Optimization method and device for DC / DC converter

Abstract

The invention provides an optimization method for a DC / DC converter. The optimization method comprises the following steps: acquiring parameters of a chip for manufacturing a power device in the DC / DC converter; according to the parameters of the chip, obtaining first data representing that the switching loss of a power device in the DC / DC converter changes along with the change of the ripple current; and based on the first data, determining a current value or a range of a ripple current corresponding to the value or the range of the lowest switching loss of the power device so as to be used for manufacturing optimization parameters of a chip of the power device. Therefore, the power efficiency of the DC / DC converter based on the specific chip design is improved, and the performance of the DC / DC converter is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of electronics and electrical equipment, and in particular to a DC / DC converter (direct current / direct current converter). Background Art

[0002] A DC / DC converter is a conversion device that converts a DC power source into a DC power source of another voltage type. It can be used in various fields, such as in the automotive field, to meet requirements for different voltage levels.

[0003] Typically, a DC / DC converter includes power devices (including switching devices), inductors, capacitors, housings, and heat sinks, among which the cost of power devices accounts for a large portion of the cost of a DC / DC converter. In order to reduce the cost of a DC / DC converter, the cost of power devices is the most important factor to consider. The cost of power devices comes from two parts, namely: the bare die required to make power devices and its packaging technology and materials, among which the cost of the chip is the most prominent.

[0004] In addition, in the DC / DC converter, the selection of inductor and capacitor is also very important. How to determine the inductor and capacitor used to improve the performance of the DC / DC converter is also a problem that needs to be solved urgently. Summary of the invention

[0005] It is desirable to provide an optimization method and apparatus for a DC / DC converter, which can optimize the performance of a DC / DC converter based on a specific chip design and further potentially reduce the cost of the DC / DC converter.

[0006] The inventors of the present application have realized that by optimizing the ripple current of the DC / DC converter, it is possible to find the minimum switching loss value or range for a specific chip (such as a specific type of chip with a specific area), based on which the DC / DC converter can be designed to improve its performance, especially to improve its energy efficiency. Further, this makes it possible to find a relatively small area chip that meets the design requirements, thereby reducing the cost of the DC / DC converter.

[0007] According to one aspect, there is provided an optimization method for a DC / DC converter, characterized in that the optimization method comprises: obtaining parameters of a chip used to manufacture a power device in the DC / DC converter; obtaining first data indicating that a switching loss of the power device in the DC / DC converter changes with a ripple current according to the parameters of the chip; determining a current value or range of a ripple current corresponding to a value or range with the lowest switching loss of the power device based on the first data; and obtaining optimization parameters of the chip used to manufacture the power device based on the determined current value or range of the ripple current.

[0008] According to another aspect, an optimization device for a DC / DC converter is provided, characterized in that the optimization device includes: a first acquisition unit, which is used to acquire parameters of a chip used to manufacture a power device in the DC / DC converter and acquire first data representing that the switching loss of the power device in the DC / DC converter changes with the change of ripple current based on the parameters of the chip; a determination unit, which is used to determine a current value or range of a ripple current corresponding to a value or range with the lowest switching loss of the power device based on the first data; and a second acquisition unit, which acquires the optimization parameters of the chip used to manufacture the power device based on the determined current value or range of the ripple current.

[0009] According to still another aspect, a computer readable medium is provided, storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the method according to various embodiments of the present invention.

[0010] According to various embodiments of the present invention, the first data indicating that the switching loss of the power device changes with the change of the ripple current of the inductor flowing through the DC / DC converter can be used to obtain the minimum switching loss value or range and the corresponding optimal ripple current for a specific chip. Thus, the switching current of the power device corresponding to the minimum switching loss value or range can be determined, and the DC / DC converter can be optimized to improve its efficiency and reduce the switching power loss; further, the multi-objective optimization method for the DC / DC conversion circuit based on the ripple current and chip area can also reduce the chip area required for specific needs while reducing the switching power loss, thereby reducing the cost of the DC / DC converter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Embodiments are illustrated by way of example only and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements.

