Converter with hysteretic control

1. A hysteretic power converter comprising:

a switched mode power supply comprising an inductor, an electronically controlled switch and an output capacitor, said electronically controlled switch arranged to alternately open and close a loop with said inductor and leads of a power source;

a synchronization circuit arranged to synchronize said switched mode power supply with a periodic signal, said synchronization circuit arranged to close said electronically controlled switch responsive to each and every occurrence of a predetermined condition of the periodic signal;

a hysteretic comparator, a first input of said hysteretic comparator coupled to a feedback connection and arranged to receive from the feedback connection a feedback signal providing a representation of the voltage across said output capacitor, said electronically controlled switch opened responsive to the output of said hysteretic comparator;

a reference voltage source coupled to a second input of said hysteretic comparator and arranged to provide a reference voltage;

a ramp capacitor coupled to one of said reference voltage source and said feedback connection;

a current source, a terminal of said current source coupled to said ramp capacitor and arranged to drive current to said ramp capacitor;

a switchable current source, a terminal of said switchable current source coupled to said ramp capacitor, said switchable current source arranged to drive current to said ramp capacitor in a direction opposite the current driven by said current source, wherein said switchable current source is alternately enabled and disabled responsive to the output of said hysteretic comparator; and

an auto-zero circuit coupled across said ramp capacitor and arranged to set the average voltage across said ramp capacitor to zero.

2. The hysteretic power converter according to claim 1 , wherein said switchable current source is arranged to provide a current, when enabled, whose amplitude is a function of the voltage of the leads of the power source.

3. The hysteretic power converter according to claim 1 , wherein said current source is arranged to provide a current whose amplitude is a function of the reference voltage source.

4. The hysteretic power converter according to claim 1 , further comprising a voltage divider, an end of said voltage divider coupled to said output capacitor, the feedback connection being a connection to the common node of said voltage divider.

5. The hysteretic power converter according to claim 1 , wherein said switchable current source is enabled when said electronically controlled switch is closed, and disabled when said first electronically controlled switch is open.

6. The hysteretic power converter according to claim 1 , wherein said current source and said switchable current source are selected such that the average voltage across said ramp capacitor is zero.

7. The hysteretic power converter according to claim 6 , further comprising a ramp resistor coupled in parallel with said ramp capacitor.

8. A hysteretic power converter comprising:

a switched mode power supply comprising an inductor, an electronically controlled switch and an output capacitor, said electronically controlled switch arranged to alternately open and close a loop with said inductor and leads of a power source;

a hysteretic comparator, a first input of said hysteretic comparator coupled to a feedback connection and arranged to receive from the feedback connection a feedback signal providing a representation of the voltage across said output capacitor, said electronically controlled switch opened and closed responsive to the output of said hysteretic comparator;

a reference voltage source coupled to a second input of said hysteretic comparator and arranged to provide a reference voltage;

a ramp capacitor coupled to one of said reference voltage source and said feedback connection;

a current source, a terminal of said current source coupled to said ramp capacitor and arranged to drive current to said ramp capacitor;

a switchable current source, a terminal of said switchable current source coupled to said ramp capacitor, said switchable current source arranged to drive current to said ramp capacitor in a direction opposite the current driven by said current source, wherein said switchable current source is alternately enabled and disabled responsive to the output of said hysteretic comparator; and

an auto-zero circuit coupled across said ramp capacitor and arranged to set the average voltage across said ramp capacitor to zero,

wherein said auto-zero circuit comprises:

a first transconductance amplifier;

a second transconductance amplifier; and

an averaging capacitor,

a first input of said first transconductance amplifier coupled to a first end of said ramp capacitor and a second input of said first transconductance amplifier coupled to a second end of said ramp capacitor, the output of said first transconductance amplifier coupled to a first input of said second transconductance amplifier, said averaging capacitor coupled between the first input of said second transconductance amplifier and a second input of said second transconductance amplifier and arranged to reflect the average of the voltage across said ramp capacitor, the output of said second transconductance amplifier coupled to the first end of said ramp capacitor,

wherein in the event that the average voltage across said ramp capacitor increases, said second transconductance amplifier outputs a current so as to decrease the voltage across said ramp capacitor and in the event that the average voltage across said ramp capacitor decreases, said second transconductance amplifier outputs a current so as to increase the voltage across said ramp capacitor.

9. The hysteretic power converter according to claim 8 , further comprising a synchronization circuit arranged to synchronize said switched mode power supply with a periodic signal.

10. The hysteretic power converter according to claim 1 , wherein said synchronization circuit is further arranged to open said electronically controlled switch after expiration of a fixed maximum period.

11. The hysteretic power converter according to claim 1 , further comprising a slope compensation circuit.

12. A hysteretic power converter comprising:

a switched mode power supply comprising an inductor, an electronically controlled switch and an output capacitor, said electronically controlled switch arranged to alternately open and close a loop with said inductor and a power source;

a synchronization circuit arranged to synchronize said switched mode power supply with a periodic signal, said synchronization circuit arranged to close said electronically controlled switch responsive to each and every occurrence of a predetermined condition of the periodic signal;

a hysteretic comparator, a first input of said hysteretic comparator coupled to a feedback connection and arranged to receive from said feedback connection a feedback signal providing a representation of the voltage across said output capacitor, said electronically controlled switch opened responsive to the output of said hysteretic comparator;

a reference voltage source coupled to a second input of said hysteretic comparator and arranged to produce a reference voltage;

a ramp generator arranged to generate a ramp voltage added to one of said reference voltage and the feedback signal, said ramp generator comprising:

a current source, a switchable current source and a ramp capacitor, a terminal of each of said current source and said switchable current source coupled to said ramp capacitor, said current source and said switchable current source arranged to drive current to said ramp capacitor in opposing directions,

wherein said switchable current source is alternately enabled and disabled responsive to the output of said hysteretic comparator, and

an auto-zero circuit coupled across said ramp capacitor and arranged to set the average of said generated ramp voltage to zero.

