An alternator and a rectifier thereof are provided. The rectifier includes a transistor and a gate voltage control circuit. A control end of the transistor receives a gate voltage. The gate voltage control circuit generates the gate voltage according to a voltage difference between an input voltage and a rectified voltage. The gate voltage control circuit detects a first time point when the voltage difference is less than a first preset threshold voltage, provides the gate voltage during a first time interval after the first time point to turn on the transistor, and sets the voltage difference to a first reference voltage. The gate voltage control circuit regulates the gate voltage to set the voltage difference to a second reference voltage during a second time interval after the first time interval. The first time interval is independent of a cycle of the input voltage.

A full-wave rectifier is disclosed. In one embodiment the full-wave rectifier includes two input paths configured to receive an alternating input voltage, two output paths configured to provide a direct output voltage, and four switched-mode rectifying paths that are connected between each of the input paths and each of the output paths, wherein the switched mode rectifying paths are configured to connect a first input path to a first output path and a second input path to a second output path during a first half wave of the input voltage, and to connect the first input path to the second output path and the second input path to the first output path during a second half wave of the input voltage, and wherein the switched-mode rectifying paths include cascode circuits.

To provide a power supply switching circuit which avoids an increase in current consumption. A power supply switching circuit includes MOS transistors provided between power supply input terminals and an output terminal, which have gates connected to each other and backgates connected to each other and are connected in series.

A switching apparatus (20) comprises first and second current paths, each current path configured to be capable of conducting an electrical current, the first current path including a first switching element (28) connected in parallel with a first passive current check element (30), the switching apparatus (20) further including a switching controller configured to selectively control the switching of the first switching element (28), wherein the switching controller is configured to selectively switch the first switching element (28) at a first intra-current path switching speed to commutate the electrical current between the first switching element (30) and the first passive current check element (32), the switching controller is configured to selectively switch the first switching element (28) at a first inter-current path switching speed to commutate the electrical current between the first and second current paths, and the first intra-current path switching speed is faster or slower than the first inter-current path switching speed.

Circuits and methods for controlling a transistor that has first, second and third terminals, wherein a voltage level at said first terminal controls in part a current flow from said second terminal to said third terminal. A controller receives an voltage existing across the second and third terminals of the transistor, generates an isolated voltage and uses that voltage to power components of the controller. The controller provides a voltage to the first terminal of the transistor, whereby the controller regulates the voltage across the second and third terminals of the transistor by regulating the voltage provided to the first terminal.

A DC-AC converter is disclosed. The DC-AC converter generates an output AC signal, and has an input DC-AC converter which generates a first AC signal, a transformer device which receives the first AC signal and generates a second AC signal, and a first bidirectional switch which selectively connects a first transformer output terminal and a first output terminal. The DC-AC converter also has a first capacitor which powers the first bidirectional switch, a first charging circuit which charges the first capacitor, and a second bidirectional which selectively conduct connects a second transformer output terminal and a second output terminal. The DC-AC converter also has a second capacitor which powers the second bidirectional switch, and a second charging circuit which charges the second capacitor. Each of the bidirectional switches includes series connected transistors between first and second input/output terminals, and a transistor driver which drives the transistors.

A switching apparatus (20) comprises first and second current paths, each current path configured to be capable of conducting an electrical current, the first current path including a first switching element (28) connected in parallel with a first passive current check element (30), the switching apparatus (20) further including a switching controller configured to selectively control the switching of the first switching element (28), wherein the switching controller is configured to selectively switch the first switching element (28) at a first intra-current path switching speed to commutate the electrical current between the first switching element (30) and the first passive current check element (32), the switching controller is configured to selectively switch the first switching element (28) at a first inter-current path switching speed to commutate the electrical current between the first and second current paths, and the first intra-current path switching speed is faster or slower than the first inter-current path switching speed.

Disclosed herein is a bridge rectifier and associated control circuitry collectively forming a “regtifier”, capable of both rectifying an input time varying voltage as well as regulating the rectified output voltage produced. To accomplish this, the gate voltages of transistors of the bridge rectifier that are on during a given phase may be modulated via analog control (to increase the on-resistance of those transistors) or via pulse width modulation (to turn off those transistors prior to the end of the phase). Alternatively or additionally, the transistors of the bridge rectifier that would otherwise be off during a given phase may be turned on to help dissipate excess power and thereby regulate the output voltage. A traditional voltage regulator, such as a low-dropout amplifier, is not used in this design.

Provided is a reverse current switch. The reverse current switch includes: a comparison unit including a first input end, a second input end, and a first output end; and a switch resistance unit, where a first end of the switch resistance unit is connected to the first input end, a second end of the switch resistance unit is connected to the second input end, and a third end of the switch resistance unit is connected to the output end of the comparison unit, and the switch resistance unit is controlled by a voltage of the first output end. This reverse current switch has a simple structure and can implement working under low voltage conditions.

A bridge rectifier is controlled by control circuitry to act a “regtifier” which both regulates and rectifies without the use of a traditional voltage regulator. To accomplish this, the gate voltages of transistors of the bridge that are on during a given phase may be modulated to dissipate excess power. Gate voltages of transistors of the bridge that are off during the given phase may alternatively or additionally be modulated to dissipate excess power. The regtifier may act as two half-bridges that each power a different voltage converter, with those voltage converters powering a battery. The voltage converters may be switched capacitor voltage converters that switch synchronously with switching of the two half-bridges as they perform rectification.