IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,407,264
Granted Patent B2
US 12,407,264 · App. 18/298,340 · Granted Sep 2, 2025

Resonant flyback power converter and switching control circuit and method thereof

Inventors: Kun-Yu Lin (Hsinchu, TW); Ta-Yung Yang (Hsinchu, TW); Yu-Chang Chen (Hsinchu, TW); Hsin-Yi Wu (Hsinchu, TW); Fu-Ciao Syu (Hsinchu, TW); Chia-Hsien Yang (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation
H02M3/33571H02M1/0041H02M1/0058H02M1/32H02M3/01H02M3/33592H02M1/0009H02M1/0048H02M1/0054
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,407,264
App. No.
18/298,340
Granted
Sep 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A resonant flyback power converter includes: a first and a second transistors which form a half-bridge circuit for switching a transformer and a resonant capacitor to generate an output voltage; a current-sense device for sensing a switching current of the half-bridge circuit to generate a current-sense signal; and a switching control circuit generating a first and a second driving signals for controlling the first and the second transistors. The turn-on of the first driving signal controls the half-bridge circuit to generate a positive current to magnetize the transformer and charge the resonant capacitor. The turn-on of the second driving signal controls the half-bridge circuit to generate a negative current to discharge the resonant capacitor. The switching control circuit turns off the first transistor when the positive current exceeds a positive-over-current threshold, and/or, turns off the second transistor when the negative current exceeds a negative-over-current threshold.

Claims (36)

1. A resonant flyback power converter, comprising:

a first transistor and a second transistor which are configured to form a half-bridge circuit;

a current-sense device, coupled to the half-bridge circuit and configured to sense a primary switching current of the half-bridge circuit to generate a current-sense signal;

a transformer and a resonant capacitor which are connected in series and are coupled to the half-bridge circuit; and

a switching control circuit configured to operably generate a first driving signal and a second driving signal to control the first transistor and the second transistor respectively for switching the transformer and the resonant capacitor to generate an output voltage;

wherein during a turn-on period of the first driving signal, the switching control circuit controls the half-bridge circuit to generate a positive current of the primary switching current to magnetize the transformer and charge the resonant capacitor;

wherein during a turn-on period of the second driving signal, the switching control circuit controls the half-bridge circuit to generate a negative current of the primary switching current to discharge the resonant capacitor;

wherein the switching control circuit senses the current-sense signal to turn off the first transistor when a level of the positive current exceeds a positive-over-current threshold, and/or, to turn off the second transistor when a level of the negative current exceeds a negative-over-current threshold.

2. The resonant flyback power converter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein both the first driving signal and the second driving signal are turned off for an off-time period when the level of the negative current exceeds the negative-over-current threshold.

3. The resonant flyback power converter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the current-sense device is a current-sense resistor; the current-sense resistor is configured to sense the level of the positive current and the level of the negative current.

4. The resonant flyback power converter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the positive current and the negative current are in inverse polarity.

5. The resonant flyback power converter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second driving signal includes a minimum resonant period during a resonant cycle of the resonant flyback power converter; the minimum resonant period is decreased in response to the decrease of an output load, wherein the resonant cycle is related to a resonance of the resonant capacitor and the transformer.

6. The resonant flyback power converter as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a bias resistor; the bias resistor is coupled to the current-sense device for generating a current-sense signal; wherein the current-sense signal is configured to be compared with a first current threshold voltage for determining whether the positive current exceeds the positive-over-current threshold, and/or, to be compared with a second current threshold voltage for determining whether the negative current exceeds the negative-over-current threshold.

7. The resonant flyback power converter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein during a DCM operation, the second driving signal further includes an off-time period which is started after the transformer is demagnetized; wherein the off-time period is increased in response to the decrease of an output load; wherein the first driving signal and the second driving signal are turned off during the off-time period.

8. The resonant flyback power converter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a pulse width of the second driving signal is decreased in response to the decrease of an output load.

