Granted Patent B2

US 12,317,387 · App. 18/151,997 · Granted May 27, 2025

Inventors: Roberto Penzo (Vigonza, IT); Maurizio Galvano (Padua, IT)

Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG

H05B45/52H02M1/32H05B45/37

Abstract

Claims (98)

1. A circuit configured to control power delivered to a load, the circuit comprising:

a power converter comprising a compensation terminal, wherein the power converter is configured to generate an output electrical current, wherein at least a portion of the output electrical current flows through the load;

a switching device;

a sensor configured to generate an electrical signal to indicate a magnitude of electrical current through the load; and

a driver circuit configured to protect the load from an overshoot of electrical current, wherein to protect from the overshoot of electrical current, the driver circuit is configured to:

compare the magnitude of electrical current through the load to an overshoot trigger threshold;

in response to determining that the magnitude of electrical current through the load satisfies the overshoot trigger threshold, cause the switching device to turn on and redirect an undesired electrical current through the switching device, wherein the output electrical current is split into the undesired electrical current through the switching device and a desired electrical current, wherein the desired electrical current continues to flow through the load; and

apply an adjustable discharge current to the compensation terminal of the power converter, wherein the adjustable discharge current is separate from the output electrical current generated by the power converter,

wherein the driver circuit causes the switching device to turn on and to turn off based on the overshoot trigger threshold, which defines a pattern of square wave pulses,

wherein characteristics of the pattern of square wave pulses comprise a pulse density;

wherein characteristics of a square wave pulse of the pattern of square wave pulses comprises a duration of the square wave pulse,

wherein a magnitude of the adjustable discharge current delivered to the compensation terminal is based on both:

the duration of the square wave pulse, wherein the duration of the square wave pulse corresponds to a duration that the switching device is turned on; and

the pulse density.

2. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the driver circuit is configured to increase the magnitude of the adjustable discharge current in response to an increase in the duration of the square wave pulse.

3. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the driver circuit is configured to increase the magnitude of the adjustable discharge current in response to an increase in the pulse density.

4. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the driver circuit comprises a counter that is configured to determine the magnitude of the adjustable discharge current based on the pattern of square wave pulses.

5. The circuit of claim 4 ,

wherein the magnitude of electrical current through the load satisfies the overshoot trigger threshold at a first time; and

wherein, in response to determining that the magnitude of electrical current through the load fails to satisfy the overshoot trigger threshold at a second time subsequent to the first time, the driver circuit is further configured to change the adjustable discharge current to a second current level different from a first current level,

wherein, in response to determining that the magnitude of electrical current through the load satisfies the overshoot trigger threshold at a third time subsequent to the second time, the driver circuit is configured to increase the adjustable discharge current.

6. The circuit of claim 5 , wherein the driver circuit is further configured to turn off the adjustable discharge current when the counter is less than or equal to zero.

7. The circuit of claim 4 ,

wherein the magnitude of electrical current through the load satisfies the overshoot trigger threshold at a first time;

wherein the driver circuit is configured to deliver the adjustable discharge current to the compensation terminal at a first current level, subsequent to the first time;

wherein, in response to determining that the magnitude of electrical current continues to satisfy the overshoot trigger threshold at a second time subsequent to the first time, the driver circuit is further configured to change the adjustable discharge current to a second current level different from the first current level;

wherein the second current level is a higher magnitude of current than the first current level, and

wherein the driver circuit is configured to increase to the second current level in response to the counter satisfying a counter threshold.

8. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the load comprises a string of light emitting diodes (LED).

9. A system configured to control power delivered to a load, the system comprising:

a power source;

a load controller configured to control operation of the load;

a power converter comprising a compensation terminal, wherein the power converter is configured to generate an output electrical current;

a switching device;

a sensor configured to generate an electrical signal to indicate a magnitude of electrical current through the load; and

a driver circuit configured to protect the load from an overshoot of electrical current, wherein to protect from the overshoot of electrical current, the driver circuit is configured to:

compare the magnitude of electrical current through the load to an overshoot trigger threshold;

in response to determining that the magnitude of electrical current through the load satisfies the overshoot trigger threshold, cause the switching device to turn on and redirect an undesired electrical current through the switching device, wherein the output electrical current is split into the undesired electrical current through the switching device, and a desired electrical current, wherein the desired electrical current continues to flow through the load; and

apply an adjustable discharge current to the compensation terminal of the power converter, wherein the adjustable discharge current is separate from the output electrical current generated by the power converter,

wherein the driver circuit causes the switching device to turn on and to turn off based on the overshoot trigger threshold that defines a pattern of square wave pulses,

wherein characteristics of the pattern of square wave pulses comprise a pulse density;

wherein characteristics of a square wave pulse of the pattern of square wave pulses comprises a duration of the square wave pulse,

wherein a magnitude of the adjustable discharge current delivered to the compensation terminal is based on both:

the duration of the square wave pulse, wherein the duration of the square wave pulse is the duration that the switching device is turned on; and

the pulse density.

10. The system of claim 9 ,

wherein the load comprises a string of light emitting diodes (LED), and

wherein the load controller is configured to turn ON or to turn OFF at least one LED of the string of LEDs.