[0012] Figure 1 A graph showing current and voltage of a power device and corresponding power loss according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0013] Figure 2 A graph showing how the switching loss of a power device according to an embodiment of the present invention changes with the change of the ripple current;

[0014] Figure 3 A flow chart of an optimization method for a DC / DC converter according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0015] Figure 4A flow chart of an optimization method for a DC / DC converter according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0016] Figure 5 A flow chart of an optimization method for a DC / DC converter according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0017] Figure 6 A block diagram of an optimization device for a DC / DC converter according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0018] Various aspects and features of various embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the above drawings. The above drawings are only illustrative and not restrictive. In addition, not all parts of the device of the embodiment of the present invention are marked with reference numerals in the above drawings. Only relevant parts are marked in some drawings, which does not limit the parts to those shown in the drawings of the specification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Power devices include switching devices, which are the main cost factor of DC / DC converters. Moreover, after the power device is turned on, there is an on-resistance, so the current will consume energy on this resistance, and this part of the consumed energy is called conduction loss; and the opening and closing of the power device are not completed instantly. In the process of turning on the power device, there is a process of current rising and voltage falling. In the process of turning off the power device, there is a process of voltage rising and current falling. In the time corresponding to these two processes, the power device will also generate power loss, which is called switching loss. Therefore, the power loss of the power device mainly includes conduction loss and switching loss. Generally speaking, compared with the conduction loss, the switching loss occupies the main part.

[0020] In the design process of DC / DC converter, power loss is an important indicator. As the power loss increases, a larger chip area is often required to make power devices.

[0021] Figure 1 The graph shows the current and voltage of a power device and the corresponding power loss according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the abscissa represents time.

[0022] like Figure 1 As shown in the upper graph, the black curve (V DS ) shows the voltage variation of the power device during operation (including switching and conduction processes), with gray i D shows the current change of the power device during operation, where i DON The current when the corresponding power device is turned on, i DOFF The current when the corresponding power device is turned off.DON and i DOFF The difference between the two is called the ripple current Δi L By integrating the product of the corresponding current and voltage, the power loss of the power device during operation can be obtained, which includes switching loss and conduction loss. Figure 1 The lower curve graph shows the power loss of the power device as time t changes. Figure 1 It can be seen that, in general, the power loss corresponding to the turning on and off of the power device (i.e., switching loss) dominates the overall loss of the power device. Figure 1 As shown, the switching loss includes a turn-on loss Eon when the corresponding power device is turned on and a turn-off loss Eoff when the corresponding power device is turned off, and the part between Eon and Eoff is the conduction loss during the conduction period of the power device.

[0023] Through research, the inventors found that there is a certain correlation between the ripple current and the switching loss of the power device. By optimizing the ripple current of the DC / DC converter, the inventors can find the minimum switching loss value or range for a specific chip (such as a specific type of chip with a specific area), thereby optimizing the performance of the designed DC / DC converter.

[0024] Figure 2 The switching loss of the power device according to one embodiment of the present invention varies with the ripple current Δi L The curve graph changes with the change of Figure 2 As shown, the horizontal axis represents the analog value of the ripple current, such as 0-120A; the vertical axis represents the loss value of the power device, where Eon represents the turn-on loss of the power device, Eoff represents the turn-off loss of the power device, and Etot represents the overall switching loss of the power device, which can be obtained by adding the corresponding Eon and Eoff.

[0025] like Figure 2 It can be seen that there is a minimum value of Etot, or a minimum range of Etot. Specifically, Figure 2 In the curve, Etot is lowest when the ripple current is between 80-100A. This curve can determine the lowest value or range of the switching loss Etot of the power device, and correspondingly, the ripple current corresponding to the lowest value or range of Etot can be determined. This provides a basis for the design of DC / DC converters, making it easy to find the lowest value or range of switching loss and the corresponding value or range of ripple current for a specific chip. Based on this, the DC / DC converter is designed based on the specific chip, which can improve energy efficiency and the performance of the DC / DC converter.

[0026] Figure 3An optimization method 100 for a DC / DC converter according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. According to the method 100, at step 110, the parameters of a chip used to manufacture a power device in a DC / DC converter are obtained, such as the area and / or type of the chip, and the parameters of the power device of the manufactured DC / DC converter are obtained according to the parameters of the chip, especially data indicating that the switching loss of the power device changes with the change of its current (such as the drain-source current) is obtained. For the purpose of distinction, the data is referred to as the second data. The second data can be obtained in any form, including a curve and / or a table, etc.

