This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201010115327.5, filed Jan. 29, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates generally to switching mode power supplies.
The output current of a switching mode power supply can influence the performance of a system, e.g., the brightness of an LED driven by the power supply. Thus, accurate control of the average output current is rather important.
The rectifier bridge 101 receives the AC input, and based on the AC input, provides a rectified signal to the primary winding 102-1 of the transformer 102. The primary current sense resistor 107-1 is coupled in series with the switching circuit 108 to provide a primary current signal that represents a current flow through the primary winding 102-1 of the transformer 102 to the controller 105. The secondary current sense resistor 107-2 is coupled in series with the load to provide a secondary current signal that represents a load current. The isolated feedback circuit 104 receives the secondary current signal, and based on the secondary current signal, provides a feedback signal to the controller 105. The zero-crossing detector is coupled in series with the auxiliary winding 102-3 of the transformer 102 to provide a zero detected signal to the controller 105 if a voltage zero-cross of the auxiliary winding 102-3 happens. The controller 105 provides a control signal used to toggle the switch in the switching circuit 106 in response to the primary current signal, the feedback signal, and the zero detected signal. If toggling of the switch in the switching circuit 106 is controlled, the power supplied to the secondary winding 102-2 of the transformer 102 can be adjusted, so that the average current flow through the LED is regulated.
The above control scheme requires an isolated feedback circuit for the secondary current signal, which complicates the circuit structure. In addition, an additional current sense resistor, i.e., the secondary current sense resistor 107-2 is needed, which increases power loss and reduces efficiency.
In accordance with embodiments of the present technology, a switching mode power supply includes: a transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding, and an auxiliary winding to supply power to a load; a switching circuit coupled to the primary winding and having a switch coupled to the primary winding to control a current flow through the primary winding; a calculator configured to receive a switching control signal and a current sense signal representing the current flow through the primary winding, to control the switching circuit, and based on the switching control signal and the current sense signal, to provide an equivalent current signal; a zero-crossing detector coupled to the auxiliary winding and configured to provide a zero detected signal when a voltage across the auxiliary winding first crosses zero; and a controller configured to receive the equivalent current signal, the zero detected signal, the current sense signal, and a reference signal, and to provide the switching control signal based thereon.
In accordance with additional embodiments of the present technology, a switching mode power supply includes: a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding to supply power to a load; a switching circuit coupled to the primary winding and having a switch coupled to the primary winding to control current flow through the primary winding; a calculator configured to receive a switching control signal used to control the switching circuit and a current sense signal representing the current flow through the primary winding, and to provide an equivalent current signal based on these signals; a detecting capacitor coupled to the primary winding for sensing an oscillation between a magnetizing inductor of the primary winding and a parasitic capacitor of the switching circuit; a zero-crossing detector coupled to the detecting capacitor and configured to provide a zero detected signal in response to a reverse current flow through the detecting capacitor; and a controller configured to receive the equivalent current signal, the zero detected signal, the current sense signal, and a reference signal, and to generate the switching control signal based thereon.
In accordance with further embodiments of the present technology, a switching mode power supply includes: a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding to supply power to a load; means for controlling a current flow through the primary winding; means for providing an equivalent current signal in response to a switching control signal and a current sense signal; means for sensing an oscillation between a magnetizing inductor of the primary winding and a parasitic capacitor; means for providing a zero detected signal in response to a first zero-crossing of the oscillation; and means for providing the switching control signal in response to the equivalent current signal, the zero detected signal, the current sense signal, and a reference signal.
In accordance with embodiments of the present technology, a method used in a switching mode power supply includes: coupling a switching circuit to a primary winding of a transformer to store energy when the switching circuit is turned on, and release the energy stored to a secondary winding of the transformer when the switching circuit is turned off; sensing a current flow through the primary winding of the transformer and generating a current sense signal; sensing an oscillation between a magnetizing inductor of the primary winding of the transformer and a parasitic capacitor of the switching circuit; generating a zero detected signal when the oscillation first crosses zero; generating an equivalent current signal in response to a switching control signal and the current sense signal; and generating the switching control signal in response to the equivalent current signal, the zero detected signal, the current sense signal, and a reference signal.
