the first drain and adapted to be coupled to the current source.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising:
a switching power converter, including:
a first transistor having a first gate, a first drain, and a first source, the first drain adapted to be coupled to a power supply;
a second transistor having a second gate, a second drain, and a second source, the second gate coupled to a second gate driver, the second source adapted to be coupled to ground, and the second drain coupled to the first source;
a third transistor having a third gate, a third drain, and a third source, the third gate adapted to be coupled to a current source, the third source coupled to a resistor, and the third drain coupled to the first gate; and
a capacitor coupled to the first drain and adapted to be coupled to the current source.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the current source includes a fourth transistor arranged in a current mirror configuration.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the fourth transistor includes a fourth gate, a fourth source, and a fourth drain, the fourth gate coupled to the capacitor, the fourth source adapted to be coupled to ground, and the fourth drain coupled to the resistor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the capacitor is a first capacitor, and the system includes a second capacitor coupled to the fourth gate, the second capacitor adapted to be coupled to ground.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein a commutation speed of a current of the first transistor is based on a ratio of a capacitance of the first capacitor to a capacitance of the second capacitor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the current mirror configuration includes a fifth transistor, the fifth transistor having a fifth gate, a fifth drain, and a fifth source, the fifth gate coupled to the fifth drain, and the fifth source adapted to be coupled to ground.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the resistor is a first resistor, and the system includes a second resistor coupled to the fifth gate and to the fourth gate.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor are n-channel field effect transistors (NFET), and the third transistor is a p-channel field effect transistor (PFET).

### Claim 9

A system, comprising:
a gate driver configured to provide a first current to a first gate of a first transistor, the first transistor having a first source and a first drain, the gate driver including:
a second transistor having a second gate, a second source, and a second drain, the second gate coupled to a first terminal of a resistor, the second source coupled to a second terminal of the resistor, and the second drain coupled to the first gate; and
a third transistor having a third gate, a third source, and a third drain, the third gate coupled to a first terminal of a capacitor, the third source adapted to be coupled to ground, and the third drain coupled to the second gate, the third transistor configured to provide a second current through the resistor,
wherein the capacitor has a second terminal coupled to the first drain, and the capacitor is configured to provide a voltage to the third gate, the voltage modulates the second current provided by the third transistor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the capacitor is a first capacitor, and the gate driver includes a second capacitor having a first terminal coupled to the third gate and a second terminal adapted to be coupled to ground.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein a commutation speed of a current of the first transistor is based on a ratio of capacitances of the first and second capacitors.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the third transistor is coupled to a fourth transistor in a current mirror configuration.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the second transistor is configured to provide the first current to the first gate to charge the first gate.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the first transistor is a high-side transistor of a switching converter.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the second transistor is a p-channel field effect transistor (PFET), and the third transistor is an n-channel field effect transistor (NFET).

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the voltage modulates the second current provided by the third transistor to reduce ringing in the first transistor.

### Claim 17

A system, comprising:
a switching power converter, including:
a first transistor having a first gate, a first drain, and a first source, the first drain adapted to be coupled to a power supply, and the first source adapted to be coupled to an output inductor;
a second transistor having a second gate, a second drain, and a second source, the second gate adapted to be coupled to a current source, the second source coupled to a resistor, and the second drain coupled to the first gate, the second transistor configured to provide a current to the first gate; and
a capacitor coupled to the first drain and adapted to be coupled to the current source, the capacitor configured to modulate a current provided by the current source.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the current source includes a third transistor having a third gate, a third source, and a third drain, the third gate coupled to the capacitor, the third source adapted to be coupled to ground, and the third drain coupled to the resistor.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the capacitor is a first capacitor, and the switching power converter includes a second capacitor having a first terminal coupled to the third gate and a second terminal adapted to be coupled to ground.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein a commutation speed of a current of the first transistor is based on a ratio of capacitances of the first and second capacitors.