Power supply controller
A gate driver 28 performs a normal charging operation for a power MOSFET 14 by driving a charge pump 90 solely, when a low-level control signal S 1 (ON signal) is received during a normal state. On the other hand, if a low-level control signal S 1 (ON signal) is received during a load anomaly state, an urgent charge FET 92 , as well as the charge pump 90 , is turned on when a load current IL exceeds a second anomaly threshold current ILfc, so that a rapid charging operation is performed.
1. A power supply controller comprising:
a MOSFET disposed between a power source and a load;
a current detecting element configured to output a current detection signal corresponding to a load current passing through said MOSFET;
an overcurrent protective circuit configured to perform a forcing shutoff operation for said MOSFET, if a first current anomaly, in which a load current passing through said MOSFET exceeds a first threshold, is determined based on said current detection signal;
a charging circuit configured to turn on said MOSFET based on an external ON signal by applying a charging current to a gate of said MOSFET, said charging circuit being capable of changing a charge rate thereof; and
a control circuit configured to increase the charge rate of said charging circuit if a second current anomaly, in which a load current passing through said MOSFET exceeds a second threshold lower than said first threshold, is determined based on said current detection signal, so that the charge rate is higher than that when said load current is equal to or lower than said second threshold.
2. A power supply controller as in claim 1 , wherein said MOSFET is an N-channel type.
3. A power supply controller as in claim 1 , wherein:
said charging circuit includes a charge-pump portion, and a clock generator capable of applying a clock signal of different frequencies to said charge-pump portion so as to cause said charge-pump portion to perform a charge-pump operation according to a frequency of the applied clock signal; and
said control circuit is configured to change the charge rate of said charging circuit by causing change of the frequency of said clock signal to be applied to said charge-pump portion.
4. A power supply controller as in claim 1 , wherein:
said charging circuit includes a charge-pump capacitor, a buffer circuit connected to one end side of said charge-pump capacitor for charging or discharging said charge-pump capacitor, and a current changing circuit for changing a current amount for said charge or discharge performed by said buffer circuit; and
said control circuit is configured to change the charge rate of said charging circuit by causing change of the current amount for said charge or discharge.
5. A power supply controller as in claim 1 , wherein:
said charging circuit includes a charge-pump capacitor, a buffer circuit connected to one end side of said charge-pump capacitor for charging or discharging said charge-pump capacitor, and a capacitance changing circuit for changing capacitance of said charge-pump capacitor; and
said control circuit is configured to change the charge rage of said charging circuit by causing change of the capacitance of said charge-pump capacitor.
6. A power supply controller as in claim 1 , wherein:
said charging circuit includes a charge-pump capacitor, a buffer circuit connected to one end side of said charge-pump capacitor for charging or discharging said charge-pump capacitor, and a charging-voltage changing circuit for changing a charging voltage for charging of said charge-pump capacitor performed by said buffer circuit; and
said control circuit is configured to change the charge rate of said charging circuit by causing change of said charging voltage.
7. A power supply controller as in claim 1 , wherein:
said charging circuit includes a first charger having a charge-pump capacitor and being disposed between said power source and the gate of said MOSFET for performing a charge-pump operation, and further includes a second charger having a charge switching element disposed between said power source and the gate of said MOSFET, said second charger being configured to form a charge path for said gate by turning on said charge switching element; and
said control circuit is configured to change the charge rate of said charging circuit by switching said charge switching element between on and off.
8. A power supply controller as in claim 1 , further comprising a discharging circuit configured to turn off said MOSFET by releasing a gate charge of said MOSFET, said discharging circuit being capable of changing a discharge rate thereof;
wherein said control circuit is configured to increase the discharge rate of said discharging circuit when a shutoff operation is performed during said load current exceeding said second threshold, so that the discharge rate is higher than that for a shutoff operation being performed during said load current being equal to or lower than said second threshold.
9. A power supply controller as in claim 8 , wherein:
said discharging circuit includes a plurality of discharge switching elements being connected in parallel and being disposed between the gate and source of said MOSFET; and
said control circuit is configured to change the discharge rate of said discharging circuit by changing combination of discharge switching element(s) being selected from said plurality of discharge switching elements and being turned on.