Controller for power supply and method of operation thereof

For use with a full bridge power converter having controllable switches, a method of controlling said controllable switches, comprising:

• employing a signal generator circuit having outputs and designed to drive said controllable switches in a phase-shifted mode;
• and
• enabling said signal generator circuit to operate said converter in an alternative one of:
• said phase-shifted mode, wherein each of said outputs are coupled to a corresponding one of said controllable switches, said controllable switches in each of first and second legs of said converter being complementarily switched, said signal generator circuit capable of adjusting a relative phase between said first and second legs;
• and
• a normal mode, wherein only one pair of said outputs is coupled to said controllable switches, diagonal pairs of said controllable switches being switched substantially simultaneously and at a substantially full duty cycle.

A power supply, comprising:

• a full bridge inverter having controllable switches;
• an isolation transformer having a primary winding coupled to said full bridge inverter;
• a rectifier coupled to a secondary winding of said isolation transformer;
• and
• a controller, including:
• a signal generator circuit having outputs and designed to drive said controllable switches in a phase-shifted mode, and
• a switching network, coupled to said signal generator circuit, adapted to enable said signal generator circuit to operate said inverter in an alternative one of:
• said phase-shifted mode, wherein said switching network is configured to couple each of said outputs to a corresponding one of said controllable switches, said controllable switches in each of first and second legs of said inverter being complementarily switched, said signal generator circuit capable of adjusting a relative phase between said first and second legs, and
• a normal mode, wherein said switching network is configured to couple only one pair of said outputs to said controllable switches, diagonal pairs of said controllable switches being switched substantially simultaneously and at a substantially full duty cycle.