Break-before-make sensing for drivers

A DC to DC converter comprising:

• a controller capable of providing a control signal;
• a switch;
• and
• a driver package having a package pin coupled to said switch, said driver package capable of accepting said control signal and providing a drive signal to said switch, said driver package comprising:
• an integrated circuit (IC) comprising pull up circuitry capable of turning ON said switch and pull down circuitry capable of turning OFF said switch, said pull up circuitry coupled to a first bonding pad of said IC, and said pull down circuitry coupled to a second bonding pad of said IC;
• a first conductive path coupled between said first bonding pad and said package pin;
• and
• a second conductive path coupled between said second bonding pad and said package pin;
• and
• break before make (BBM) control circuitry, and wherein said first conductive path is capable of providing a sensed signal from said package pin to said BBM control circuitry representative of a state of said associated switch during a first time interval, and wherein said second conductive path is capable of providing a driving signal from said pull down device to said package pin during said first time interval.

An electronic device comprising:

• a DC to DC converter to accept an input power signal and provide an output power signal, said DC to DC converter comprising:
• a controller capable of providing a control signal;
• a switch;
• and
• a driver package having a package pin coupled to said switch, said driver package capable of accepting said control signal and providing a drive signal to said switch, said driver package comprising:
• an integrated circuit (IC) comprising pull up circuitry capable of turning ON said switch and pull down circuitry capable of turning OFF said switch, said pull up circuitry coupled to a first bonding pad of said IC, and said pull down circuitry coupled to a second bonding pad of said IC;
• a first conductive path coupled between said first bonding pad and said package pin;
• and
• a second conductive path coupled between said second bonding pad and said package pin.

A method comprising:

• sampling a sensed signal representative of state of a switch of a DC to DC converter during a first time interval via a first conductive path to determine a state of said switch;
• and
• providing a driving signal during said first time interval via a second conductive path to drive said switch;
• wherein said first conductive path couples a first bonding pad of an integrated circuit (IC) to a package pin of a driver package and wherein said second conductive path couples a second bonding pad of said IC to said package pin;
• and
• wherein a voltage drop across said first conductive path due to said sensed signal is less than a voltage drop across said second conductive path due to said driving signal, and wherein said first conductive path comprises a first bonding wire and said second conductive path comprises a second bonding wire.