11. The system of claim 9 ,

wherein the magnitude of electrical current through the load satisfies the overshoot trigger threshold at a first time; and

wherein, in response to determining that the magnitude of electrical current through the load fails to satisfy the overshoot trigger threshold at a second time subsequent to the first time, the driver circuit is further configured to change the adjustable discharge current to a second current level different from a first current level,

wherein, in response to determining that the magnitude of electrical current through the load satisfies the overshoot trigger threshold at a third time subsequent to the second time, the driver circuit is configured to increase the adjustable discharge current.

12. The system of claim 11 ,

wherein the driver circuit comprises a counter that is configured to determine a magnitude of the adjustable discharge current based on the pattern of square wave pulses, and

wherein the driver circuit is configured to increase to the second current level unless the counter satisfies a counter threshold.

13. The system of claim 9 ,

wherein the magnitude of electrical current through the load satisfies the overshoot trigger threshold at a first time;

wherein the driver circuit is configured to apply the adjustable discharge current to the compensation terminal at a first current level, subsequent to the first time; and

wherein, in response to determining that the magnitude of electrical current through the load continues to satisfy the overshoot trigger threshold at a second time subsequent to the first time, the driver circuit is further configured to change the adjustable discharge current to a second current level different from the first current level.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the second current level is a higher magnitude of current than the first current level.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the driver circuit is configured to increase the magnitude of adjustable discharge current in response to an increase in the duration of the square wave pulse.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the driver circuit is configured to increase the magnitude of the adjustable discharge current in response to an increase in the pulse density.

17. A method of protecting a load from electrical current overshoot, the method comprising:

receiving, from a sensor, an electrical signal indicating a magnitude of an output electrical current,

wherein at least some of the output electrical current flows through the load, and

wherein a power converter, comprising a compensation terminal, delivers the output electrical current;

comparing the indicated magnitude of the electrical current through the load to an overshoot trigger threshold;

in response to determining that the magnitude of the electrical current through the load satisfies the overshoot trigger threshold:

causing a switching device to turn on and splitting the output electrical current into:

an undesired electrical current through the switching device; and

a desired electrical current, wherein the desired electrical current continues to flow through the load; and

delivering an adjustable discharge current to the compensation terminal of the power converter, wherein the adjustable discharge current is separate from the electrical current generated by the power converter, wherein the method further comprises:

causing the switching device to turn on and to turn off based on the overshoot trigger threshold, which defines a pattern of square wave pulses,

wherein characteristics of the pattern of square wave pulses comprise a pulse density;

wherein characteristics of a square wave pulse of the pattern of square wave pulses comprise a duration of the square wave pulse,

wherein a magnitude of the adjustable discharge current delivered to the compensation terminal is based on both:

the duration of the square wave pulse, wherein the duration of the square wave pulse is the duration that the switching device is turned on; and

the pulse density.

18. A circuit configured to control power delivered to a load, the circuit comprising:

a power converter comprising a compensation terminal, wherein the power converter is configured to generate an output electrical current, wherein at least a portion of the output electrical current flows through the load;

a switching device;

a sensor configured to generate an electrical signal to indicate a magnitude of electrical current through the load; and

a driver circuit configured to protect the load from an overshoot of electrical current, wherein to protect from the overshoot of electrical current, the driver circuit is configured to:

compare the magnitude of electrical current through the load to an overshoot trigger threshold;

in response to determining that the magnitude of electrical current through the load satisfies the overshoot trigger threshold, cause the switching device to turn on and off, which defines a pattern of square waves, so as to redirect an undesired electrical current through the switching device, wherein the output electrical current is split into the undesired electrical current through the switching device and a desired electrical current, wherein

the desired electrical current continues to flow through the load; and

apply an adjustable discharge current to the compensation terminal of the power converter, wherein the adjustable discharge current is separate from the output electrical current generated by the power converter, wherein

the driver circuit comprises a counter that is configured to determine a magnitude of the adjustable discharge current based on the pattern of square wave pulses.

19. The circuit of claim 18 ,

wherein the magnitude of electrical current through the load satisfies the overshoot trigger threshold at a first time; and

wherein, in response to determining that the magnitude of electrical current through the load fails to satisfy the overshoot trigger threshold at a second time subsequent to the first time, the driver circuit is further configured to change the adjustable discharge current to a second current level different from a first current level,

wherein, in response to determining that the magnitude of electrical current through the load satisfies the overshoot trigger threshold at a third time subsequent to the second time, the driver circuit is configured to increase the adjustable discharge current.

20. The circuit of claim 18 ,

wherein the magnitude of electrical current through the load satisfies the overshoot trigger threshold at a first time;

wherein the driver circuit is configured to deliver the adjustable discharge current to the compensation terminal at a first current level, subsequent to the first time;

wherein, in response to determining that the magnitude of electrical current continues to satisfy the overshoot trigger threshold at a second time subsequent to the first time, the driver circuit is further configured to change the adjustable discharge current to a second current level different from the first current level;

wherein the second current level is a higher magnitude of current than the first current level, and

wherein the driver circuit is configured to increase to the second current level in response to the counter satisfying a counter threshold.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (12)