[0027] The second data may be different according to different acquisition conditions and / or different chips. Different types of chips with different areas may be used to manufacture power devices, and each specific chip may have its own corresponding second data. The specific chip includes a specific type of chip with a specific area.

[0028] In some embodiments, the second data may be obtained through a data sheet. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the second data for a specific chip may be obtained through simulation. Usually, a data sheet only provides the second data for a specific chip (a specific type of chip with a specific area). If it is necessary to obtain the second data of a chip with an area different from the area of ​​the specific chips recorded in the data sheet, it may be obtained through simulation.

[0029] In addition, in one embodiment, the second data can be obtained by actually testing the desired switching device. Alternatively, in one embodiment, the second data can be first assumed to be a straight line model, and then the second data can be obtained by expanding the model based on a small number of data points in the data book. This is desirable in the case where the data book only provides a small number of data points and thus lacks the accurate second data required under the working conditions of the DC / DC converter.

[0030] After obtaining the second data of the parameters of the power device of the DC / DC converter made by the chip based on the parameters of the chip, in step 120, the corresponding switching current of the power device is determined for each of the multiple simulation values ​​of the ripple current. The multiple simulation values ​​can be any ripple current value within the ripple current interval to be simulated, and the ripple current interval to be simulated can be selected by the user or can be predetermined by the user. The rated average current i of the switching device when working in the DC / DC conversion circuit can be determined based on the rated average current i of the switching device when working in the DC / DC conversion circuit. 额定 and each analog value to determine the switching current corresponding to each analog value. For example, for the analog value I of the ripple current k , the switching current of the switching device can be determined as the turn-on current i DON =i 额定 +I k / 2, shutdown current i DOFF =i 额定 -I k / 2.

[0031] After determining the above-mentioned turn-on current and turn-off current, the corresponding turn-on current Eon and the corresponding turn-off current Eoff can be obtained based on the above-mentioned second data, thereby determining the switching loss Etot=Eon+Eoff corresponding to each analog value of the ripple current, and then based on multiple analog values ​​of the ripple current and multiple corresponding switching losses, it can be determined that the switching loss of the power device changes with the ripple current Δi L , for example Figure 2 The graph shown is referred to as first data in order to distinguish it from the second data described above.

[0032] After the first data is determined in step 120, the first data can be used to optimize the power loss and ripple current of the chip in steps 130-150. In particular, the current value or range of the ripple current corresponding to the value or range with the lowest switching loss of the power device can be determined based on the first data, and then the optimization parameters of the chip for manufacturing the power device can be obtained based on the determined current value or range of the ripple current.

[0033] Specifically, in step 130, a value or range with the lowest switching loss is determined based on the first data, and in step 140, a current value or range of the corresponding ripple current is determined based on the first data and the value or range with the lowest switching loss. Figure 2 As shown, it is determined that the value or range with the lowest switching loss occurs when the ripple current is between 80-100 A. After the current value or range of the ripple current is determined, in step 150, the optimization parameters of the chip for manufacturing the power device can be obtained based on the determined current value or range of the ripple current. The optimization parameters may include the switch current (including the optimized turn-on and turn-off currents) and the chip area, and the chip area may be used as the chip area included in the parameters of the chip in future optimization.

[0034] Further, the parameters of the capacitor and / or inductor used to make the DC / DC converter can be determined according to the optimized parameters. In particular, the optimized parameters include the switching current (including the optimized on-current and off-current). Based on the switching current, the capacitance value of the capacitor used to make the DC / DC converter and / or the inductance value of the inductor used to make the DC / DC converter can be calculated. For example, the optimized on-current is i ON , the optimized shutdown current is i OFF , the inductance value L can be calculated by dI / dt=ΔV / L. Here dI=i OFF -i ONΔV is the voltage difference between the on and off states.

[0035] In addition, the current value or range can be output for reference by technicians. For example, technicians can use the ripple current with the lowest value or range of corresponding loss to design the inductor and / or capacitor in the DC / DC converter. In step 150, the value or range with the lowest switching loss can also be output for reference by technicians. For example, technicians can use this value or range to design a heat sink for the DC / DC converter.

[0036] According to this embodiment, by determining the value or range of the lowest switching loss and the corresponding ripple current for a chip and designing a DC / DC converter accordingly, the performance of the DC / DC converter can be optimized, especially its power efficiency can be improved.

