An embedded magnetic component transformer device includes an insulating substrate with a cavity and a magnetic core housed within the cavity. First and second electrical windings pass through the insulating substrate around the magnetic core. The first electrical winding includes a first end terminal and a second end terminal, and a first tap terminal between the first and second end terminals. The device includes circuitry with a first input terminal electrically connected to the first end terminal and a first output terminal. In a first configuration of the circuitry, the first output terminal is electrically connectable to the second end terminal. In a second configuration of the circuitry, the first output terminal is electrically connectable to the first tap terminal.

A method comprises providing a resonant converter comprising a switching network comprising a first high-side switch, a second high-side switch, a first low-side switch and a second low-side switch, a resonant tank coupled between the switching network and a transformer and a rectifier coupled to a secondary side of the transformer, coupling a driver to the switching network and the rectifier, wherein the driver includes a first winding coupled to the rectifier, a second winding coupled to the first high-side switch and a third winding coupled to the second high-side switch, detecting a signal indicating a soft switching process of the driver and adjusting a resonant frequency of the driver until the resonant frequency of the driver approximately matches a switch frequency of the resonant converter.

A DC/DC conversion apparatus includes a DC voltage source, an oscillation circuit, switch elements, a switch controller, and a transformation circuit. An inductor is provided in the oscillation circuit, a transformer is provided in the transformation circuit and a primary side of the transformer is connected in series with the oscillation circuit. Before a direction of a voltage applied to the oscillation circuit is switched from a first direction to a second direction, the switch controller disconnects electrical connection between the oscillation circuit and the DC voltage source and a first resonance loop is defined by a portion of the plurality of switch elements and the oscillation circuit. When a current flowing through the inductor is equal or substantially equal to an excitation current on the primary side of the transformer in the first resonance loop, at least one switch element in the first resonance loop is turned off to define a second resonance loop. After a current in the second resonance loop oscillates for a first period, the electrical connection between the oscillation circuit and the DC voltage source is connected and the direction of the voltage applied to the oscillation circuit is switched to the second direction.

A DC/DC conversion apparatus includes a DC voltage source, an oscillation circuit, switch elements, a switch controller, and a transformation circuit. An inductor is provided in the oscillation circuit, a transformer is provided in the transformation circuit and a primary side of the transformer is connected in series with the oscillation circuit. Before a direction of a voltage applied to the oscillation circuit is switched from a first direction to a second direction, the switch controller disconnects electrical connection between the oscillation circuit and the DC voltage source and a first resonance loop is defined by a portion of the plurality of switch elements and the oscillation circuit. When a current flowing through the inductor is equal or substantially equal to an excitation current on the primary side of the transformer in the first resonance loop, at least one switch element in the first resonance loop is turned off to define a second resonance loop. After a current in the second resonance loop oscillates for a first period, the electrical connection between the oscillation circuit and the DC voltage source is connected and the direction of the voltage applied to the oscillation circuit is switched to the second direction.

The present invention relates to resonant power converters and inverters comprising a self-oscillating feedback loop coupled from a switch output to a control input of a switching network comprising one or more semiconductor switches. The self-oscillating feedback loop sets a switching frequency of the power converter and comprises a first intrinsic switch capacitance coupled between a switch output and a control input of the switching network and a first inductor. The first inductor is coupled in-between a first bias voltage source and the control input of the switching network and has a substantially fixed inductance. The first bias voltage source is configured to generate an adjustable bias voltage applied to the first inductor. The output voltage of the power converter is controlled in a flexible and rapid manner by controlling the adjustable bias voltage.

A method for controlling a multiphase resonant DC/DC converter comprising a plurality of identical elementary resonant DC/DC converters connected in parallel. The method comprises the steps of measuring each of the supply currents (I.sub.R1, I.sub.R2, . . . I.sub.Rn) of the elementary converters for balancing the supply currents (I.sub.R1, I.sub.R2, . . . I.sub.Rn) and controlling switching frequencies (F.sub.1, F.sub.2, . . . F.sub.n) of the elementary converters according to the supply currents (I.sub.R1, I.sub.R2, . . . I.sub.Rn), so as to carry out the balancing. The supply currents (I.sub.R1, I.sub.R2, . . . I.sub.Rn) are measured in the elementary DC/DC converters in order to balance these same currents.

A method for controlling a multiphase resonant DC/DC converter comprising a plurality of identical elementary resonant DC/DC converters connected in parallel. The method comprises the steps of measuring each of the supply currents (I.sub.R1, I.sub.R2, . . . I.sub.Rn) of the elementary converters for balancing the supply currents (I.sub.R1, I.sub.R2, . . . I.sub.Rn) and controlling switching frequencies (F.sub.1, F.sub.2, . . . F.sub.n) of the elementary converters according to the supply currents (I.sub.R1, I.sub.R2, . . . I.sub.Rn), so as to carry out the balancing. The supply currents (I.sub.R1, I.sub.R2, . . . I.sub.Rn) are measured in the elementary DC/DC converters in order to balance these same currents.

A switching power supply apparatus includes a PFM control circuit that outputs a clock signal Set such that a switching frequency of a switching element varies in accordance with a load state. The clock signal Set determines a turn-on timing of the switching element. A reference value of a current flowing through the switching element determines a turn-off timing of the switching element. A modulation signal is applied to the turn-off timing of the switching element to modulate one of a peak value of a drain current flowing through the switching element and an on-time of the switching element. Input control is performed separately on the clock signal Set and the modulation signal. Accordingly, even when the clock signal Set and the modulation signal contribute to each other to offset each other, modulation effects are not cancelled.

A power converter controller and methods for its operation are provided that can control a self-oscillating power converter that uses a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) as a switch by manipulating the current flowing in a control winding. The controller is able to determine the optimum time to remove a short circuit applied to the control winding, as well as being able to determine the optimum time to pass current through the control winding. The controller can further draw power from the power converter using the control winding. The controller is capable of maintaining the midpoint voltage of the power converter in the case that the converter has more than one switch. The controller estimates the output power of the converter without requiring a connection to the secondary side of the converter transformer. The controller further controls entry and exit into a low-power mode in which converter oscillations are suppressed.

A power converter controller and methods for its operation are provided that can control a self-oscillating power converter that uses a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) as a switch by manipulating the current flowing in a control winding. The controller is able to determine the optimum time to remove a short circuit applied to the control winding, as well as being able to determine the optimum time to pass current through the control winding. The controller can further draw power from the power converter using the control winding. The controller is capable of maintaining the midpoint voltage of the power converter in the case that the converter has more than one switch. The controller estimates the output power of the converter without requiring a connection to the secondary side of the converter transformer. The controller further controls entry and exit into a low-power mode in which converter oscillations are suppressed.