IP Library Granted Patent US 9,391,512
Granted Patent B2
US 9,391,512 · App. 14/448,442 · Granted Jul 12, 2016

Control apparatus, switching power supply and control method for maintaining power conversion efficiency

Inventor: Toru Miyamae (Aichi, JP)
Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
H02M3/156H02M2001/0009H02M2001/0025
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,391,512
App. No.
14/448,442
Granted
Jul 12, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein are control apparatus, switching power supply, and control method embodiments for maintaining power conversion efficiency. An embodiment operates by determining whether or not a current of an inductor of the switching power supply has become less than or equal to a predetermined value, controlling a reference voltage based on at least one of a result of the determining or a result of comparing a voltage according to an output voltage of the switching power supply and the reference voltage, and pausing switching of the switching power supply based on the reference voltage.

Claims (20)

1. A control apparatus for a switching power supply, comprising:

a pause controller configured to pause switching of the switching power supply based on a reference voltage;

a current determination part configured to determine whether or not a current of an inductor of the switching power supply has become less than or equal to a predetermined value; and

a reference voltage controller configured to control the reference voltage based on a result of determining by the current determination part and a result of comparing a voltage according to an output voltage of the switching power supply and the reference voltage.

2. The control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reference voltage controller changes the reference voltage when the current determination part determines that the current of the inductor has become less than or equal to the predetermined value and the pause controller does not pause switching.

3. The control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reference voltage controller increases the reference voltage when the current determination part determines that the current of the inductor has become less than or equal to the predetermined value and the voltage according to the output voltage is higher than the reference voltage.

4. The control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reference voltage controller decreases the reference voltage when the current determination part does not determine that the current of the inductor has become less than or equal to the predetermined value and the voltage according to the output voltage is less than or equal to the reference voltage.

5. The control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reference voltage controller maintains the reference voltage when the current determination part determines that the current of the inductor has become less than equal to the predetermined value and the voltage according to the output voltage is less than or equal to the reference voltage.

6. The control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reference voltage controller maintains the reference voltage when the current determination part does not determine that the current of the inductor has become less than equal to the predetermined value and the voltage according to the output voltage is higher than the reference voltage.

7. The control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pause controller pauses switching of the switching power supply when the current determination part determines that the current of the inductor has become less than or equal to the predetermined value and the voltage according to the output voltage is less than or equal to the reference voltage.

8. A switching power supply, comprising:

an output part comprising a switch and an inductor; and

a control apparatus comprising:

a pause controller configured to pause switching of the switching power supply based on a reference voltage;

a current determination part configured to determine whether or not a current of the inductor of the switching power supply has become less than or equal to a predetermined value; and

a reference voltage controller configured to control the reference voltage based on a result of determining by the current determination part and a result of comparing a voltage according to an output voltage of the switching power supply and the reference voltage.

9. A control method for a switching power supply, comprising:

determining whether or not a current of an inductor of the switching power supply has become less than or equal to a predetermined value;

controlling a reference voltage based on a result of the determining and a result of comparing a voltage according to an output voltage of the switching power supply and the reference voltage; and

pausing switching of the switching power supply based on the reference voltage.

Assignments (7)
MERGER Recorded Nov 14, 2025
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AMERICAS CORP.
Reel/Frame 073571/0456 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 16, 2022
From: MUFG UNION BANK, N.A.
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
Reel/Frame 059410/0438 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE 8647899 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 035240 FRAME 0429. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTERST. Recorded Nov 3, 2020
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 058002/0470 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Oct 28, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: MUFG UNION BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 050896/0366 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2015
From: SPANSION LLC
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 035902/0641 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2015
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 035240/0429 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 1, 2014
From: MIYAMAE, TORU
To: SPANSION LLC
Reel/Frame 033444/0751 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160036322A1 · Feb 4, 2016