[0037] Although the reference Figure 3 The first step 110-120 is to determine the switching loss with the ripple current Δi L , and then perform optimization in steps 130-150. It can be expected that this is not restrictive, and the first data can also be obtained in other ways. For example, the first data of the corresponding chip has been predetermined and stored, and before step 130, only the pre-stored first data needs to be obtained. Of course, multiple first data for multiple different (such as different areas and / or different types) specific chips can also be pre-stored, and before step 130, the first data for the chip is obtained.

[0038] In addition, in one embodiment, although the power loss of the current chip used to manufacture the DC / DC converter is optimized and the corresponding ripple current value or range is obtained in steps 130-150, it is still possible that the optimized power loss value or range exceeds the allowable range of the desired power device to be manufactured. Figure 5 An optimization method 200 for a DC / DC converter according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein the value or range of the optimized power loss is further verified.

[0039] like Figure 4 Steps 210-230 shown are similar to those shown in Figure 3 The steps 110-130 shown are similar and will not be described in detail here. After determining the lowest switching loss value or range for the chip in step 230, the junction temperature for the chip can be determined based on the lowest switching loss value or range in step 232. The junction temperature of the switching device is affected by its switching loss and conduction loss. The calculation method of the junction temperature is known and can be calculated using any known algorithm, which will not be described in detail here.

[0040] Next, in step 234, it is determined whether the junction temperature calculated for the chip is within the acceptable predetermined range of the desired power device to be manufactured. Specifically, in one example, the calculated junction temperature can be compared with the predetermined junction temperature range for the power device to be manufactured. For example, if the maximum allowable junction temperature of the desired power device is 175 degrees, and the calculated junction temperature is 130 degrees, then the 130 degrees can be compared with 175 degrees to determine whether the junction temperature calculated for the chip is within the predetermined junction temperature range. The predetermined junction temperature range can be a predetermined range that is less than the maximum allowable junction temperature of the desired power device.

[0041] If it is determined in step 234 that the junction temperature is within the predetermined junction temperature range ( Figure 5 If "Y" is selected in the figure, then steps 240 and 250 may be continued. Here, steps 240 and 250 are the same as those in reference Figure 3 The described steps 140 and 150 are similar, such as determining the current value or range of the corresponding ripple current based on the first data and the value or range with the lowest switching loss to obtain the optimized parameters of the chip used to manufacture the power device, the optimized parameters including the switching current and the chip area included in the parameters of the chip.

[0042] If it is determined in step 234 that the junction temperature is not within the predetermined range ( Figure 4 In the example, if the calculated junction temperature is 180 degrees, which has exceeded the maximum allowable junction temperature range of the desired power device, then information indicating that the chip does not meet the design requirements can be output in step 236 for reference by designers.

[0043] The above describes, with reference to specific embodiments, the case where the power loss and ripple current of a chip are optimized to improve the power efficiency. Furthermore, it is also conceivable to reduce the cost of a DC / DC converter through optimization.

[0044] As mentioned above, the cost of power devices (mainly including switching devices, such as MOSFET, IGBT, GaN, etc.) in DC / DC converters accounts for the majority of the cost, and the cost of power devices is mainly determined by the chip area used. Therefore, in order to reduce the cost of DC / DC converters, it is necessary to reduce the chip area required to manufacture power devices. As power loss increases, larger chips are required to manufacture power devices, and thus, the cost of DC / DC converters also increases. Figure 3 and 4After the power loss of the chip used to make the power device of the DC / DC converter is optimized as described, that is, after the lowest power loss value or range of the specific chip to be used to make the power device of the DC / DC converter is obtained, if the lowest power loss value or range is much smaller than the maximum allowable loss of the desired power device to be made, then it is possible to allow the use of a chip with a smaller area to make the power device, thereby meeting the corresponding DC / DC converter design requirements. Therefore, it is possible to optimize (reduce) the cost of the DC / DC converter while optimizing the performance of the DC / DC converter.

[0045] Figure 5 FIG. 3 shows an optimization method 300 for a DC / DC converter according to an embodiment of the present invention. Steps 310-332 in the method 300 are similar to those in the reference Figure 4 The described steps 210-232 are similar.

