Gate drive apparatus for resonant converters

1. An apparatus comprising:

a bridge coupled between a bias voltage and ground, wherein the bridge comprises:

a first switch and a second switch connected in series and coupled between the bias voltage and ground; and

a third switch and a fourth switch connected in series and coupled between the bias voltage and ground;

a resonant device coupled to the bridge, wherein the resonant device comprises a fixed capacitance, an adjustable capacitance coupled to the fixed capacitance, a gate capacitance and a magnetizing inductance;

a transformer coupled to the resonant device, wherein the transformer comprises:

a primary winding; and

a plurality of secondary windings, wherein the apparatus is configured to generate gate drive signals for low side switches and high side switches of a primary side of a resonant converter, and switches of a secondary side of the resonant converter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

a first common node of the first switch and the second switch is coupled to a first low side gate drive signal of a full-bridge resonant converter;

a second common node of the third switch and the fourth switch is coupled to a second low side gate drive signal of the full-bridge resonant converter;

a first winding of the secondary windings is coupled to secondary side gate drive signals of the full-bridge resonant converter;

a second winding of the secondary windings is coupled to a first high side gate drive signal of the full-bridge resonant converter; and

a third winding of the secondary windings is coupled to a second high side gate drive signal of the full-bridge resonant converter.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the fixed capacitance is formed by a first capacitor coupled between the first common node and the second common node; and

the adjustable capacitance is formed by a second capacitor and an auxiliary switch, wherein the second capacitor and the auxiliary switch are connected in series to form a switchable capacitor, and wherein the switchable capacitor is coupled between the first common node and the second common node.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the fixed capacitance is formed by a first capacitor connected in parallel with the second switch and a second capacitor connected in parallel with the fourth switch; and

the adjustable capacitance is formed by a third capacitor, a first auxiliary switch, a fourth capacitor and a second auxiliary switch, and wherein:

the third capacitor and the first auxiliary switch are connected in series to form a first switchable capacitor, and wherein the first switchable capacitor is connected in parallel with the second switch; and

the fourth capacitor and the second auxiliary switch are connected in series to form a second switchable capacitor, and wherein the second switchable capacitor is connected in parallel with the fourth switch.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the fixed capacitance is formed by a first capacitor connected in parallel with the first switch and a second capacitor connected in parallel with the third switch.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

the fixed capacitance is formed by a first capacitor connected in parallel with the second switch and a second capacitor connected in parallel with the fourth switch.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first secondary capacitor and a second secondary capacitor are connected in series with a first winding of the secondary windings, wherein the first winding is coupled to secondary side gate drive signals of a full-bridge resonant converter.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:

a third secondary capacitor is connected in series with a second winding of the secondary windings, wherein the second winding is coupled to a first high side gate drive signal of the full-bridge resonant converter; and

a fourth secondary capacitor is connected in series with a third winding of the secondary windings, wherein the third winding is coupled to a second high side gate drive signal of the full-bridge resonant converter.

9. A system comprising:

a resonant converter comprising:

a switching network comprising a first switch and a second switch connected in series and coupled between an input power source, and a third switch and a fourth switch connected in series and coupled between the input power source;

a resonant tank connected between the switching network and a primary side of a transformer; and

a rectifier coupled to a secondary side of the transformer; and

a driver coupled to the resonant converter, wherein the driver comprises:

a bridge coupled between a bias voltage and ground, wherein the bridge comprises:

a first driver switch and a second driver switch connected in series and coupled between the bias voltage and ground; and

a third driver switch and a fourth driver switch connected in series and coupled between the bias voltage and ground, and wherein the bias voltage is an adjustable voltage source, and wherein in response to a light load operating condition of the resonant converter, the bias voltage is reduced to a lower level;

a resonant device coupled to the bridge, wherein the resonant device comprises a fixed capacitance, a magnetizing inductance and gate capacitances of the switching network and the rectifier; and

a signal transformer coupled to the resonant device, wherein the signal transformer comprises a primary winding and a plurality of secondary windings.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein:

the switching network, the resonant tank, the transformer and the rectifier form an LLC resonant converter.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein:

a first common node of the first driver switch and the second driver switch is coupled to a gate of the second switch of the resonant converter;

a second common node of the third driver switch and the fourth driver switch is coupled to a gate of the fourth switch of the resonant converter;

a first winding of the secondary windings is coupled to secondary side gate drive signals of the rectifier;

a second winding of the secondary windings is coupled to a gate of the first switch of the resonant converter; and

a third winding of the secondary windings is coupled to a gate of the third switch of the resonant converter.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein:

the first driver switch is of a duty cycle less than 40%;

the second driver switch is of a duty cycle in a range from 40% to 60%;

the third driver switch is of a duty cycle less than 40%; and

the fourth driver switch is of a duty cycle in a range from 40% to 60%.

13. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:

a first winding of the secondary windings is coupled to secondary side gate drive signals of the rectifier;

a second winding of the secondary windings is coupled to a gate of the first switch of the resonant converter;

a third winding of the secondary windings is coupled to a gate of the third switch of the resonant converter;

a fourth winding of the secondary windings is coupled to a gate of the third switch of the resonant converter; and

a fifth winding of the secondary windings is coupled to a gate of the fourth switch of the resonant converter.