Switching power supply device and method

[0001] This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 2003-62613, filed on Sep. 8, 2003, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] 1. Field of Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a switching power supply. More specifically, the present invention relates to a switching power supply with restricted switching frequency.

[0004] 2. Description of Related Art

[0005] FIG. 1 illustrates a quasi-resonant fly-back converter, capable of reducing switching loss and switching noise. The converter of FIG. 1 includes an auxiliary coil L_B to measure a voltage at a switch Q₁, and a ZCD (zero-crossing detector) circuit to identify the instance when bias-coil voltage V_B of bias coil L_B crosses zero. A function of ZCD is to turn on switch Q₁ at this instance, thereby reducing switching loss.

[0006] FIGS. 2A–G show voltages and currents at the indicated nodes of FIG. 1. The operation of the converter will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0007] FIG. 2F illustrates that control circuit CTL turns on switch Q₁ by applying a pulse in pulse-signal V₂.

[0008] FIG. 2G illustrates that the pulse in pulse-signal V₂ generates a pulse in gate-source voltage V_GS, a gate-source voltage of switch Q₁.

[0009] FIG. 2A illustrates that a drain current I_D of switch Q1 starts increasing with a gradient of about V_IN/L_P at the instance of the pulse. The increase of I_D lasts for an on-time T_ON. During on-time T_ON the energy of a transformer T is output from its secondary coil L_S, charging up a capacitor C₂.

[0010] FIG. 2B illustrates a current I_S of diode D₂ in the secondary circuit, neglecting a forward voltage. At the end of on-time T_ON, current I_S starts decreasing with a gradient of about −V_OUT/L_S until it reaches about 0V. When current I_S becomes 0V, diode D₂ is turned off and the secondary coil acquires a high impedance.

[0011] FIG. 2C illustrates that, as a result, the voltage at primary coil L_P starts resonating. The resonance period is determined by values of inductance L_P and capacitance C_r. The voltage of capacitance C_r is also the drain-source voltage V_DS of switch Q₁. During the resonating process voltage V_DS is reduced according to the shown cosine curve.

[0012] The switching loss of a MOSFET is given as 0.5·(C_OSS+C_r)·V_DS·V_DS·f, where f is a switching frequency and C_OSS is a parasitic capacitance between the drain and the source of switch Q₁. Accordingly, the switching loss is proportional to drain-source voltage V_DS and switching frequency f.

[0013] One aspect of the converter circuit of FIG. 1 is to reduce drain-source voltage V_DS, thus reducing the switching loss. This is achieved by sensing, when V_DS reaches its low values about the bottom of the resonant waveform in FIG. 2C, and turning on switch Q₁ at that time instance by a pulse in V_GS.

[0014] FIG. 2D illustrates bias-coil voltage V_B, a voltage of bias coil L_B.

[0015] FIG. 2E illustrates that the instance, at which V_B crosses zero, is sensed by zero-crossing detection circuit ZCD. In response, ZCD outputs a ZCD signal V₁ to delay circuit DLY.

[0016] FIG. 2F illustrates that delay circuit DLY, with the help of Waveform Shaping circuit WS, generates the above-described pulse in pulse-signal V₂, and outputs it to control circuit CTL after a predetermined delay time T_d. In response, control circuit CTL turns on switch Q₁.

[0017] The period of the converter circuit of FIG. 1 is given by T=T_ON+T_r+T_OFF. Here, T_r is the resonant period, determined by inductance L_P and capacitance C_r. The values of T_ON and T_OFF depend on input voltage V_IN and on the output load. In particular, when the output load is reduced, the period decreases, thus increasing the switching frequency. As described above, this leads to an increase of the switching loss.

[0018] Concerning related designs, U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,311 discloses a method for restricting the maximal switching frequency of quasi-resonance flyback converters by using a mono-stable multi-vibrator. This design restricts the maximum value of the switching frequency by controlling the turned-on states of switch Q₁ according to the states of a mono-stable multi-vibrator. However, this design is still characterized by a high switching frequency and hence reduced efficiency.