[0046] The main difference between method 300 and method 200 is that in step 334, it is determined whether the junction temperature calculated for the current parameters of the chip used to manufacture the power device of the DC / DC converter is less than the maximum allowable junction temperature but is not within the predetermined range allowed by the power element intended to be manufactured using the chip. If yes, Figure 5 If "Y" is displayed in the figure, the process returns to step 310, adjusts the current parameters of the chip to obtain updated parameters, and further obtains updated first data of the power device manufactured using the chip based on the adjusted parameters in step 320, and then determines an updated minimum switching loss value or range of the power device based on the updated first data in step 330. Next, in step 334, it is determined whether the updated junction temperature of the power device determined based on the updated minimum switching loss value or range is less than the maximum allowable junction temperature but exceeds the predetermined range allowed by the power element expected to be manufactured using the chip. If yes, ( Figure 5 If "Y" is true, then return to step 310. If not ( Figure 5 If "N" is detected in the figure, for example, if it is determined that the updated junction temperature of the power device is less than the maximum allowable junction temperature and is within a predetermined range, steps 340 and 350 are performed next.

[0047] In one embodiment, in one cycle, the area of ​​the chip is adjusted from a larger first area to a smaller second area in step 310. After executing steps 320-330, it is determined in step 334 whether the junction temperature updated for the currently adjusted parameters is less than the maximum allowable junction temperature and is within a predetermined range less than the maximum allowable junction temperature of the desired power device, that is, whether the calculated updated junction temperature is less than the maximum allowable junction temperature and the deviation from the maximum allowable junction temperature is within a predetermined range. For example, the calculated junction temperature is 160 degrees, and the maximum allowable junction temperature is 175 degrees, and the predetermined range is a range of 20 degrees less than the maximum allowable junction temperature. Then the calculated junction temperature of 160 degrees is compared with the maximum allowable junction temperature of 175 degrees to determine whether it is within a predetermined range of 20 degrees less than the desired maximum allowable junction temperature of 175 degrees. If so, ( Figure 5 In the example of FIG. 3 , if the value or range of the ripple current corresponding to the power device is determined based on the updated value or range of the lowest switching loss and the updated first data, the value or range of the ripple current corresponding to the power device is determined in step 340, and the optimized parameters of the chip for manufacturing the power device are obtained based on the determined value or range of the ripple current in step 350, and the optimized parameters include the switching current and the chip area included in the parameters of the adjusted chip. The determined value or range of the ripple current may also be sent to a user interface, for example, to display it to the user, or to a subsequent processor for processing. Alternatively, in one embodiment, the switching current i of the corresponding power device may be determined based on the determined value or range of the ripple current in step 350. DON and i DOFF And output to, for example, a user interface, the specific calculation method is as described above. The processing of step 350 may be similar to steps 150 and 250 described above.

[0048] If it is determined that the junction temperature calculated for the chip is less than the maximum allowable junction temperature but outside the predetermined range allowed for the power device intended to be manufactured using the chip ( Figure 5), for example, when the calculated junction temperature is 130 degrees, it is obviously less than the maximum allowable junction temperature of 175 degrees by more than 20 degrees. This means that it is possible to use a specific chip with a smaller area to meet the design requirements of the DC / DC converter. Then, you can return to step 310 and adjust the current parameters of the chip, for example, adjust the area of ​​the chip to a smaller value. For the adjusted parameters, obtain updated first data indicating that the switching loss of the power device in the DC / DC converter changes with the change of the ripple current, and determine the lowest value or range of switching loss for the chip based on the newly acquired updated first data, because the second data of the chip may change after the chip parameters change, thereby causing the first data to change. Then continue to execute steps 332 and 334, that is, in step 332, determine the updated junction temperature for the chip based on the value or range of the lowest switching loss for the chip, and in step 334, determine whether the updated junction temperature for the chip is less than the maximum allowable junction temperature of the desired power device but exceeds a predetermined range. In this way, a specific chip with a smaller area is searched repeatedly until the junction temperature calculated for a certain chip is within a predetermined range less than the maximum allowable junction temperature of the desired power device, so that a specific chip with the smallest possible area that meets the design requirements can be found. Through the above method, a multi-objective optimization method for DC / DC converters based on both ripple current and parameters such as chip area is realized, and a specific chip with the smallest possible area can be found to manufacture power devices while meeting the design requirements, which obviously reduces the cost of DC / DC converters.

