Dual loop voltage clamp
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsMustapha EL-MARKHI, Avadhut JUNNARKAR, Sigfredo GONZALEZ DIAZ
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dual loop clamp circuit includes a clamp circuit and a low-side driver circuit. The clamp circuit includes a clamp enable output and a low-side clamp output. The low-side driver circuit includes a low-side control signal input and an output stage. The output stage includes a low-side drive output and an input. The low-side drive output is coupled to the low-side clamp output. The input of the output stage is coupled to the clamp enable output and the low-side control signal input.
Claims21
A dual loop clamp circuit, comprising:
- a clamp circuit including:
- a clamp enable output;
- and
- a low-side clamp output;
- and
- a low-side driver circuit including:
- a low-side control signal input;
- and
- an output stage including:
- a low-side drive output coupled to the low-side clamp output;
- and
- an input coupled to the clamp enable output and the low-side control signal input.
A dual loop clamp circuit, comprising:
- a clamp circuit configured to:
- monitor a voltage at a switching terminal;
- and
- provide a clamp enable signal based on the voltage at the switching terminal exceeding a clamp threshold voltage;
- and
- a low-side driver circuit coupled to the clamp circuit, and configured to:
- draw a first current from a drive output responsive to receipt of a low-side control signal at a low-side control signal input;
- and
- draw a second current, that is smaller than the first current, from the drive output responsive to the clamp enable signal.
A DC-DC converter, comprising:
- a high-side transistor including:
- a first current terminal coupled to a power input terminal;
- and
- a second current terminal;
- a low-side transistor including:
- a first current terminal coupled to the second current terminal of the high-side transistor;
- a second current terminal coupled to a ground terminal;
- and
- a control terminal;
- a clamp circuit coupled between the first current terminal of the low-side transistor and the control terminal of the low-side transistor, the clamp circuit configured to:
- provide a clamp enable signal responsive to a voltage at the first current terminal of the low-side transistor exceeding a clamp threshold voltage;
- and
- activate the low-side transistor responsive to the clamp enable signal;
- and
- a low-side driver circuit configured to weaken drive to the control terminal of the low-side transistor responsive to the clamp enable signal, the low-side driver circuit including:
- an input coupled to the clamp circuit;
- and
- an output coupled to the control terminal of the low-side transistor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.