A method for controlling a switching converter is disclosed whereby the switching converter is configured to convert an input
voltage into an output
voltage supplied to a load in accordance with a
switching signal, The switching converter is configured to operate in a
pulse width modulation mode or, alternatively, in a
pulse frequency modulation mode. When operating in the
pulse width modulation mode, generating, as the
switching signal, a
pulse width modulated (PWM)
signal of a pre-defined constant
switching frequency. The PWM
signal has a
duty cycle that is regulated such that the output
voltage of the switching converter matches, at least approximately, a desired output voltage under the condition that the
duty cycle being regulated such that it does not fall below a predefined minimum
duty cycle. The output voltage is monitored and switched over to the
pulse frequency modulation mode when the output voltage exceeds a predefined first threshold. The method further comprises, when operating in the
pulse frequency modulation mode, monitoring the output voltage and generating, as the
switching signal, a series of pulses of a predefined constant pulse length. A pulse is generated each time the output voltage falls to a predefined second threshold and monitoring the frequency of the switching
signal and switching to the
pulse width modulation mode when the frequency of the switching signal exceeds a predefined frequency threshold.