An embodiment voltage converter includes a first transistor connected between a first node of the converter and a second node configured to receive a power supply voltage, a second transistor connected between the first node and a third node configured to receive a reference potential, a first circuit configured to control the first and second transistors, and a comparator configured to compare a first voltage with a threshold, the first voltage being equal, during a first period, to a first increasing ramp and, during a second period, to a second decreasing ramp, the threshold having a first value during the first period and a second value during the second period, the first and second values being variable.

An embodiment voltage converter includes a first transistor and a second transistor coupled in series, and a first circuit configured to control the first and second transistors. The control terminal of the second transistor is coupled to a first output of the first circuit by a second circuit configured to delay the control signals supplied at the first output by a first duration. The control terminal of the first transistor is coupled to a second output of the first circuit by a circuit configured to delay the control signals supplied at the second output, for a second period of each operating cycle, by a duration equal to twice the first duration and, during a second period of each operating cycle, by a duration equal to the first duration.

Control circuitry for controlling a current through an inductor of a power converter, the control circuitry comprising: comparison circuitry configured to compare a measurement signal, indicative of a current through the inductor during a charging phase of the power converter, to a signal indicative of a target average current through the inductor for the charging phase and to output a comparison signal based on said comparison; detection circuitry configured to detect, based on the comparison signal, a crossing time indicative of a time at which the current through the inductor during the charging phase is equal to the target average current for the charging phase; and current control circuitry configured to control a current through the inductor during a subsequent charging phase based on the crossing time.

A power converter, a synchronous power converter system and a method of determining switching frequency are provided. A processor is configured to output a synchronous clock signal corresponding to a first switching frequency. A plurality of first-stage power converters are coupled to the processor, and configured to generate a plurality of first output voltages corresponding to the first switching frequency according to the synchronous clock signal and a system voltage. At least one second-stage power converter is coupled to the processor and one of the plurality of first-stage power converters, and configured to generate a second output voltage corresponding to a second switching frequency according to the synchronous clock signal, a multiplied frequency control signal and one of the plurality of first output voltages. The second switching frequency is a multiple of the first switching frequency.

A tunable DC voltage generating circuit includes: a resonance circuit including an inductor and an input capacitor connected in series configuration, and arranged to operably receive an input signal and generating a resonance signal at an output node between the inductor and the input capacitor; a rectifying circuit coupled with the output node and arranged to operably rectify the resonance signal; a current control unit connected with the resonance circuit in series configuration; a stabilizing capacitor coupled with an output terminal of the rectifying circuit and arranged to operably provide a DC output signal having a voltage level greater than that of the input signal; and a control circuit coupled with the output terminal of the rectifying circuit and the current control unit, and arranged to operably adjust a current passing through the current control unit to thereby change the DC output signal.

Systems and methods of increasing power converter efficiency are provided. A power converter includes a boost circuit configured to receive a DC input voltage ranging from a minimum input voltage value to a maximum voltage value, boost the DC input voltage to a predefined nominal voltage value when the DC input voltage has a value between the minimum input voltage value and the predefined nominal voltage value, and maintain the DC input voltage when the DC input voltage has a value that is greater than or equal to the predefined nominal voltage value and less than the maximum input voltage value. The unit also includes a DC-DC converter coupled to an output of the boost circuit, the DC-DC converter configured to convert the boosted DC voltage or the maintained DC voltage to a DC output voltage.

Exemplary embodiments are directed to a power controller. A method may include comparing a summation voltage comprising a sum of an amplified error voltage and a reference voltage with an estimated voltage to generate a comparator output signal. The method may also include generating a gate drive signal from the comparator output signal and filtering a signal coupled to a power stage to generate the estimated voltage.

A semiconductor device in which an increase in circuit area is inhibited is provided. The semiconductor device includes a first circuit layer and a second circuit layer over the first circuit layer; the first circuit layer includes a first transistor; the second circuit layer includes a second transistor; a gate of the second transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the first transistor; a source and a drain of the second transistor are electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor; and a semiconductor layer of the second transistor contains a metal oxide.

A battery charging implementation improves the charging time (e.g., deliver a maximum or improved charge while minimizing or reducing power loss on the mobile device) by regulating a charging device duty cycle (e.g., buck duty cycle) of a switching regulator/converter (e.g., buck regulator) to a narrow range. An input voltage of a battery charging circuit is dynamically adjusted to maintain a duty cycle within a predetermined range. A battery is then charged in accordance with an output voltage of the battery charging circuit resulting from the adjusted duty cycle.

A zero current detection system for a switching regulator is provided. The switching includes an inductor. In the zero current detection system, a comparator has a positive input coupled to a terminal of the inductor and an output terminal for outputting a comparison result signal; a first signal latch circuit has a clock terminal for receiving the comparison result signal and outputting a latched output signal; a delay line module starts counting upon receipt of the latched output signal, and then outputs a zero current detection signal after counting a delay time; in response to the zero current detection signal, a voltage sampling module samples a node voltage at two different time points, to generate two sampling voltages; a delay control module adjusts the delay time of the delay line module according to the two sampling voltages.