Bi-directional synchronous bootstrapping
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsNathan Miles Ellis, Robert C. N. Pilawa-Podgurski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for delivering power to the gate-drivers used in switching power conversion devices. In a bootstrapping network gate drivers are cascaded between a high-side and a low-side. Each gate driver controls a bidirectional active switch along a synchronous bootstrapping power path. The bootstrapping power path contains at least two bias voltage supplies to provide for bidirectional charge flow to the gate drivers, so that balanced delivery of charge can be maintained. A bias voltage supply on the high-side is line-referenced and provides charge to the bootstrapping network in a downward flowing direction.
Claims18
A cascaded bootstrapping network, comprising:
- a plurality of cascaded gate drivers between a high-side and a low-side of the cascaded bootstrapping network;
- wherein said plurality of gate drivers comprises a plurality of bidirectional active switches configured for synchronous bootstrapping;
- a low-side ground-referenced bias voltage supply for upward charge flow to the gate drivers;
- and
- a high-side bias voltage supply configured for enabling additional injection of charge into the bootstrapping network, including high-side to low-side downward charge so that said bootstrapping network is configured for bidirectional charge flow to the gate drivers, and wherein balanced delivery of charge is maintained.
A switching power conversion apparatus, comprising:
- a cascaded bootstrapping network having a plurality of cascaded gate drivers between a high-side and a low-side of the network;
- a plurality of power switches on the output side of a power conversion apparatus, wherein each of said switches is controlled by one gate driver of said plurality of cascaded gate drivers;
- wherein said plurality of gate drivers comprises a plurality of bidirectional active switches configured for synchronous bootstrapping;
- a low-side ground-referenced bias voltage supply for upward charge flow to the gate drivers;
- and
- a high-side bias voltage supply configured for enabling additional injection of charge into the bootstrapping network, including high-side to low-side downward charge so that said bootstrapping network is configured for bidirectional charge flow to the gate drivers, and wherein balanced delivery of charge is maintained.
A method of providing bidirectional charge flow in a cascaded bootstrapping network, comprising:
- connecting a plurality of gate drivers into a cascaded bootstrapping network between a high-side and a low-side of the cascaded bootstrapping network;
- configuring the bootstrapping network for synchronous bootstrapping in which said plurality of gate drivers include a plurality of bidirectional active switches on a bootstrapping path;
- a low-side ground-referenced bias voltage supply for upward charge flow on said bootstrapping path to the gate drivers;
- and
- a high-side bias voltage supply configured for enabling additional injection of charge into the bootstrapping network, including high-side to low-side downward charge on the bootstrapping path so that said bootstrapping network is configured for bidirectional charge flow to the gate drivers, and wherein balanced delivery of charge is maintained.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.