Embodiments of circuits and methods for a switching mode power supply are described in detail herein. In the following description, some specific details, such as example circuits for these circuit components, are included to provide a thorough understanding of the technology. One skilled in relevant art will recognize, however, that the technology can be practiced without one or more specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc.
As shown in
In one embodiment, the switching mode power supply 200 further comprises a current sense resistor 207 coupled in series with the switching circuit 206. The current sense resistor 207 provides the current sense signal to the calculator 204 and the controller 205. However, one skilled in the art should realize that the switching mode power supply 200 may also use the on-resistance of the switching circuit 206 and/or other suitable techniques to provide the current sense signal.
In one embodiment, the switching mode power supply 200 further includes an input capacitor (CIN) coupled across the rectifier bridge 201, a diode 208 coupled in series with the secondary winding 202-2, and an output capacitor (COUT) coupled between the output port of the switching mode power supply 200 and secondary side ground. In certain embodiments, the diode 208 may be replaced by a synchronous switch (not shown).
During operation, the switching circuit 206 is turned on when the controller 205 provides a high-level switching control signal. Then the input signal (VIN), the rectifier bridge 201, the input capacitor (CIN), the primary winding 202-1, the switching circuit 206, and the current sense resistor 207 form a current loop. Accordingly, the current flowing through the switching circuit 206 increases linearly under the effect of a magnetizing inductor of the primary winding 202-1. As a result, the voltage across the current sense resistor 207 increases, i.e., the current sense signal increases.
When the current sense signal which represents the current flow through the primary winding 202-1 increases to a peak current value (IPK), the switching control signal turns low. Accordingly, the switching circuit 206 is turned off. Meantime, the voltage across the auxiliary winding 202-3 and the voltage across the secondary winding 202-2 are positive. As a result, the diode 208 is forward biased and on, and the current flow through the diode 208 decreases linearly. Suppose that the turn ratio of the primary winding 202-1 and the secondary winding 202-2 is n:1, the peak current value of the current flow through the diode 208 is believed to be n×IPK. The current flow through the diode 208 decreases from n×IPK. When it decreases to zero, the magnetizing inductor of the primary winding 202-1 and a parasitic capacitor of the switching circuit 206 start to oscillate. The zero-crossing detector 203 detects the oscillation, and generates the zero detected signal when the oscillation first crosses zero. The controller 205 then provides a high-level switching control signal to toggle the switching circuit 206. Then the switching mode power supply 200 enters a new switching cycle, and operates as discussed hereinbefore.
In one embodiment, the equivalent current signal (IEQ) is provided at the second terminal of the second switch. The current sense signal is connected to the first capacitor via the first switch 404-1, and the equivalent current signal (IEQ) is reset when the switching circuit is turned on; the current sense signal is disconnected to the first capacitor 404-4, and the equivalent current signal (IEQ) is connected to the first capacitor when the switching circuit is turned off, so that the value of the equivalent current signal (IEQ) is equal to the voltage across the first capacitor. The other parts of the switching mode power supply 400 are generally similar to the switching mode power supply 200 in
During operation, if the switching control signal is high, the switching circuit 406 is on. Meanwhile, the first switch 404-1 and the third switch 404-3 are on, the second switch 404-2 is off. Accordingly, the equivalent current signal (IEQ) is pulled to ground, i.e., being reset. As illustrated hereinbefore, the current sense signal increases linearly under the effect of the magnetizing inductor of the primary winding 402-1 during this time period. Thus the voltage across the first capacitor 404-4 which follows the current sense signal also increases linearly. When it increases to the peak current value (IPK), the switching control signal turns low. Accordingly, the first switch 404-1 and the third switch 404-3 are off, and the second switch 404-2 is on. Meanwhile, the switching circuit 406 is off. Thus the equivalent current signal (IEQ) is connected to the first capacitor 404-4, i.e., IEQ=IPK×RS, wherein RS is the resistance of the current sense resistor 407.
