Switch control method, switch controller, and converter comprising the switch controller

1. A switch controller controlling switching operation of a power switch in a converter, comprising:

a control voltage generator generating a reference current based on a detected signal indicative of an output current of the converter, and generating a control voltage that depends on the reference current;

a frequency controller controlling increase or decrease of the control voltage, and controlling a switching frequency of the power switch according to the reference current, the frequency controller increasing the switching frequency of the power switch when the output current increases; and

an on-time controller controlling an on-time of the power switch using a reference voltage determined according to the reference current, the on-time controller increasing the on-time of the power switch when the output current decreases.

2. The switch controller of claim 1 , wherein the control voltage generator comprises:

a variable current source generating the reference current that varies according to the output current;

a charging current source generating a charging current according to the reference current;

a discharging current source generating a discharging current according to the reference current; and

a capacitor connected to a node to which the charging current source and the discharging current source are connected, and a voltage charged in the capacitor is the control voltage.

3. The switch controller of claim 2 , wherein the variable current source comprises:

a transistor through which the reference current flows; and

an operational amplifier that has an output terminal connected to a gate electrode of the transistor and controls the transistor such that the reference current changes according to the output current.

4. The switch controller of claim 2 , wherein the control voltage generator further comprises a current mirror circuit mirroring the reference current and transmitting a mirrored current to the charging current source and the discharging current source, and wherein the charging current source generates the charging current by converting the transmitted mirrored current with a first mirror ratio and the discharging current source generates the discharging current by converting the transmitted mirrored current with a second mirror ratio.

5. The switch controller of claim 4 , wherein the control voltage generator further comprises a switch connected between the discharging current source and the ground and turned off at a turn-on time of the power switch, and the second mirror ratio is greater than the first mirror ratio.

6. The switch controller of claim 1 , wherein the frequency controller comprises:

a rising comparator controlling an increase of the control voltage by comparing the control voltage with a rising threshold voltage;

a falling comparator controlling a decrease of the control voltage by comparing the control voltage with a falling threshold voltage; and

an SR flip-flop receiving outputs of the rising comparator and the falling comparator, stopping the increase of the control voltage according to the output of the rising comparator, and stopping the decrease of the control voltage according to the output of the falling comparator.

7. The switch controller of claim 6 , wherein the control voltage generator comprises:

a charging current source generating a charging current according to the reference current;

a discharging current source generating a discharging current according to the reference current;

a capacitor connected to a node to which the charging current source and the discharging current source are connected; and

a switch connected between the discharging current source and the ground, the SR flip-flop turns off the switch according to the output of the falling comparator and turns on the switch according to the output of the rising comparator, and a voltage charged in the capacitor is the control voltage.

8. The switch controller of claim 6 , wherein a turn-on time point of the power switch is controlled according to the output of the falling comparator.

9. The switch controller of claim 1 , wherein the on-time controller controls turn-off of the power switch at a time point that an on-time control voltage increasing from the turn-on time point of the power switch reaches the reference voltage.

10. The switch controller of claim 9 , wherein the on-time controller comprises:

a control current source receiving the reference current and generating the control current by converting the received reference current with a predetermined ratio;

a resistor in which the reference voltage is generated from a flow of the control current;

a capacitor being charged by a predetermined constant current from a turn-on time point of the power switch and generating the on-time control voltage; and

a control comparator comparing the reference voltage with the on-time control voltage.

11. The switch controller of claim 10 , wherein the frequency controller comprises:

a rising comparator controlling an increase of the control voltage by comparing the control voltage with a rising threshold voltage;

a falling comparator controlling a decrease of the control voltage by comparing the control voltage with a falling threshold voltage; and

an SR flip-flop receiving outputs of the rising comparator and the falling comparator, stopping the increase of the control voltage according to the output of the rising comparator, and stopping the decrease of the control voltage according to the output of the falling comparator.

12. The switch controller of claim 11 , wherein the on-time controller further comprises a switching transistor operating according to the output of the falling comparator, and the switching transistor is connected to the capacitor in parallel.

13. A switch control method controlling switching operation of a power switch in a converter, comprising:

generating a reference current based on a detected signal indicative of an output current of the converter;

increasing or decreasing of a control voltage according to the reference current;

sensing the control voltage, and controlling the increase or the decrease of the control voltage;

controlling a switching frequency of the power switch according to the reference current;

controlling an on-time of the power switch using a reference voltage determined according to a control current that depends on the reference current;

increasing the switching frequency of the power switch when the output current increases; and

increasing the on-time of the power switch when the output current decreases.

14. The switch control method of claim 13 , wherein the increasing or decreasing of the control voltage according to the reference current comprises:

charging a capacitor using a charging current that depends on the reference current; and

discharging of the capacitor using a discharging current that depends on the reference current, and a voltage of the capacitor is the control voltage.

15. The switch control method of claim 13 , wherein the controlling of the increase or the decrease of the control voltage comprises:

comparing the control voltage with a rising threshold voltage;

comparing the control voltage with a falling threshold voltage; and

stopping the increase of the control voltage according to a result of the comparison between the control voltage and the rising threshold voltage and stopping the decrease of the control voltage according to a result of the comparison between the control voltage and the falling threshold voltage.

16. The switch control method of claim 15 , wherein the controlling of the switching frequency comprises turning on the power switch according to a result of the comparison between the control voltage, controlled according to the reference current, and the falling threshold voltage.

17. The switch control method of claim 13 , wherein the controlling of the on-time comprises controlling turning off of the power switch at a time point at which an on-time control voltage increasing from a turn-on time point of the power switch reaches the reference voltage.

18. A converter comprising:

a transformer transmitting power from a primary side to a secondary side;

a power switch connected to a coil in the primary side of the transformer;

a feedback unit synchronizing a reference current of the primary side according to an output current of the secondary side; and

a switch controller generating a reference current based on a detected signal indicative of the output current, controlling a switching frequency of the power switch according to the reference current, controlling an on-time of the power switch using a reference voltage determined according to a control current that depends on the reference current, increasing the switching frequency of the power switch when the output current is increasing, and increasing the on-time of the power switch when the output current is decreasing.

19. The converter of claim 18 , wherein the switch controller generates a control voltage increased or decreased according to the reference current, controls the increase of the control voltage by comparing the control voltage with a rising threshold voltage, controls the decrease of the control voltage by comparing the control voltage with a falling threshold voltage, and controls the turn-on time point of the power switch according to a result of the comparison between the control voltage and the falling threshold voltage.

20. The converter of claim 18 , wherein the switch controller controls turn-off of the power switch at a time point at which an on-time control voltage increasing from a turn-on time point of the power switch reaches the reference voltage.