IP Library Granted Patent US 7,928,758
Granted Patent B2
US 7,928,758 · App. 12/471,538 · Granted Apr 19, 2011

Transistor gate driving circuit with power saving of power converter

Assignee: System General Corp.
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,928,758
App. No.
12/471,538
Granted
Apr 19, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A transistor gate driving circuit is developed for power saving. It includes a first high-side transistor, a second high-side transistor and a low-side transistor. A voltage clamp device is connected to the gate terminal of the first high-side transistor to limit the maximum output voltage. A detection circuit is coupled to detect a feedback signal of the power converter. The feedback signal is correlated to the output load of the power converter. The detection circuit will generate a disable signal in response to the level of the feedback signal. The disable signal is coupled to disable the second high-side transistor once the level of the feedback signal is lower than a threshold.

Claims (30)

1. A transistor gate driving circuit with power saving of power converter, comprising:

a first high-side transistor, having a drain terminal to receive a supply voltage, and a source terminal to generate a drive signal for driving a gate terminal of a transistor of the power converter;

a second high-side transistor, having a source terminal to receive the supply voltage, and a drain terminal to generate the drive signal;

a low-side transistor, having a drain terminal to generate the drive signal, and a source terminal coupled to a ground;

a control circuit, coupled to control gate terminals of the first high-side transistor, the second high-side transistor and the low-side transistor in response to a switching signal; and

a detection circuit, generating a disable signal to limit the drive signal in response to a load condition of the power converter, wherein the disable signal is coupled to disable the second high-side transistor to reduce a switching loss at a light-load once the load condition of the power converter is lower than a threshold.

2. The transistor gate driving circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control circuit further comprises a voltage clamp device coupled to the gate terminal of the first high-side transistor to clamp a maximum output voltage of the drive signal.

3. The transistor gate driving circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit is coupled to an output terminal of the power converter to receive a feedback signal for generating the disable signal, the feedback signal is correlated to the load condition of the power converter.

4. The transistor gate driving circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit is further coupled to an input terminal of the power converter to receive an input signal, the threshold is decreased in response to the increase of the input signal.

5. The transistor gate driving circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit further comprises a delay circuit providing a delay time for generating the disable signal once the load condition of the power converter is lower than the threshold.

6. The transistor gate driving circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit further comprises an input detector coupled to an input terminal of the power converter to receive an input signal for generating the threshold.

7. The transistor gate driving circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first high-side transistor and the low-side transistor can be N-type transistors, the second high-side transistor can be P-type transistor.

8. The transistor gate driving circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the switching signal is generated by a switching control circuit.

9. A transistor gate driving circuit with power saving of power converter, comprising:

a switch circuit, generating a drive signal for driving a transistor of the power converter;

a control circuit, controlling the switch circuit in response to a switching signal; and

a detection circuit, generating a disable signal to limit the drive signal in response to a load condition of the power converter, wherein the disable signal limits the drive signal when the load condition of the power converter is a light-load.

10. The transistor gate driving circuit as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the switch circuit comprises:

a first high-side transistor, receiving a supply voltage and generating the drive signal for driving the transistor of the power converter;

a second high-side transistor, receiving the supply voltage and generating the drive signal; and

a low-side transistor, generating the drive signal and coupled to a ground.

11. The transistor gate driving circuit as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the second high-side transistor is disabled by the disable signal to reduce a switching loss at the light-load.

12. The transistor gate driving circuit as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the control circuit further comprises a voltage clamp device coupled to the first high-side transistor to clamp a maximum output voltage of the drive signal.

13. The transistor gate driving circuit as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the first high-side transistor and the low-side transistor can be N-type transistors, the second high-side transistor can be P-type transistor.

14. The transistor gate driving circuit as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the detection circuit further comprises a delay circuit providing a delay time for generating the disable signal once the load condition of the power converter is a light-load.

15. The transistor gate driving circuit as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the detection circuit is coupled to an output terminal of the power converter to receive a feedback signal for generating the disable signal, the feedback signal is correlated to the load condition of the power converter.

16. The transistor gate driving circuit as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the load condition of the power converter is the light-load once the load condition of the power converter is lower than a threshold.

17. The transistor gate driving circuit as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the detection circuit is further coupled to an input terminal of the power converter to receive an input signal, the threshold is decreased in response to the increase of the input signal.

18. The transistor gate driving circuit as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the detection circuit further comprises an input detector coupled to an input terminal of the power converter to receive an input signal for generating the threshold.

19. The transistor gate driving circuit as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the switching signal is generated by a switching control circuit.

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 May 26, 2009
From: YANG, TA-YUNG; LI, CHUAN-CHANG
To: SYSTEM GENERAL CORP.
Reel/Frame 022730/0334 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090309634A1 · Dec 17, 2009