[0049] Although the above reference Figure 1-5 The present invention and the methods according to various embodiments are described, which are merely illustrative. It is expected that the steps of the above method can be modified / split / combined to achieve different effects. For example, in step 334, it is determined that the junction temperature of the chip is less than the maximum allowable junction temperature of the power device expected to exceed the predetermined range ( Figure 5 When "N" is selected in the figure, the process may also return to step 330, especially when a plurality of first data of the chip are known.

[0050] Figure 6 FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of an optimization device for a DC / DC converter according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 As shown, the optimization device 10 at least includes a first acquisition unit 11, a determination unit 12 and a second acquisition unit 13 (which may also be an output unit).

[0051] The first acquisition unit 11 is used to acquire parameters of a chip used to manufacture a power device, and acquire first data indicating that the switching loss of the power device in the manufactured DC / DC converter changes with the change of the ripple current according to the parameters. The chip is expected to be used to manufacture the power device in the DC / DC converter, and the chip cost is the main factor of the cost of the DC / DC converter.

[0052] The determination unit 12 is configured to determine a value or range with the lowest switching loss based on the acquired first data and determine a current value or range of the corresponding ripple current based on the first data and the determined value or range with the lowest switching loss.

[0053] The second acquisition unit 13 is used to acquire optimization parameters for manufacturing a chip of the power device based on the determined current value or range of the ripple current.

[0054] In one embodiment, the determination unit 12 is further configured to determine the junction temperature for the chip based on the value or range of the lowest switching loss; determine whether the junction temperature is within the predetermined range allowed by the desired power device; if it is determined that the junction temperature is within the predetermined range, determine the current value or range of the corresponding ripple current based on the first data and the value or range of the lowest switching loss. This ensures that the determined lowest switching loss value or range meets the loss requirements of the switching device to be manufactured.

[0055] In another embodiment, the determination unit 12 is further used to determine whether the junction temperature is within a predetermined range less than the expected maximum allowable junction temperature of the power device; if it is determined that the junction temperature is within a predetermined range less than the maximum allowable junction temperature, then the current value or range of the corresponding ripple current is determined based on the first data and the value or range of the lowest switching loss. If it is determined that the junction temperature is less than the maximum allowable junction temperature but exceeds the predetermined range, the following operations are repeatedly performed until the junction temperature is determined to be within a predetermined range less than the maximum allowable junction temperature: adjusting the current parameters of the chip, including reducing the chip area; obtaining updated first data indicating that the switching loss of the power device in the DC / DC converter changes with the change of the ripple current according to the adjusted chip parameters; determining an updated minimum switching loss value or range for the power device based on the updated first data; determining an updated junction temperature based on the updated minimum switching loss value or range; if it is determined that the updated junction temperature is less than the maximum allowable junction temperature of the power device but exceeds the predetermined range, then returning to continue adjusting the chip area, especially setting a smaller chip area. This allows for a continuous cycle of finding the smallest chip area that meets design requirements to create efficient devices, thereby reducing the cost of the DC / DC converter.

[0056] In one embodiment, the first acquisition unit 11 acquires the first data by performing the following operations: acquiring, for the chip, second data indicating that the switching loss of the power device changes with the change of its current; for each of the analog values ​​of a plurality of ripple currents, determining the switching current of the power device and determining the switching loss of the power device based on the switching current and the second data; and determining the first data based on the analog values ​​of the plurality of ripple currents and the corresponding switching losses.

[0057] Specifically, each step of methods 100, 200 and 300 can be respectively executed by the first acquisition unit 11, the determination unit 12 and the second acquisition unit 13. Although the optimization device of the present invention is described with reference to the first acquisition unit 11, the determination unit 12 and the second acquisition unit 13, this is not restrictive. In fact, each step of the method of the present invention can be executed by the same processor.

[0058] References Figure 1-6 Various embodiments of the method and device of the present invention are described, and these embodiments can be combined with each other to obtain different effects without being limited by the subject type. Furthermore, the various units / steps / processes mentioned above are not restrictive, and the functions of the various units / steps / processes mentioned above can be merged / combined / changed / modified to obtain corresponding effects.

