A controller includes a first control circuit coupled to an input side of a power converter. The first control circuit includes a timing and delay circuit and a switch selection circuit. A second control circuit is coupled to an output side of the power converter. The second control circuit includes a valley detection circuit and a synchronous rectifier control circuit. A third control circuit is coupled to the input side of the power converter. The third control circuit is coupled to drive an auxiliary switch coupled to an input side of an energy transfer element. The first control circuit is coupled to alternately drive a main switch, which is coupled to the input side of the energy transfer element, and the auxiliary switch in response to a command signal to transfer energy from the input side to the output side of the energy transfer element to drive a load.

A switching element driving device for driving first and second switching elements of a half bridge circuit, the first and second switching elements being respectively formed in upper and lower arm units of the half bridge, and having respectively first and second freewheeling diodes connected thereto in antiparallel. The switching element driving device includes upper and lower arm driving circuits respectively configured to output first and second driving signals for driving the first and second switching elements, and a drive capability decision circuit configured to, responsive to turning on of the first switching element, set drive capability of the first driving signal to a first level and to change the drive capability of the first driving signal to a second level upon detecting a reverse recovery current of the second freewheeling diode of the second switching element, the first level being higher than the second level.

A switching mode power converter circuit and a method are presented. The circuit comprises a first transistor switch and a second transistor switch coupled in series between an input voltage level and ground. There is a control circuit for controlling switching operation of the first transistor switch and the second transistor switch. There is a detection circuit for sensing a voltage at an intermediate node arranged between the first transistor switch and the second transistor switch, for deriving an indication of a slope of the sensed voltage, and for generating a switching control signal for the control circuit on the basis of the derived indication of the slope of the sensed voltage. The control circuit sets a first timing for activating the first transistor switch and/or a second timing for activating the second transistor switch on the basis of the switching control signal.

Apparatuses and methods for operating a power converter are described. An integrated circuit can be integrated in a high-side driver of a high-side fiend-effect transistor (FET) of the power converter. The integrated circuit can detect a phase node voltage of a power integrated circuit. The integrated circuit can, in response to the phase node voltage being less than a threshold voltage, operate a high-side FET of the power integrated circuit in a constant-current mode. The integrated circuit can, in response to the phase node voltage being greater than the threshold voltage, operate the high-side FET of the power integrated circuit in a constant-voltage mode.

A controller includes a first control circuit coupled to an input side of a power converter. The first control circuit includes a timing and delay circuit and a switch selection circuit. A second control circuit is coupled to an output side of the power converter. The second control circuit includes a valley detection circuit and a synchronous rectifier control circuit. A third control circuit is coupled to the input side of the power converter. The third control circuit is coupled to drive an auxiliary switch coupled to an input side of an energy transfer element. The first control circuit is coupled to alternately drive a main switch, which is coupled to the input side of the energy transfer element, and the auxiliary switch in response to a command signal to transfer energy from the input side to the output side of the energy transfer element to drive a load.

An inverter circuit (120) is configured so as to perform synchronous rectification by six switching elements (130). The switching element (130) is formed of an unipolar device (SiC MOSFET in this case) using a wideband gap semiconductor. The inverter circuit (120) uses the body diode (131) of SiC MOSFET (130) as a freewheeling diode during synchronous rectification.

A power converter designed for operation at high frequencies includes a soft-switching cell comprising a split inductor, a resonant inductor, a resonant capacitor, two diodes and a controlled semiconductor. Alternatively, the power converter includes a soft-switching cell comprising a transformer having isolated windings, a resonant inductor, a resonant capacitor, two diodes and a controlled semiconductor.

The present disclosure relates to a circuit for providing a current from a source to a load. A commutation cell includes a main switch that controls a voltage applied by the source to the load. An opposite switch maintains the current in the load when the load is disconnected from the source by the main switch. The opposite switch returns the load current to the main switch when the main switch connects again the load to the source. The disclosed circuit configuration reduces recovery current, losses and electromagnetic losses. A synchronizing controller controls opening and closing sequences of the main switch and of the opposite switch. The disclosed circuit can provide a DC-DC voltage converter. Combining two such circuits can provide a DC-AC voltage converter.

Provided is a power conversion device configured to convert electric power from a power source to a load, including: a boosting device including a boost rectification unit configured to prevent backflow of a current from the load side to the power source side, the boosting device being configured to change a voltage of power from the power source to a predetermined voltage based on a drive signal; a commutation device configured to perform commutation operation in which a current flowing through the boosting device is caused to flow into an other path based on a commutation signal; and a signal generating module device configured as a module to generate and send an output signal based on an input signal that is input thereto. The input signal has an on-pulse width greater than a length of time where the output signal generated by the signal generating module device is turned on.

An inverter circuit (120) is configured so as to perform synchronous rectification by six switching elements (130). The switching element (130) is formed of an unipolar device (SiC MOSFET in this case) using a wideband gap semiconductor. The inverter circuit (120) uses the body diode (131) of SiC MOSFET (130) as a freewheeling diode during synchronous rectification.