9. A switching control circuit, configured to operably control a resonant flyback power converter, wherein the resonant flyback power converter includes a first transistor and a second transistor which are configured to form a half-bridge circuit; a current-sense device, coupled to the half-bridge circuit and configured to sense a primary switching current of the half-bridge circuit to generate a current-sense signal; and a transformer and a resonant capacitor which are connected in series and are coupled to the half-bridge circuit, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor are configured to switch the transformer and the resonant capacitor to generate an output voltage; wherein the switching control circuit comprises:

a magnetizing control circuit, configured to operably generate a first driving signal to switch the first transistor; and

a resonant and ZVS control circuit, coupled to the magnetizing control circuit and configured to operably generate a second driving signal to switch the second transistor;

wherein during a turn-on period of the first driving signal, the switching control circuit controls the half-bridge circuit to generate a positive current of the primary switching current to magnetize the transformer and charge the resonant capacitor;

wherein during a turn-on period of the second driving signal, the switching control circuit controls the half-bridge circuit to generate a negative current of the primary switching current to discharge the resonant capacitor;

wherein the switching control circuit senses the current-sense signal to turn off the first transistor when a level of the positive current exceeds a positive-over-current threshold, and/or, to turn off the second transistor when a level of the negative current exceeds a negative-over-current threshold.

10. The switching control circuit as claimed in claim 9 , wherein both the first driving signal and the second driving signal are turned off for an off-time period when the level of the negative current exceeds the negative-over-current threshold.

11. The switching control circuit as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the current-sense device is a current-sense resistor; the current-sense resistor is configured to sense the level of the positive current and the level of the negative current.

12. The switching control circuit as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the positive current and the negative current are in inverse polarity.

13. The switching control circuit as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the second driving signal includes a minimum resonant period during a resonant cycle of the resonant flyback power converter; the minimum resonant period is decreased in response to the decrease of an output load, wherein the resonant cycle is related to a resonance of the resonant capacitor and the transformer.

14. The switching control circuit as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising a bias resistor; the bias resistor is coupled to the current-sense device for generating a current-sense signal; wherein the current-sense signal is configured to be compared with a first current threshold voltage for determining whether the positive current exceeds the positive-over-current threshold, and/or, to be compared with a second current threshold voltage for determining whether the negative current exceeds the negative-over-current threshold.

15. The switching control circuit as claimed in claim 9 , wherein during a DCM operation, the second driving signal further includes an off-time period which is started from the turn-off of the second driving signal; wherein the off-time period is increased in response to the decrease of an output load; wherein the first driving signal and the second driving signal are turned off during the off-time period.

16. The switching control circuit as claimed in claim 9 , wherein a pulse width of the second driving signal is decreased in response to the decrease of an output load.

17. A method, configured to operably control a resonant flyback power converter, wherein the resonant flyback power converter includes a first transistor and a second transistor which are configured to form a half-bridge circuit; a current-sense device, coupled to the half-bridge circuit and configured to sense a primary switching current of the half-bridge circuit to generate a current-sense signal; and a transformer and a resonant capacitor which are connected in series and are coupled to the half-bridge circuit, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor are configured to switch the transformer and the resonant capacitor to generate an output voltage; wherein the method comprises:

generating a first driving signal to switch the first transistor; and

generating a second driving signal to switch the second transistor;

wherein during a turn-on period of the first driving signal, the switching control circuit controls the half-bridge circuit to generate a positive current of the primary switching current to magnetize the transformer and charge the resonant capacitor;

wherein during a turn-on period of the second driving signal, the switching control circuit controls the half-bridge circuit to generate a negative current of the primary switching current to discharge the resonant capacitor;

wherein the switching control circuit senses the current-sense signal to turn off the first transistor when a level of the positive current exceeds a positive-over-current threshold, and/or, to turn off the second transistor when a level of the negative current exceeds a negative-over-current threshold.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein both the first driving signal and the second driving signal are turned off for an off-time period when the level of the negative current exceeds the negative-over-current threshold.

19. The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the positive current and the negative current are in inverse polarity.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 10, 2023
From: LIN, KUN-YU; YANG, TA-YUNG; CHEN, YU-CHANG; WU, HSIN-YI; SYU, FU-CIAO; YANG, CHIA-HSIEN
To: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063279/0631 →
Continuity (4)
Provisional Application 63379771 · Oct 17, 2022
Provisional Application 63379020 · Oct 11, 2022
Provisional Application 63378765 · Oct 7, 2022
Related Publication 20240120844A1 · Apr 11, 2024
References Cited (3)
US 8174850B2 · Adragna · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20110085355A1 · Adragna · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20230061145A1 · Fu · 2023 [cited by examiner]