[0019] Briefly and generally, a switching power supply is presented according to embodiments of the invention. The switching power supply includes a switch to switch a switch-voltage, a bias sensor to sense the switch-voltage and to generate a bias-voltage representative thereof, a zero-crossing detector, coupled to the bias sensor to sense time instances when the bias-voltage crosses zero, and to generate a zero-crossing detector (ZCD)-signal, which transitions between a first and a second level at the sensed crossing instances, the transitions of the ZCD-signal being delayed for a predetermined time interval relative to the sensed crossings instances. The switching power supply further includes a blanking circuit, coupled to the zero-crossing detector to receive the ZCD-signal from the zero-crossing detector and to generate a blanking-signal, which transitions between a first and a second level, and to generate a pulse-signal, wherein the pulse-signal can cause the turning on of the switch, for an on-time, at time instances when the ZCD-signal and blanking-signal are at their respective second levels, and the turning off of the switch for at least a blank-time, wherein the length of the blank-time is determined according to the on-time. The switching power supply further includes a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal generator, coupled to the blanking circuit and to the switch to turn on the switch, controlled by the pulse-signal of the blanking circuit, and to transmit a signal representing the on-time to the blanking circuit.

[0020] Further, a power supply method is presented according to embodiments of the invention for controlling a time for turning on/off a switch and generating an output voltage from an input voltage. The power supply method includes: (a) sensing time instances, when a bias-voltage, related to the state of the switch, crosses zero, (b) generating a zero-crossing detection (ZCD) signal, the ZCD signal transitioning between a first and a second level at the sensed zero-crossing instances, the transitions being delayed by a predetermined interval, (c) generating a blank-signal, having a first and a second levels, the blank-signal assuming the first level for a blank-time, the length of the blank-time being variable, (d) generating a pulse-signal, capable of causing the turning on of the switch at time instances when the ZCD signal and the blank-signal are at their respective second level, and (e) turning on the switch by the pulse-signal.

[0029] FIG. 3 illustrates a switching power supply 50 according to embodiments of the invention. Input voltage V_IN is applied between an input node 57 and a ground. V_IN can be an AC voltage, rectified by a capacitor C₁ coupled between input node 57 and the ground. A primary coil N_P is coupled between input node 57 and the drain of a switch Q₁ at switch-drain node 58. Switch Q₁ can be a MOSFET or a bipolar junction transistor. The source of switch Q1 is coupled to the ground at switch-source node 59 through a resistor R_S. The gate of Q₁ is coupled to a pulse width modulator (PWM) signal generator 100. Switching power supply 50 includes a secondary coil N_S. Primary coil N_P and secondary coil N_S are wound around a shared core to form a transformer T₁. A bias coil N_B, coupled between bias-coil-node 61 and a ground, is also wound around this shared core.

[0030] Switching power supply 50 further may include a resonant capacitor C_R, coupled between switch-drain node 58 and switch-source node 59, in parallel to switch Q₁. The anode of a rectifying diode D₁ is coupled to bias-coil node 61, the cathode of rectifying diode D₁ to capacitor-node 66. A function of rectifying diode D₁ is to supply power to PWM signal generator 100. A capacitor C₂ is coupled between capacitor-node 66 and a ground. A function of capacitor C₂ is to smoothly rectify bias-coil voltage V_B at bias-coil-node 61.

[0031] The secondary circuit includes diode D₂ in series, and capacitor C₃ in parallel with secondary coil N_S. The anode of diode D₂ is coupled to secondary coil N_S, the cathode of diode D₂ is coupled to output terminal 71. Diode D₂ and capacitor C₃ rectify the voltage generated at the secondary coil N_S. The output voltage V_OUT is coupled to a load at output terminals 71 and 72, in parallel to capacitor C₃.

[0032] In the primary circuit zero-crossing detection circuit ZCD 200 is coupled to bias-coil-node 61. ZCD 200 generates a zero-crossing detector (ZCD) signal V₁, when bias-coil voltage V_B of bias coil N_B reaches zero volts. ZCD-signal V₁ from ZCD 200 is delayed by a predetermined interval T_d by a delay circuit (not shown). The output signal of ZCD 200 is input to a Blanking Circuit 300.

