Forward power converter controllers

1. A controller for a resonant discontinuous forward converter (RDFC), said forward converter including a transformer with first and second matched polarity windings and a switch to switch dc power to said first winding of said transformer, said converter further having a dc output coupled to said second winding of said transformer, and wherein said controller has two modes, a first operational mode during which said switch is controlled to switch said dc power at a frequency which substantially coincides with a resonant frequency of operation of said RDFC such that said RDFC supplies power from said dc output, and a second, reduced power operational mode during which a drive to said switch is controlled to increase a proportion of time during which said switch is off, wherein said controller is configured to:

control said switch to switch at a timing which is substantially synchronised with a timing of cycles of said resonant frequency of operation; and

wherein in said second mode of operation said switch is controlled such that one or more of said resonant frequency cycles are skipped.

2. The controller as claimed in claim 1 wherein said switch drive comprises a pulse a duration of which determines an on time of said switch, and wherein in said second mode of operation said controller is configured to reduce a duration of said pulse.

3. The controller as claimed in claim 1 wherein said controller is configured to control said switch such that after one or more of said cycles have been skipped when said switch is next controlled to turn on said turn-on is timed to substantially coincide with a turning-point in a resonant waveform of said RDFC.

4. The controller as claimed in claim 1 wherein said controller is configured to control said drive to said switch such that said switch turns on only when a voltage across said switch is approximately zero volts.

5. A controller as claimed in claim 1 wherein said controller is configured to sense a reduced load condition and to select said second operational mode responsive to said sensing.

6. The controller as claimed in claim 5 wherein said controller has a voltage sense input to sense a signal from an output side of said RDFC and is configured to identify said reduced load condition from said sensed signal.

7. The controller as claimed in claim 5 wherein said controller has an input to receive a signal from an auxiliary winding of said transformer and is configured to identify said reduced load condition responsive to said auxiliary winding signal.

8. The controller as claimed in claim 5 wherein said controller has a controller power supply and is configured to sense said reduced load condition from said power supply.

9. The controller as claimed in claim 1 wherein said controller is configured to control said drive to said switch such that said switch turns on substantially at a turning point of a resonant waveform of said RDFC.

10. The controller as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second operational mode comprises a standby mode of said RDFC.

11. A controller for a resonant discontinuous forward converter (RDFC), said forward converter including a transformer with first and second matched polarity windings and a switch to switch dc power to said first winding of said transformer, said converter further having a dc output coupled to said second winding of said transformer, and wherein said controller has two modes, a first operational mode during which said switch is controlled to switch said dc power at a frequency which substantially coincides with a resonant frequency of operation of said RDFC such that said RDFC supplies power from said dc output, and a second, reduced power operational mode during which a drive to said switch is controlled to increase a proportion of time during which said switch is off, wherein said controller is configured to:

sense a reduced load condition and to select said second operational mode responsive to said sensing; and

select said second operational mode in response to detection of more than one resonance during a period when said switch is off.

12. A controller for a resonant discontinuous forward converter (RDFC), said forward converter including a transformer with first and second matched polarity windings and a switch to switch dc power to said first winding of said transformer, said converter further having a dc output coupled to said second winding of said transformer, and wherein said controller has two modes, a first operational mode during which said switch is controlled to switch said dc power at a frequency which substantially coincides with a resonant frequency of operation of said RDFC such that said RDFC supplies power from said dc output, and a second, reduced power operational mode during which a drive to said switch is controlled to increase a proportion of time during which said switch is off, wherein said controller is configured to:

sense a reduced load condition and to select said second operational mode responsive to said sensing; and

select said second operational mode in response to an off-duration of said switch being greater than a threshold duration.

