IP Library Granted Patent US 12665490
Granted Patent B2
US 12665490 · App. 17/629,162 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Converter with hold-up circuit and inrush-control circuit

Inventor: Wei Song (Westborough, MA)
Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
H02M1/32H02M1/0096H02M1/36H02M3/33571H02M1/007
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12665490
App. No.
17/629,162
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A holdup circuit includes a high-voltage generation circuit that outputs a high voltage and a holdup capacitor charging/discharging circuit that includes a holdup capacitor that is charged by the high voltage output by the high-voltage generation circuit. An inrush control circuit includes a constant-current source that includes a first transistor and a second transistor. During start-up, input current flows through the second transistor, and after start-up and during normal operation, the input current flows through the first transistor.

Claims (126)

1 . A DC-DC converter comprising:

an input terminal and an output terminal;

a first stage that is connected to the input terminal and that provides a regulated voltage to a voltage bus; and

a second stage including:

a switching circuit connected to the voltage bus; and

a transformer including primary and secondary windings, the primary winding is connected to the switching circuit; and

a holdup circuit including:

a voltage generation circuit that outputs a holdup-charging voltage that is larger than a voltage of the voltage bus and that includes:

an additional transformer including primary and secondary windings;

a driver connected to the primary winding of the additional transformer; and

an oscillator that generates a symmetric square wave that is applied to the driver; and

a holdup capacitor charging/discharging circuit that includes a holdup capacitor that is charged by the holdup-charging voltage output by the voltage generation circuit, wherein

an output voltage of the holdup capacitor charging/discharging circuit is connected to the voltage bus; and

the regulated voltage is maintained within a predetermined voltage range independent of variations in an input voltage applied to the input terminal.

2 . The DC-DC converter of claim 1 , wherein the voltage generation circuit includes a push-pull converter.

3 . The DC-DC converter of claim 1 , wherein the voltage generation circuit includes a DC blocking capacitor between the driver and the additional transformer.

4 . The DC-DC converter of claim 1 , wherein the holdup capacitor charging/discharging circuit includes at least one Zener diode that limits the voltage of the holdup capacitor.

5 . The DC-DC converter of claim 1 , wherein:

the holdup capacitor charging/discharging circuit includes a transistor and a resistor that are each connected to the holdup capacitor; and

a charging current of the holdup capacitor is limited to:

a

base

-

emitter

voltage

of

the

transistor

a

resistance

of

the

resistor

.

6 . The DC-DC converter of claim 1 , wherein the holdup capacitor provides energy to the DC-DC converter when an input voltage to the input terminal of the DC-DC converter is interrupted.

7 . The DC-DC converter of claim 6 , wherein:

the holdup capacitor charging/discharging circuit includes an optocoupler; and

when the optocoupler receives a holdup control signal, the holdup capacitor charges a capacitor connected to the voltage bus of the DC-DC converter.

8 . The DC-DC converter of claim 1 , further comprising an inrush control circuit including:

a first transistor; and

a constant-current source that includes a second transistor; wherein

during start-up, an input current flows through the second transistor; and

after start-up and during normal operation, the input current flows through the first transistor.

9 . A DC-DC converter comprising:

an input terminal and an output terminal;

a first stage that is connected to the input terminal and that provides a regulated voltage to a voltage bus; and

a second stage including:

a switching circuit connected to the voltage bus; and

a transformer including primary and secondary windings, the primary winding is connected to the switching circuit; and

a holdup circuit including:

a voltage generation circuit that outputs a holdup-charging voltage that is larger than a voltage of the voltage bus; and

a holdup capacitor charging/discharging circuit that includes a holdup capacitor that is charged by the holdup-charging voltage output by the voltage generation circuit;

an inrush control circuit including:

a first transistor; and

a constant-current source that includes a second transistor;

a third transistor connected to a gate of the first transistor;

a fourth transistor connected to a gate of the second transistor; and

a first resistor connected to the second transistor such that the input current flows through the first resistor; wherein

an output voltage of the holdup capacitor charging/discharging circuit is connected to the voltage bus;

during startup, an input current flows through the second transistor and is limited to:

a

base

-

emitter

voltage

of

the

fourth

transistor

a

resistance

of

the

first

resistor

;

after startup and during normal operation, the third transistor turns off, causing the input current to flow through the first transistor.

10 . The DC-DC converter of claim 8 , further comprising:

a second resistor connected to a gate of the first transistor; and

a third resistor connected to a gate of the second transistor.

11 . The DC-DC converter of claim 8 , further comprising:

a first Zener diode that is connected to the gate of the first transistor and that limits a gate-source voltage of the first transistor; and

a second Zener diode that is connected to the gate of the second transistor and that limits a gate-source voltage of the second transistor.

12 . The DC-DC converter of claim 8 , wherein the input current charges an input capacitor of the DC-DC converter.

13 . The DC-DC converter of claim 1 , wherein

the second stage further includes a rectification and filter circuit connected to the transformer; and

the output terminal is connected to the transformer through the rectification and filter circuit.

14 . The DC-DC converter of claim 1 , further comprising:

an input filter connected to the input terminal;

a controller that regulates an output voltage and/or an output current of the output terminal; wherein

the input terminal is connected to the switching circuit through the input filter and the first stage.

15 . The DC-DC converter of claim 1 , wherein the symmetric square wave generated by the oscillator has a frequency between about 10 KHZ and about 1 MHz.

16 . The DC-DC converter of claim 1 , wherein the first stage is a boost circuit.

17 . A DC-DC converter comprising:

an input terminal and an output terminal;

a first stage that is connected to the input terminal and that includes a control circuit that controls the first stage to provide a regulated voltage within a predetermined range to a voltage bus; and

a second stage including:

a switching circuit connected to the voltage bus; and

a transformer including primary and secondary windings, the primary winding is connected to the switching circuit; and

a holdup circuit including:

a voltage generation circuit that outputs a holdup-charging voltage that is larger than a voltage of the voltage bus and that includes:

an additional transformer including primary and secondary windings;

a driver connected to the primary winding of the additional transformer; and

an oscillator that generates a symmetric square wave that is applied to the driver; and

a holdup capacitor charging/discharging circuit that includes a holdup capacitor that is charged by the holdup-charging voltage output by the voltage generation circuit, wherein

an output voltage of the holdup capacitor charging/discharging circuit is connected to the voltage bus.