[0033] Blanking Circuit 300 is also coupled to PWM signal generator 100, from where Blanking Circuit 300 receives a signal indicating on-time T_ON, when switch Q₁ is turned on. The signal, indicating on-time T_ON, can be a voltage or current signal. In response to its input signals T_ON and V₁, Blanking Circuit 300 outputs pulse-signal V₂, coupled into PWM signal generator 100. Pulse-signal V₂ controls the switching frequency of switch Q₁. Pulse-signal V₂ can be related to blank-signal V_BLANK for restricting the switching frequency of switch Q₁ by introducing a blank-time T_BLANK. Blank-signal V_BLANK is generated by blanking circuit 300 internally.

[0034] The inputs of PWM signal generator 100 include pulse-signal V₂ of Blanking Circuit 300 and a switch-voltage V_Q, related to switch-current I_Q, flowing to the source of switch Q₁. PWM signal generator 100 also receives voltage V_CC from capacitor-node 66. In response to its inputs, PWM signal generator 100 controls V_GS, the gate-source voltage of switch Q₁. High and low levels of gate-source voltage V_GS turn on and off switch Q₁. PWM signal generator 100 is prompted by pulse-signal V₂ to control gate-source voltage V_GS to a high level. Further, PWM signal generator 100 senses switch-current I_Q via switch-voltage V_Q, the voltage drop across resistor R_S. In response, PWM signal generator 100 controls gate-source voltage V_GS to a low level, when switch-voltage V_Q corresponds to an output voltage of an output voltage controller (not shown).

[0035] Switching power supply 100 is a fly-back resonant power supply, because no current flows through secondary coil N_S, when switch Q₁ is turned on. This is because the voltage induced in secondary coil N_S reverse-biases diode D₂. When switch Q₁ is turned on, primary coil N_P is operated by input voltage V_IN and energy is accumulated in transformer T₁. When switch Q₁ is turned off, secondary coil N_S is reset by the output voltage V_OUT and the energy stored in transformer T₁ is supplied to the load.

[0036] FIGS. 4A–H illustrate a method of operation of switching power supply 50.

[0037] FIG. 4H illustrates that switch Q₁ is turned on by PWM signal generator 100 applying a pulse signal of gate-source voltage V_GS between the gate and source of switch Q₁, which exceeds a threshold voltage. The signal of gate-source voltage V_GS is applied for an on-time T_ON and repeated after a switching-period T_S.

[0038] FIG. 4A illustrates that input voltage V_IN is applied to primary coil N_P so that switch-current I_Q, flowing through switch Q₁, increases with a gradient of V_IN/L_P, where L_P is the inductance of primary coil N_P.

[0039] FIG. 4B, together with FIG. 4H, illustrates that after an on-time T_ON, switch Q₁ is turned off. At this instance secondary current I_S, the current of the secondary circuit, jumps to a finite value and starts decreasing with a gradient of −V_OUT/L_S, where L_S is inductance of secondary coil N_S. Secondary current I_S reaches zero after a time interval. During this interval the energy accumulated in transformer T₁ is output from secondary coil N_S and charges capacitor C₃.

[0040] In existing designs on-time T_ON is determined by control-signal V_CTRL, an output-voltage control signal of an output voltage controller (not shown in FIG. 3). Switch Q₁ is turned off by PWM signal generator 100, when control-signal V_CTRL corresponds to switch-voltage V_Q at node 59, for example, by assuming the same value. Accordingly, on-time T_ON increases, when control-signal V_CTRL increases, and on-time T_ON decreases, when control-signal V_CTRL decreases. On-time T_ON is determined by switch-voltage V_Q at source-node 59, which is determined by switch-current I_Q. Now, switch-current I_Q varies according to input voltage V_IN since switch-current I_Q increases with a gradient of V_IN/L_P. The gradient becomes steeper and on-time T_ON is shortened, when input voltage V_IN is large. Also, the gradient becomes gentler and on-time T_ON is lengthened, when input voltage of V_IN is less. On-time T_ON contributes to the switching frequency of switch Q₁. Therefore, the switching frequency of switch Q₁ depends on input voltage V_IN. Similarly, on-time T_ON is reduced, when the load decreases. For both of these reasons, the switching frequency depends on external conditions, the input voltage and the load. This aspect of existing designs can lead to problems.

