IP Library Granted Patent US 11,394,316
Granted Patent B2
US 11,394,316 · App. 16/856,546 · Granted Jul 19, 2022

System and method of utilizing LLC converters

Inventors: Wayne Kenneth Cook (Round Rock, TX); Yang Lei (Austin, TX); John J. Breen (Harker Heights, TX); Lei Wang (Austin, TX)
Assignee: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
H02M7/5395G06F1/26H02M1/0058
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,394,316
App. No.
16/856,546
Granted
Jul 19, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one or more embodiments, one or more systems, methods, and/or processes may: receiving, by a first circuit of an inductor-inductor-capacitor (LLC) converter, a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to control a gate of a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) of a plurality of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) of the LLC converter; provide, by the first circuit, current to a transformer based at least on amplifications of the PWM by at least one of the plurality of power MOSFETs; determine, by the second circuit, if a voltage value associated with a drain of the power MOSFET is above a threshold voltage value; if so, suppress, by the second circuit, the PWM signal to the gate of the power MOSFET; and if not, permit, by the second circuit, the PWM signal to the gate of the power MOSFET.

Claims (57)

1. An information handling system, comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory medium, coupled to the at least one processor, that stores instructions executable by the at least one processor; and

an inductor-inductor-capacitor (LLC) converter;

wherein the LLC converter includes:

a first circuit that includes a plurality of power metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs); and

a second circuit;

wherein the first circuit is configured to:

receive a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to control a gate of a power metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) of the plurality of power MOSFETs; and

provide current to a transformer based at least on amplifications of the PWM by at least one of the plurality of power MOSFETs;

provide the PWM signal to the second circuit;

wherein the second circuit includes:

a diode;

a comparator configured to compare a voltage associated with the power MOSFET and a voltage associated with a node of the second circuit, wherein the voltage associated with the node of the second circuit is associated with an anode of the diode; and

an AND gate configured to receive signals from the comparator and the PWM signal;

wherein the second circuit is configured to:

determine a voltage value associated with a drain of the power MOSFET;

determine if the voltage value associated with the drain of the power MOSFET is above a threshold voltage value;

if the voltage value associated with the drain of the power MOSFET is above the threshold voltage value, suppress the PWM signal to the gate of the power MOSFET, wherein, to suppress the PWM signal, the AND gate is configured to suppress the PWM signal to the gate of the power MOSFET; and

if the voltage value associated with the drain of the power MOSFET is not above the threshold voltage value, permit the PWM signal to the gate of the power MOSFET, wherein, to permit the PWM signal, the AND gate is configured to permit the PWM signal to the gate of the power MOSFET.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the first circuit includes the second circuit.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a power supply unit (PSU) configured to provide power to the at least one processor and the memory medium;

wherein the PSU includes the LLC converter.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the first circuit further includes a gate driver configured to receive the PWM signal and provide a high-current drive input to the gate the power MOSFET based at least on the PWM signal.

5. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a first circuit of an inductor-inductor-capacitor (LLC) converter, a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to control a gate of a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) of a plurality of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) of the LLC converter;

providing, by the first circuit, current to a transformer based at least on amplifications of the PWM by at least one of the plurality of power MOSFETs;

providing, by the first circuit, the PWM signal to a second circuit, wherein the second circuit includes a diode, a comparator configured to compare a voltage associated with the power MOSFET and a voltage associated with a node of the second circuit, and an AND gate configured to receive signals from the comparator and the PWM signal, wherein the voltage associated with the node of the second circuit is associated with an anode of the diode;

determining, by the second circuit of the LLC converter, a voltage value associated with a drain of the power MOSFET;

determining, by the second circuit, if the voltage value associated with the drain of the power MOSFET is above a threshold voltage value;

if the voltage value associated with the drain of the power MOSFET is above the threshold voltage value, suppressing, by the second circuit, the PWM signal to the gate of the power MOSFET, wherein the suppressing the PWM signal includes the AND gate suppressing the PWM signal to the gate of the power MOSFET; and

if the voltage value associated with the drain of the power MOSFET is not above the threshold voltage value, permitting, by the second circuit, the PWM signal to the gate of the power MOSFET, wherein the permitting the PWM signal includes the AND gate permitting the PWM signal to the gate of the power MOSFET.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first circuit includes the second circuit.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein a power supply unit (PSU) of an information handling system includes the LLC converter.

8. The method of claim 5 ,

wherein the first circuit further includes a gate driver configured to receive the PWM signal;

the method further comprising:

providing, by the gate driver, a high-current drive input to the gate the power MOSFET based at least on the PWM signal.

9. An inductor-inductor-capacitor (LLC) converter, comprising:

a first circuit that includes a plurality of power metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs); and

a second circuit;

wherein the first circuit is configured to:

receive a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to control a gate of a power metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) of the plurality of power MOSFETs;

provide current to a transformer based at least on amplifications of the PWM by at least one of the plurality of power MOSFETs; and

provide the PWM signal to the second circuit;

wherein the second circuit includes:

a diode;

a comparator configured to compare a voltage associated with the power MOSFET and a voltage associated with a node of the second circuit, wherein the voltage associated with the node of the second circuit is associated with an anode of the diode; and

an AND gate configured to receive signals from the comparator and the PWM signal; and

wherein the second circuit is configured to:

determine a voltage value associated with a drain of the power MOSFET;

determine if the voltage value associated with the drain and the source of the power MOSFET is above a threshold voltage value;

if the voltage value associated with the drain of the power MOSFET is above the threshold voltage value, suppress the PWM signal to the gate of the power MOSFET, wherein, to suppress the PWM signal, the AND gate is configured to suppress the PWM signal to the gate of the power MOSFET; and

if the voltage value associated with the drain of the power MOSFET is not above the threshold voltage value, permit the PWM signal to the gate of the power MOSFET, wherein, to permit the PWM signal, the AND gate is configured to permit the PWM signal to the gate of the power MOSFET.

10. The LLC converter of claim 9 , wherein the first circuit includes the second circuit.

11. The LLC converter of claim 9 , wherein the power MOSFET is a n-channel power MOSFET.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052851/0081) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060436/0441 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052851/0917) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060436/0509 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052852/0022) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060436/0582 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 052771 FRAME 0906 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058001/0298 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052852/0022 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052851/0081 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052851/0917 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 28, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 052771/0906 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 23, 2020
From: COOK, WAYNE KENNETH; LEI, YANG; BREEN, JOHN J.; WANG, LEI
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 052478/0396 →