13. A discontinuous resonant forward converter for converting an input dc voltage to an output dc voltage, the converter comprising:

first and second dc inputs;

a transformer having primary and secondary windings with matched polarities;

a controllable switch for switching power from said dc inputs through said primary winding of said transformer, said controllable switch and said primary winding of said transformer being coupled in series between said first and second dc voltage inputs;

first and second dc voltage outputs;

a rectifier coupled to said secondary winding of said transformer, said rectifier and said secondary winding of said transformer being coupled in series between said first and second dc voltage outputs;

a smoothing capacitor having a first connection coupled to receive dc power from said rectifier at a first connection node, said first connection node being coupled to said first dc voltage output, said smoothing capacitor having a second connection coupled to said second dc voltage output; and

a controller having an output coupled to said controllable switch and being configured to control said switch such that a voltage waveform on said secondary winding has a first portion during which said switch is on and current flows into said first connection node, and second portion during which said switch and said rectifier are both off; and

wherein substantially no current flows into said first connection node during said second portion of said voltage waveform other than from said smoothing capacitor,

and wherein:

said forward converter has two modes, a first operational mode during which said switch is controlled to switch said dc power at a frequency which substantially coincides with a resonant frequency of operation of said RDFC such that said RDFC supplies power from said dc output, and a second, reduced power operational mode during which a drive to said switch is controlled to increase a proportion of time during which said switch is off, wherein said forward converter is configured to automatically sense a reduced load condition and to select said second operational mode responsive to said sensing.

14. A discontinuous resonant forward converter for converting an input dc voltage to an output dc voltage, the converter has a resonant frequency and comprising:

first and second dc inputs;

a transformer having primary and secondary windings with matched polarities;

a controllable switch for switching power from said dc inputs through said primary winding of said transformer, said controllable switch and said primary winding of said transformer being coupled in series between said first and second dc voltage inputs;

first and second dc voltage outputs;

a rectifier coupled to said secondary winding of said transformer, said rectifier and said secondary winding of said transformer being coupled in series between said first and second dc voltage outputs;

a smoothing capacitor having a first connection coupled to receive dc power from said rectifier at a first connection node, said first connection node being coupled to said first dc voltage output, said smoothing capacitor having a second connection coupled to said second dc voltage output; and

a controller having an output coupled to said controllable switch and being configured to control said switch such that a voltage waveform on said secondary winding has a first portion during which said switch is on and current flows into said first connection node, and second portion during which said switch and said rectifier are both off; and

wherein substantially no current flows into said first connection node during said second portion of said voltage waveform other than from said smoothing capacitor,

wherein:

the forward converter is configured to limit a current in said switch during start-up of said forward converter, and to operate a control signal to said switch at an increased frequency during start-up relative to said resonant frequency to perform said current limiting,

wherein the forward converter is configured to invoke said increased frequency operation on the basis of a collector voltage of said switch or to select an oscillator to provide said increased frequency.

15. A controller as claimed in claim 14 wherein said switch comprises a transistor, and wherein said limiting comprises operating said transistor in a non-linear region.

16. A discontinuous resonant forward converter for converting an input dc voltage to an output dc voltage, the converter comprising:

first and second dc inputs;

a transformer having primary and secondary windings with matched polarities;

a controllable switch for switching power from said dc inputs through said primary winding of said transformer, said controllable switch and said primary winding of said transformer being coupled in series between said first and second dc voltage inputs;

first and second dc voltage outputs;

a rectifier coupled to said secondary winding of said transformer, said rectifier and said secondary winding of said transformer being coupled in series between said first and second dc voltage outputs;

a smoothing capacitor having a first connection coupled to receive dc power from said rectifier at a first connection node, said first connection node being coupled to said first dc voltage output, said smoothing capacitor having a second connection coupled to said second dc voltage output; and

a controller having an output coupled to said controllable switch and being configured to control said switch such that a voltage waveform on said secondary winding has a first portion during which said switch is on and current flows into said first connection node, and second portion during which said switch and said rectifier are both off; and

wherein substantially no current flows into said first connection node during said second portion of said voltage waveform other than from said smoothing capacitor,

the forward converter comprising:

a detector to detect a current limit condition; and

a frequency controller to increase a frequency of a control signal to said switch responsive to said detection, wherein said frequency controller is configured to invoke said frequency increasing on the basis of a collector voltage of said switch or to perform said frequency increasing by selecting an oscillator.