[0059] The functions of each unit of the method and device of the present invention can be implemented by software or corresponding hardware, or by means of a processor, for example, the processor can read computer programs in a memory and run these computer programs to implement the functions of each unit. In one embodiment, the above-mentioned device of the present invention can also be implemented by a memory and a processor.

[0060] It can be understood that the methods of various embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented by computer programs / software. These software can be loaded into the working memory of the processor and used to execute the methods according to various embodiments of the present disclosure when running.

[0061] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure cover both creating / using the computer program / software of the present disclosure from the outset and converting an existing program / software to use the computer program / software of the present disclosure by means of an update.

[0062] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer program product is provided, such as a machine (e.g., computer) readable medium, such as a CD-ROM, including a computer program code, which, when executed, causes a computer or a processor to perform a method according to each embodiment of the present disclosure. The machine readable medium is, for example, an optical storage medium or a solid-state medium supplied with or as part of other hardware.

[0063] The above describes specific embodiments of the present disclosure. Other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims. In some cases, the actions or steps recorded in the claims can be performed in an order different from that in the embodiments and still achieve the desired results. In addition, the processes depicted in the accompanying drawings do not necessarily require the specific order or continuous order shown to achieve the desired results. In some embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing are also possible or may be advantageous.

[0064] The present disclosure is described above with reference to specific embodiments. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the technical solution of the present disclosure can be implemented in various ways without departing from the spirit and basic features of the present disclosure. The specific embodiments are merely illustrative and not restrictive. In addition, these embodiments can be arbitrarily combined to achieve the purpose of the present disclosure. The scope of protection of the present disclosure is defined by the attached claims.

[0065] The word "comprising" in the specification and claims does not exclude the existence of other elements or steps. The expressions "first", "second" and the order of the steps shown in the figures do not limit their order or quantity. The functions of the various elements described in the specification or recorded in the claims can also be split or combined and implemented by corresponding multiple elements or a single element.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing a DC / DC converter, characterized in that: The optimization method comprises: Obtaining parameters of a chip used to manufacture a power device in a DC / DC converter; According to the parameters of the chip, obtaining first data indicating that the switching loss of the power device in the DC / DC converter changes with the change of the ripple current; and A current value or range of a ripple current corresponding to a value or range in which a switching loss of the power device is lowest is determined based on the first data.

2. The optimization method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The optimization method further comprises: Determine, based on the first data, a value or range where the switching loss of the power device is the lowest; Determining the junction temperature of the chip based on the value or range with the lowest switching loss; determining whether the junction temperature is within a predetermined junction temperature range expected to be allowed by the power device; and If it is determined that the junction temperature is within the predetermined junction temperature range, the current value or range of the corresponding ripple current is determined based on the first data and the value or range with the lowest switching loss, and based on the determined current value or range of the ripple current, the optimization parameters of the chip used to manufacture the power device are obtained, the optimization parameters including the switching current and the chip area included in the parameters of the chip.

3. The optimization method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The optimization method further comprises: If it is determined that the junction temperature exceeds the predetermined junction temperature range, the parameters of the chip are adjusted.

4. The optimization method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The predetermined junction temperature range includes: The temperature of the power device is within a predetermined range that is less than the maximum allowable junction temperature of the power device.

5. The optimization method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The optimization method further comprises: If it is determined that the junction temperature is less than the maximum allowable junction temperature but exceeds the predetermined range, repeatedly performing the following operations until it is determined that the junction temperature is within the predetermined range less than the maximum allowable junction temperature of the power device: Adjusting the parameters of the chip, including reducing the chip area among the parameters of the chip; According to the adjusted parameters of the chip, obtaining updated first data indicating that the switching loss of the power device in the DC / DC converter changes with the change of the ripple current; Determine a value or range where the switching loss of the power device is lowest based on the updated first data; determining an updated junction temperature for the power device based on a value or range where switching losses for the power device are lowest; If it is determined that the updated junction temperature of the power device is less than the maximum allowable junction temperature of the power device by more than a predetermined range, returning to the step of adjusting the parameters of the chip; Determining the optimization parameter according to the adjusted chip parameter corresponding to when the junction temperature is within a predetermined range less than the maximum allowable junction temperature of the power device and the updated first data, comprises: Determine, according to the updated first data, a current value or range of a ripple current corresponding to a value or range with the lowest switching loss of the power device; Based on the determined current value or range of the ripple current, optimized parameters for manufacturing a chip of the power device are obtained, wherein the optimized parameters include the switch current and a chip area included in the adjusted chip parameters.

