Resonant controller circuit and system with reduced peak currents during soft-start
AssigneeSemiconductor Components Industries, LLC
InventorsJohn D. Stone, Jefferson W. Hall
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A circuit includes a first control output adapted to couple to a control terminal of a first transistor and a second control output adapted to couple to a control terminal of a second transistor. The circuit further includes a feedback input for receiving a signal and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to independently control first and second on-times of control signals applied to the first and second control outputs, respectively, in response to receiving the signal to limit a current at an output node.
Claims26
A resonant controller circuit comprising:
- a first control output adapted to couple to a control terminal of a first transistor for providing a first drive signal thereto;
- a second control output adapted to couple to a control terminal of a second transistor for providing a second drive signal thereto;
- a feedback input for receiving a signal;
- and
- a control circuit configured to control the first and second transistors to drive a resonant load, and to independently control first and second on-times of the first and second drive signals, respectively, in response to receiving the signal to limit a current at an output node.
A system comprising:
- an output node;
- a first transistor including a first current electrode coupled to a first power supply terminal, a control electrode, and a second current electrode coupled to the output node;
- a second transistor including a first current electrode coupled to the output node, a control electrode, and a second current electrode coupled to a second power supply terminal;
- and
- a resonant controller circuit including a feedback input coupled to the output node, a first output coupled to the control electrode of the first transistor, and a second output coupled to the control electrode of the second transistor, the controller configured to control the first and second transistors to drive a resonant load, and to detect a signal at the output node and to independently control at least one of a first on-time of the first transistor and a second on-time of the second transistor in response to the signal to limit a current at the output node.
A method comprising:
- applying a first drive signal to a control electrode of a first transistor and a second drive signal to a control electrode of a second transistor, the first transistor having a first current electrode coupled to a first power supply terminal and a second current electrode coupled to an output node, the second transistor including a first current electrode coupled to the output node and a second current electrode coupled to a second power supply terminal;
- measuring a signal related to a current at the output node;
- and
- selectively controlling at least one of the first drive signal and the second drive signal to control the first and second transistors to drive a resonant load and to independently control on times of the first and second transistors in response to measuring the signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.