IP Library Granted Patent US 9,252,676
Granted Patent B2
US 9,252,676 · App. 14/182,442 · Granted Feb 2, 2016

Adaptive active clamp of flyback power converter with high efficiency for heavy load and light load

Inventors: Ta-yung Yang (Milpitas, CA); Chih-hsien Hsieh (Changhua County, TW); Kai-fang Wei (Hsinchu, TW); Jung-sheng Chen (Kaohsiung, TW)
Assignee: System General Corp.
H02M3/33576H02M2001/0032Y02B70/16
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,252,676
App. No.
14/182,442
Granted
Feb 2, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A control circuit of a flyback power converter according to the present invention comprises a low-side transistor, an active-clamper, a high-side drive circuit, and a controller. The low-side transistor is coupled to switch a transformer. The active-clamper is coupled in parallel with the transformer. The high-side drive circuit is coupled to drive the active-clamper. The controller generates a switching signal and an active-clamp signal. The switching signal is coupled to drive the low-side transistor. The switching signal is generated in accordance with a feedback signal for regulating an output of the flyback power converter. The active-clamp signal is coupled to control the high-side drive circuit and the active-clamper. The active-clamp signal is generated in response to a demagnetizing time of the transformer. The pulse number of the active-clamp signal is less than the pulse number of the switching signal in a light load condition.

Claims (32)

1. A control circuit of a flyback power converter, comprising:

a low-side transistor coupled to switch a transformer;

an active-clamper coupled in parallel with the transformer;

a high-side drive circuit coupled to drive the active-clamper; and

a controller generating a switching signal and an active-clamp signal;

wherein the switching signal is coupled to drive the low-side transistor; the switching signal is generated in accordance with a feedback signal for regulating an output of the flyback power converter; the active-clamp signal is coupled to control the high-side drive circuit and the active-clamper; the active-clamp signal is generated in response to a demagnetizing time of the transformer; the pulse number of the active-clamp signal is less than the pulse number of the switching signal in a light load condition.

2. The control circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the active-clamper comprises a high-side transistor connected in series with a capacitor, the high-side drive circuit is coupled to drive the high-side transistor.

3. The control circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the active-clamp signal is generated in accordance with a reflected signal of the transformer.

4. The control circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pulse width of the active-clamp signal is correlated to the demagnetizing time of the transformer.

5. The control circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controller generates the switching signal in response to the demagnetizing time of the transformer.

6. The control circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controller includes:

a discharge-time signal generation circuit generating a discharge-time signal in response to a reflected signal of the transformer; in which the discharge-time signal is related to the demagnetizing time of the transformer;

a turn-on circuit generating a turn-on signal in response to the discharge-time signal for generating the switching signal; and

an active-clamp signal generation circuit generating the active-clamp signal in response to the discharge-time signal.

7. The control circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the switching signal is enabled in response to a clock signal in a CCM operation; the clock signal is generated by an oscillation circuit of the controller.

8. The control circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the active-clamp signal is disabled in response to a pulse signal in a CCM operation; the pulse signal is generated by an oscillation circuit of the controller; the pulse signal is correlated to a clock signal generated by the oscillation circuit.

9. A method for controlling a flyback power converter with an active-clamper, comprising:

generating a switching signal in accordance with a feedback signal for switching a low-side transistor and regulating an output of the flyback power converter; and

generating an active-clamp signal in accordance with a demagnetizing time of a transformer;

wherein the pulse number of the active-clamp signal is less than the pulse number of the switching signal in a light load condition; the low-side transistor is coupled to switch the transformer; the active-clamp signal is coupled to drive the active-clamper, the active-clamper is coupled in parallel with the transformer.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the active-clamp signal is generated in accordance with a reflected signal of the transformer.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the switching signal is generated in response to the demagnetizing time of the transformer.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the switching signal is enabled in response to a clock signal in a CCM operation; the clock signal is generated by an oscillation circuit.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the active-clamp signal is disabled in response to a pulse signal in a CCM operation; the pulse signal is correlated to a clock signal.

14. A control circuit of an active clamp flyback power converter, comprising:

a low-side transistor coupled to switch a transformer;

an active-clamper coupled in parallel with the transformer;

a high-side drive circuit coupled to drive the active-clamper; and

a controller generating a switching signal and an active-clamp signal;

wherein the switching signal is coupled to drive the low-side transistor; the switching signal is generated in accordance with a feedback signal for regulating an output of the active clamp flyback power converter; the active-clamp signal is coupled to control the high-side drive circuit and the active-clamper; the pulse number of the active-clamp signal is less than the pulse number of the switching signal in a light load condition.

15. The control circuit as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the pulse width of the active-clamp signal is correlated to a demagnetizing time of the transformer.

16. The control circuit as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the controller generates the switching signal in response to a demagnetizing time of the transformer.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT RECORDED AT REEL 046410, FRAME 0933 Recorded Jun 22, 2023
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC; FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064072/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 22, 2018
From: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 046410/0933 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 25, 2017
From: FAIRCHILD (TAIWAN) CORPORATION (FORMERLY SYSTEM GENERAL CORPORATION)
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 042328/0318 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 2, 2016
From: SYSTEM GENERAL CORP.
To: FAIRCHILD (TAIWAN) CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038594/0168 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 18, 2014
From: YANG, TA-YUNG; HSIEH, CHIH-HSIEN; WEI, KAI-FANG; CHEN, JUNG-SHENG
To: SYSTEM GENERAL CORP.
Reel/Frame 032233/0928 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61765846 · Feb 18, 2013
Related Publication 20140233275A1 · Aug 21, 2014