6. The optimization method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The first data is obtained by performing the following operations: According to the parameters of the chip, obtaining second data indicating that the switching loss of the power device changes with the change of the current thereof; For each of the plurality of ripple current analog values, determining a switching current of the power device; and determining a switching loss of the power device based on the switching current and the second data; and The first data is determined based on the simulated values ​​of the plurality of ripple currents and corresponding switching losses.

7. The optimization method according to claim 6, characterized in that: The corresponding switching current of the power device is determined based on a rated average current of the power device operating in the DC / DC converter and each simulation value.

8. The optimization method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The optimization method further comprises: Based on the determined current value or range of the ripple current, obtaining optimized parameters for manufacturing a chip of the power device; and The optimized parameters of the chip are output, wherein the optimized parameters include an optimized area of ​​the chip and a switching current of the chip used as a power device in the DC / DC converter.

9. The optimization method according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that: The optimization parameter includes a switch current, and the optimization method further includes determining parameters of a capacitor and / or an inductor used to manufacture the DC / DC converter based on the switch current.

10. An optimization device for a DC / DC converter, characterized in that: The optimization device comprises: a first acquisition unit, which is used to acquire parameters of a chip used to manufacture a power device in a DC / DC converter and acquire first data representing a change in a switching loss of the power device in the DC / DC converter with a change in a ripple current according to the parameters of the chip; and A determining unit is used to determine, based on the first data, a current value or range of a ripple current corresponding to a value or range with the lowest switching loss of the power device.

11. The optimization device according to claim 10, characterized in that The determining unit is further configured to: Determine, based on the first data, a value or range where the switching loss of the power device is the lowest; Determining a junction temperature for the chip based on the value or range where the switching loss is lowest; determining whether the junction temperature is within a predetermined junction temperature range allowed by the power device; and If it is determined that the junction temperature is within the predetermined junction temperature range, the current value or range of the corresponding ripple current is determined based on the first data and the value or range with the lowest switching loss, and based on the determined current value or range of the ripple current, the optimization parameters of the chip used to manufacture the power device are obtained, the optimization parameters including the switching current and the chip area included in the parameters of the chip.

12. The optimization device according to claim 11, characterized in that The predetermined junction temperature range includes: The temperature of the power device is within a predetermined range that is less than the maximum allowable junction temperature of the power device.

13. The optimization device according to claim 12, characterized in that The determining unit is further configured to: If it is determined that the junction temperature is less than the maximum allowable junction temperature but exceeds the predetermined range, repeatedly performing the following operations until it is determined that the junction temperature is within the predetermined range less than the maximum allowable junction temperature: Adjusting the parameters of the chip, including reducing the chip area among the parameters of the chip; According to the adjusted parameters of the chip, obtaining updated first data indicating that the switching loss of the power device in the DC / DC converter changes with the change of the ripple current; Determine a value or range where the switching loss of the power device is the lowest based on the updated first data; determining an updated junction temperature for the power device based on a value or range at which switching losses for the power device are lowest; If it is determined that the updated junction temperature of the power device is less than the maximum allowable junction temperature of the power device by more than a predetermined range, returning to the step of adjusting the parameters of the chip; Determining the optimization parameter according to the adjusted chip parameter corresponding to when the junction temperature is within a predetermined range less than the maximum allowable junction temperature of the power device and the updated first data, comprises: Determine, according to the updated first data, a current value or range of a ripple current corresponding to a value or range with the lowest switching loss of the power device; Based on the determined current value or range of the ripple current, optimized parameters for manufacturing a chip of the power device are obtained, wherein the optimized parameters include the switch current and a chip area included in the adjusted chip parameters.

14. The optimization device according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that The first acquisition unit acquires the first data by performing the following operations: According to the parameters of the chip, obtaining second data indicating that the switching loss of the power device changes with the change of the current thereof; For each of the plurality of ripple current analog values, determining a switching current of the power device; and determining a switching loss of the power device based on the switching current and the second data; and The first data is determined based on the simulated values ​​of the plurality of ripple currents and corresponding switching losses.

15. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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