Valley Switching Controller for Power Converter
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional valley-switching techniques in switching power converters face challenges in maintaining constant voltage regulation and efficient power transfer due to quantization of switching periods, leading to reduced average current supply and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A controller is used to adjust the switching period and peak current of a switching power converter by increasing the switching period and peak current when it decreases below a minimum, and decreasing the switching period and peak current when it exceeds a maximum, to maintain a regulated current level, thereby compensating for transient effects and achieving accurate load regulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional valley-switching techniques are used to reduce switching losses, then power efficiency is improved, but voltage regulation accuracy deteriorates due to quantization of switching periods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating parameters by allowing the switching period to vary continuously rather than being quantized to fixed valleys. The controller adjusts the switching period and peak current dynamically to maintain regulated current level, resolving the contradiction between reducing switching losses and maintaining voltage regulation accuracy.
2Productivity
If the switching period is decreased to increase switching frequency, then power transfer efficiency is improved, but transient flicker increases and regulation stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control mechanism where the controller monitors the regulated current level and adjusts the switching period and peak current accordingly. When the switching period decreases below minimum or peak current exceeds maximum, the controller compensates by adjusting parameters to maintain stable output current, thus resolving the contradiction between power transfer efficiency and regulation stability.
3Power
If peak current is increased to maintain regulated current level, then power transfer capability is improved, but power dissipation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic adjustment of peak current based on real-time switching period conditions. The controller increases peak current only when necessary (when switching period decreases below minimum) and decreases it when switching period increases, optimizing the balance between power transfer capability and power dissipation rather than using fixed peak current levels.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A controller may be configured to generate a control signal to activate and deactivate a switch of a switching power converter in order to control a switching period and a peak current of the switching power converter to maintain a regulated current of the switching power converter at a desired current level such that: if the switching period decreases below a minimum switching period, the controller increases the switching period by a ringing period of a voltage of the switch and increases the peak current to compensate for the increase of the switching period in order to maintain the regulated current, and if the peak current increases above a maximum peak current, the controller decreases the switching period by a ringing period of the voltage of the switch and decreases the peak current to compensate for the decrease of the switching period in order to maintain the regulated current.