13. The hysteretic power converter according to claim 12 , wherein said current source is arranged to provide a current whose amplitude is a function of said reference voltage source, and said switchable current source is arranged to provide a current, when enabled, whose amplitude is a function of the voltage of the leads of the power source.

14. The hysteretic power converter according to claim 12 , further comprising a voltage divider, an end of said voltage divider coupled to said output capacitor, wherein the feedback connection is a connection to the common node of said voltage divider.

15. The hysteretic power converter according to claim 12 , wherein said switchable current source is enabled when said electronically controlled switch is closed, and disabled when said electronically controlled switch is open.

16. The hysteretic power converter according to claim 12 , wherein said current source and said switchable current source are selected such that the average of said generated ramp voltage is zero.

17. The hysteretic power converter according to claim 16 , wherein said ramp generator further comprises a ramp resistor coupled in parallel with said ramp capacitor.

18. A hysteretic power converter comprising:

a switched mode power supply comprising an inductor, an electronically controlled switch and an output capacitor, said electronically controlled switch arranged to alternately open and close a loop with said inductor and a power source;

a hysteretic comparator, a first input of said hysteretic comparator coupled to a feedback connection and arranged to receive from said feedback connection a feedback signal providing a representation of the voltage across said output capacitor, said electronically controlled switch opened and closed responsive to the output of said hysteretic comparator;

a reference voltage source coupled to a second input of said hysteretic comparator and arranged to produce a reference voltage;

a ramp generator arranged to generate a ramp voltage added to one of said reference voltage and the feedback signal, said ramp generator comprising:

a current source, a switchable current source and a ramp capacitor, a terminal of each of said current source and said switchable current source coupled to said ramp capacitor, said current source and said switchable current source arranged to drive current to said ramp capacitor in opposing directions,

wherein said switchable current source is alternately enabled and disabled responsive to the output of said hysteretic comparator, and

an auto-zero circuit coupled across said ramp capacitor and arranged to set the average of said generated ramp voltage to zero,

wherein said auto-zero circuit comprises:

a first transconductance amplifier;

a second transconductance amplifier; and

an averaging capacitor,

a first input of said first transconductance amplifier coupled to a first end of said ramp capacitor and a second input of said first transconductance amplifier coupled to a second end of said ramp capacitor, the output of said first transconductance amplifier coupled to a first input of said second transconductance amplifier, said averaging capacitor coupled between the first input of said second transconductance amplifier and a second input of said second transconductance amplifier and arranged to reflect the average of the voltage across said ramp capacitor, the output of said second transconductance amplifier coupled to the first end of said ramp capacitor,

wherein in the event that the average of said generated ramp voltage increases, said second transconductance amplifier outputs a current so as to decrease said generated ramp voltage and in the event that the average of said generated ramp voltage decreases, said second transconductance amplifier outputs a current so as to increase said generated ramp voltage.

19. The hysteretic power converter according to claim 18 , further comprising a synchronization circuit arranged to synchronize said switched mode power supply with a periodic signal.

20. The hysteretic power converter according to claim 12 , wherein said synchronization circuit is further arranged to open said electronically controlled switch after expiration of a fixed maximum period.

21. The hysteretic power converter according to claim 12 , further comprising a slope compensation circuit.

22. A method of hysteretic power conversion comprising:

providing a switched mode power supply constituted of an inductor and an output capacitor;

providing a hysteretic comparator;

providing to a first terminal of said provided hysteretic comparator a feedback signal representative of the voltage across said output capacitor;

responsive to the output of said hysteretic comparator, alternately opening and closing a loop with said inductor and a power supply;

providing a reference voltage;

providing a current source;

providing a switchable current source;

generating a ramp voltage responsive to said provided current source and said provided switchable current source coupled to a common node, wherein said switchable current source is alternately enabled and disabled responsive to the output of said hysteretic comparator;

adding said generated ramp voltage to one of said provided reference voltage and said provided feedback signal;

providing a first transconductance amplifier arranged to receive said generated ramp voltage;

providing an averaging capacitor arranged to receive the output of said provided first transconductance amplifier, wherein the voltage across said provided averaging capacitor reflects the average of said generated ramp voltage;

providing a second transconductance amplifier arranged to receive the voltage across said provided averaging capacitor; and

actively setting the average of said generated ramp voltage to zero responsive to the output of said provided second transconductance amplifier.

23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein said switchable current source is enabled when said first electronically controlled switch is closed, and disabled when said first electronically controlled switch is opened.

24. A method of hysteretic power conversion comprising:

providing a switched mode power supply constituted of an inductor and an output capacitor;

closing, responsive to each and every occurrence of a predetermined condition of a received periodic signal, a loop with said inductor and a power supply thereby synchronizing said provided switched mode power supply to the received periodic signal;

providing a hysteretic comparator;

providing to a first terminal of said provided hysteretic comparator a feedback signal representative of the voltage across said output capacitor;

responsive to the output of said hysteretic comparator, opening the loop with said inductor and the power supply;

providing a reference voltage;

providing a current source;

providing a switchable current source;

generating a ramp voltage responsive to said provided current source and said provided switchable current source coupled to a common node, wherein said switchable current source is alternately enabled and disabled responsive to the output of said hysteretic comparator; and

adding said generated ramp voltage to one of said provided reference voltage and said provided feedback signal.