while the average value (ID(AVE)) of the current flow through the diode 408 is:
wherein TON is the on time of the switching circuit 406 in one switching cycle, while TOFF is the off time of the switching circuit 406 in one switching cycle. So the average value (IEQ(AVE)) of the equivalent current signal is:
As can be seen in equation (3), the average value (IEQ(AVE)) of the equivalent current signal is proportional to the average value (ID(AVE)) of the current flow through the diode 408 if the resistance of the current sense resistor 407 is given. The DC current flow through the output capacitor (CO) is zero. The average value (ID(AVE)) of the current flow through the diode 408 is the average load current. Thus, the equivalent current signal (IEQ) is proportional to the average load current. The calculator 104 provides a signal which represents the load current through primary side control.
As shown in
In one embodiment, the peak current value (IPK) comprises the error amplified signal provided by the error amplifier (UA). In one embodiment, the logical unit comprises a RS flip-flop having a reset terminal and a set terminal. The reset terminal of the RS flip-flop receives the comparison signal, and the set terminal of the RS flip-flop receives the zero detected signal. In one embodiment, the controller 605 further comprises a compensated unit (ZC), which is coupled between the output of the error amplifier (UA) and ground, for compensating the error amplified signal.
In operation, the error amplifier (UA) amplifies a difference between the equivalent current signal (IEQ) and the reference signal (REF), to generate the amplified signal, i.e., the peak current value (IPK). So the peak current value is determined by the equivalent current signal and the reference signal (REF). In one embodiment, the reference signal (REF) is given. As illustrated hereinbefore, the equivalent current signal (IEQ) is proportional to the average load current, so the peak current value (IPK) is determined by the average load current.
During the on time period of the switching circuit 606, the comparator (UC) provides a high-level comparison signal when the current sense signal reaches the peak current value (IPK), which resets the output of the switching control signal. Accordingly, the switching circuit 606 is off. Thus, the time point at which the switching circuit 606 is turned off is determined by the average load current. During the off time of the switching circuit 606, when the voltage across the auxiliary winding 602-3 first crosses zero, the zero-crossing detector 603 outputs the zero detected signal to the logical unit, which sets the switching control signal. Accordingly, the switching circuit 606 is turned on. And the switching mode power supply 600 enters a new switching cycle, and operates as illustrated hereinbefore.
During operation, when the switching circuit 806 is turned off, a current flowing through the diode 808 decreases from its current value (n×IPK). When it decreases to zero, the magnetizing inductor of the primary winding 802-1 and the parasitic capacitor of the switching circuit 806 start to oscillate. The current flow through the detecting capacitor 808 reverses when the oscillation first crosses zero. Accordingly, the zero-crossing detector 803 detects this zero-crossing, and outputs a high-level zero detected signal to the controller 805, so as to set the switching control signal. Then the switching circuit 806 is turned on, and the switching mode power supply 800 enters a new switching cycle. The operation of the switching mode power supply 800 is generally similar to the switching mode power supply 200.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the technology have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the disclosure. Many of the elements of one embodiment may be combined with other embodiments in addition to or in lieu of the elements of the other embodiments. Accordingly, the disclosure is not limited except as by the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2010 1 0115327 | Jan 2010 | CN | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
8077488 | Tamaki | Dec 2011 | B2 |
8199538 | Piper | Jun 2012 | B2 |
8199539 | Wang et al. | Jun 2012 | B2 |
8233292 | Ren et al. | Jul 2012 | B2 |
8305004 | Shao | Nov 2012 | B2 |
8363430 | Ye | Jan 2013 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20110199793 A1 | Aug 2011 | US |