# US 9,438,121 B2 · Power converter for reducing standby power consumption > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,438,121 B2 - Document ID: US9438121B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/258,296 - Filed: 2014-04-22 - Published: 2015-01-01 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-28 - Assignees: MagnaChip Semiconductor, Ltd. - Applicants: MagnaChip Semiconductor, Ltd. - Inventors: Zhi Yuan Cui; Young Gi Ryu; James Jung; Hae Wook Kim; Julie Jang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438121B2 ## CPC - H02M 3/33507: {with automatic control of the output voltage or current, e.g. flyback converters (H02M3/33561, H02M3/33569 take precedence)} - H02M 1/0006: {Arrangements for supplying an adequate voltage to the control circuit of converters} - H02M 1/0032: {Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode} - H02M 1/36: Means for starting or stopping converters - Y02B 70/10: Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract A power converter according to examples reduces standby power consumption. The power converter includes a rectifier configured to rectify AC power into DC power, a transformer configured to output power by converting a voltage of DC power rectified by the rectifier, a PWM control module configured to control an output power by switching a power switching device connected to the transformer, a first external switch configured to provide a disable signal, a first capacitor that is connected in parallel to one side of the first external switch, a second external switch configured to provide an enable signal, and a second capacitor that is connected in parallel to one side of the second external switch. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power converter, comprising: a rectifier configured to rectify AC power into DC power; a transformer configured to output power by converting a voltage of DC power rectified by the rectifier; a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) control module configured to control an output power by switching a power switching device connected to the transformer; a first external switch configured to provide a disable signal, with one side of the first external switch connected to a VCC pin of the PWM control module and the other side of the first external switch connected to a DIS pin of the PWM control module; a first capacitor that is connected in parallel to the one side of the first external switch and to a ground; a second external switch configured to provide an enable signal, with one side of the second external switch connected to the DIS pin of the PWM control module and the other side of the second external switch connected to the ground; and a second capacitor that is connected in parallel to the one side of the second external switch and to the ground. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power converter of claim 1, wherein in response to the first external switch being turned on, the VCC pin and the DIS pin of the PWM control module short and a signal over a threshold is applied to the DIS pin, and the power converter is configured to operate in a disable mode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The power converter of claim 1, wherein in response to the second external switch being turned on, the DIS pin of the PWM control module is grounded and a signal less than a threshold is applied to the DIS pin, and the power converter is configured to operate in an enable mode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The power converter of claim 1, wherein the second capacitor is smaller in capacity than the first capacitor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The power converter of claim 1, wherein the PWM control module comprises: a first internal switch that is connected between a first power device connected to an HV pin and the VCC pin; a first controller that is configured to turn off the first internal switch when the voltage of the VCC pin is a predetermined value or more, and is configured to supply HV voltage to the VCC pin by turning on the first internal switch when the voltage of the VCC pin is less than the predetermined value; a disable regulator that is configured to regulate the voltage of the VCC pin and the voltage of the DIS pin at a predetermined voltage or less; a first comparator that is configured to compare the voltage of the DIS pin with a first reference value; a second comparator that is configured to compare the voltage of the DIS pin with a second reference value; a second internal switch that is connected between the VCC pin and the first comparator; and a second controller that is configured to operate the first comparator by turning on the second internal switch and configured to control the operation of the disable regulator and the second comparator in accordance with the comparison result of the first comparator. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The power converter of claim 5, wherein the second controller is configured to operate the disable regulator and the second comparator, in response to the voltage of the DIS pin compared by the first comparator being the first reference value or more. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The power converter of claim 5, wherein the second controller is configured to stop the operation of the disable regulator and configured to control the disable regulator to return to an enable mode and operate normally, in response to the voltage of the DIS pin compared by the second comparator being less than the second reference value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The power converter of claim 5, wherein the disable regulator comprises: a power source connected in series to the first power device; a second power device connected in parallel to the power source; and a zener diode connected in series to the power source, thereby forming a low power consumption circuit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The power converter of claim 8, wherein the second power device is a Metal Oxide Silicon Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) or Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT). ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The power converter of claim 5, wherein the first power device is a Junction Gate Field Effect Transistor (JFET), a Depletion Metal Oxide Silicon Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET), a laterally diffused MOSFET (LDMOSFET), or a Double-Diffused MOSFET (DMOSFET). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The power converter of claim 1, wherein the PWM control module is a monolithic integrated circuit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The power converter of claim 1, wherein the power switching device is a Metal Oxide Silicon Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET). ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The power converter of claim 1, wherein the power converter is configured to control output voltage, using pulse width modulation. ### Claim 14 A power converter, comprising: a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) control module configured to control an output power by switching a power switching device connected to a transformer; a first external switch configured to provide a disable signal, with one side of the first external switch connected to a VCC pin of the PWM control module and the other side of the first external switch connected to a DIS pin of the PWM control module; a first capacitor that is connected in parallel to the one side of the first external switch and to a ground; a second external switch configured to provide an enable signal, with one side of the second external switch connected to the DIS pin of the PWM control module and the other side of the second external switch connected to the ground; and a second capacitor that is connected in parallel to the one side of the second external switch and to the ground. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The power converter of claim 14, further comprising a rectifier configured to rectify AC power into DC power, wherein the transformer is configured to output power by converting a voltage of DC power rectified by the rectifier. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The power converter of claim 14, wherein in response to the first external switch being turned on, the VCC pin and the DIS pin of the PWM control module short and a signal over a threshold is applied to the DIS pin, and the power converter is configured to operate in a disable mode. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The power converter of claim 14, wherein in response to the second external switch being turned on, the DIS pin of the PWM control module is grounded and a signal less than a threshold is applied to the DIS pin, and the power converter is configured to operate in an enable mode. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The power converter of claim 14, wherein the second capacitor is smaller in capacity than the first capacitor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The power converter of claim 14, wherein the PWM control module comprises: a first internal switch that is connected between a first power device connected to an HV pin and the VCC pin; a first controller that is configured to turn off the first internal switch when the voltage of the VCC pin is a predetermined value or more, and is configured to supply HV voltage to the VCC pin by turning on the first internal switch when the voltage of the VCC pin is less than the predetermined value; a disable regulator that is configured to regulate the voltage of the VCC pin and the voltage of the DIS pin at a predetermined voltage or less; a first comparator that is configured to compare the voltage of the DIS pin with a first reference value; a second comparator that is configured to compare the voltage of the DIS pin with a second reference value; a second internal switch that is connected between the VCC pin and the first comparator; and a second controller that is configured to operate the first comparator by turning on the second internal switch and configured to control the operation of the disable regulator and the second comparator in accordance with the comparison result of the first comparator. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The power converter of claim 14, wherein the power converter is configured to control output voltage, using pulse width modulation.