Powering a synchronous rectifier controller
View Patent ↗The embodiments herein describe a switched mode power converter. In particular, the embodiments herein disclose a method for powering a synchronous rectifier controller that enables synchronous rectification in the switched mode power converter. The synchronous rectifier controller may be enabled by a regulator circuit or directly from the output voltage.
1. A switching power converter comprising:
a transformer including a primary winding coupled to an input voltage and a secondary winding coupled to an output of the switching power converter;
a switch coupled to the primary winding of the transformer, current through the primary winding being generated while the switch is turned on and not being generated while the switch is turned off;
a first controller configured to generate a first control signal to turn on or turn off the switch at each switching cycle of the switch;
a synchronous rectifier switch coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer, power delivered to the output of the switching power converter when the synchronous rectifier switch is turned on and power not delivered to the output of the switching power converter when the synchronous rectifier switch is turned off;
a second controller coupled to an output voltage of the switching power converter and configured to generate a second control signal to turn on or turn off the synchronous rectifier switch at each switching cycle of the synchronous rectifier switch; and
a regulator circuit configured to enable the second controller to control the synchronous rectifier switch if the output voltage of the switching power converter is less than a threshold voltage.
2. The switching power converter of claim 1 , wherein the regulator circuit is configured to enable the second controller by generating a bias voltage to power the second controller if the output voltage of the switching power converter is less than the threshold voltage.
3. The switching power converter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a detector circuit configured to determine if the output voltage of the switching power converter is less than the threshold voltage or greater than the threshold voltage;
wherein the detector circuit is further configured to disable the regulator circuit from enabling the second controller if the output voltage of the switching power converter is greater than the threshold voltage; and
wherein the second controller is enabled using the output voltage of the switching power converter if the regulator circuit is disabled.
4. The switching power converter of claim 1 , wherein the secondary winding of the transformer includes a first end and a second end, wherein the synchronous rectifier switch is coupled between the second end and ground.
5. The switching power converter of claim 4 , wherein the synchronous rectifier switch couples the second end of the secondary winding to ground when the synchronous rectifier switch is turned on and decouples the second end of the secondary winding from ground when the synchronous rectifier switch is turned off.
6. The switching power converter of claim 1 , wherein the regulator circuit is integrated in the second controller.
7. The switching power converter of claim 3 , wherein the regulator circuit and the detector are integrated in the second controller.
8. The switching power converter of claim 1 , wherein the regulator circuit is a linear regulator circuit or a charge pump circuit.
9. A switching power converter comprising:
a transformer including a primary winding coupled to an input voltage and a secondary winding coupled to an output of the switching power converter;
a switch coupled to the primary winding of the transformer, current through the primary winding being generated while the switch is turned on and not being generated while the switch is turned off;
a first controller configured to generate a first control signal to turn on or turn off the switch at each of a plurality of switching cycles of the switch;
a synchronous rectifier switch coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer and the output of the switching power converter, power delivered to the output of the switching power converter when the synchronous rectifier switch is turned on and power not delivered to the output of the switching power converter when the synchronous rectifier switch is turned off;
a second controller configured to generate a second control signal to turn on or turn off the synchronous rectifier switch at each of a plurality of switching cycles of the synchronous rectifier switch; and
a regulator circuit coupled to the second controller, the regulator circuit configured to enable the second controller to control the synchronous rectifier switch during each of the plurality of switching cycles of the synchronous rectifier switch.
10. The switching power converter of claim 9 , wherein the regulator circuit is configured to enable the second controller by generating a bias voltage to power the second controller during each of the plurality of switching cycles of the switch.
11. The switching power converter of claim 9 , wherein the secondary winding of the transformer includes a first end and a second end, wherein the second switch is coupled between the first end and the output of the switching power converter.
12. The switching power converter of claim 9 , wherein the regulator circuit is integrated in the second controller.
13. The switching power converter of claim 9 , wherein the regulator circuit is a linear regulator circuit or a charge pump circuit.
14. In a second controller, a method of controlling a switching power converter, the switching power converter including a transformer including a primary winding coupled to an input voltage and a secondary winding coupled to an output of the switching power converter, a switch coupled to the primary winding of the transformer, current through the primary winding being generated while the switch is turned on and not being generated while the switch is turned off, the switching power converter further including a first controller configured to generate a first control signal to turn on or turn off the switch at each switching cycle of the switch, a synchronous rectifier switch coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer, the switching power converter further including the second controller coupled to an output voltage of the switching power converter, and the switching power converter further including a regulator circuit coupled to the second controller, the method comprising:
receiving, from the regulator circuit, a signal to enable the second controller to control the synchronous rectifier switch, the signal received if the output voltage of the switching power converter is less than a threshold voltage; and
generating a second control signal to turn on or turn off the synchronous rectifier switch at each switching cycle of the synchronous rectifier switch, power delivered to the output of the switching power converter when the synchronous rectifier switch is turned on and power not delivered to the output of the switching power converter when the synchronous rectifier switch is turned off.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
generating a bias voltage to power the second controller if the output voltage of the switching power converter is less than the threshold voltage.
16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
determining if the output voltage of the switching power converter is less than the threshold voltage or greater than the threshold voltage; and
disabling the regulator circuit from enabling the second controller if the output voltage of the switching power converter is greater than the threshold voltage;
wherein the second controller is enabled using the output voltage of the switching power converter if the regulator circuit is disabled.
17. In a second controller, a method of controlling a switching power converter, the switching power converter including a transformer including a primary winding coupled to an input voltage and a secondary winding coupled to an output of the switching power converter, a switch coupled to the primary winding of the transformer, current through the primary winding being generated while the switch is turned on and not being generated while the switch is turned off, the switching power converter further including a first controller configured to generate a first control signal to turn on or turn off the switch at each of a plurality of switching cycles of the switch, a synchronous rectifier switch coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer, the switching power converter further including the second controller, and the switching power converter further including a regulator circuit coupled to the second controller, the method comprising:
receiving, from the regulator circuit, a signal to enable the second controller to control the synchronous rectifier switch, the signal received during each of the plurality of switching cycles of the synchronous rectifier switch; and
generating a second control signal to turn on or turn off the synchronous rectifier switch at each of a plurality of switching cycles of the synchronous rectifier switch, power delivered to the output of the switching power converter when the synchronous rectifier switch is turned on and power not delivered to the output of the switching power converter when the synchronous rectifier switch is turned off.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
generating a bias voltage to power the second controller during each of the plurality of switching cycles of the switch.