[0041] FIG. 5 illustrates a control method, which addresses this problem, according to embodiments of the invention. In embodiments, Blanking Circuit 300 controls blank-time T_BLANK according to on-time T_ON. If on-time T_ON is reduced because, for example, input voltage V_IN increases, in response blank-time T_BLANK is extended so as to limit and possibly eliminate the increase of the switching frequency. An analogous extension of blank-time T_BLANK is carried out, if a load reduction reduces on-time T_ON, once again reducing the increase of the switching frequency.

[0042] FIG. 4C illustrates that, when secondary current I_S becomes zero, diode D₂ is turned off and secondary coil N_S acquires a high impedance. From this time instance on, drain-source voltage V_DS at primary coil N_P follows a resonant cosine curve. The period of the resonant curve is determined by L_P, the inductance of primary coil N_P, and the capacitance of capacitor C_R. The resonating voltage is damped because of the influence of resistor R_S (including a parasitic resistance component). Drain-source voltage V_DS varies according to a cosine curve in the range between V_IN+N·V_OUT and V_IN−N·V_OUT, where N is the ratio of winding numbers of primary coil N_P and secondary coil N_S.

[0043] FIG. 4D illustrates that bias-coil voltage V_B tracks drain-source voltage V_DS, shifted only by a constant. The shift is determined by the ratios of the winding numbers of primary coil N_P, secondary coil N_S, and bias coil N_B. Bias-coil voltage V_B is input to ZCD 200. A function of ZCD 200 is to sense the time instance at which bias-coil voltage V_B passes through zero.

[0044] FIG. 4E illustrates ZCD-signal V₁, which is output from ZCD 200 into Blanking Circuit 300. The onset of ZCD-signal V₁ is delayed by a delay-time T_d relative to the time instance, when bias-coil voltage V_B passes through zero. The delay operation can be performed by a delay circuit, which can be integrated into ZCD 200, or can be a separate circuit. In some embodiments, delay-time T_d is chosen so that the onset of ZCD-signal V₁ essentially coincides with the time instance, when V_DS reaches its minimum value.

[0045] FIG. 4F illustrates blank-signal V_BLANK, a voltage generated by Blanking Circuit 300. Blanking Circuit 300 receives ZCD-signal V₁ from ZCD 200, and the signal, representing T_ON, from PWM signal generator 100. From these input signals Blanking Circuit 300 generates blank-signal V_BLANK. Blank-signal V_BLANK becomes low, when switch Q₁ is turned off, and it becomes high after blank-time T_BLANK. Blanking Circuit 300 generates blank-signal V_BLANK by varying blank-time T_BLANK according to on-time T_ON, or V_CTRL/V_IN in order to restrict variations of the switching frequency. Blank-time T_BLANK increases, when the signal representing T_ON is reduced below a reference value, for example, because input voltage V_IN increased. Blanking Circuit 300 generates short triggering pulses, when V_BLANK is high and V1 goes from low to high. In an example, the reference value can be established such that on-time T_ON=5 and blank-time T_BLANK=3 This gives rise to a switching-period T_S of 8 μs, resulting in a switching frequency restricted to values below (1/T_S)=125 kHz. The switching frequency is restricted by increasing blank-time T_BLANK, when on-time T_ON is decreased.

[0046] FIG. 4G illustrates pulse-signal V₂, outputted by Blanking Circuit 300 into PWM signal generator 100. Pulse-signal V₂ includes a trigger-signal for turning on switch Q₁, when ZCD-signal V₁ and blank-signal V_BLANK are high. Switch Q₁ is turned on, when the trigger-signal of pulse-signal V₂ is input into PWM signal generator 100. Also, when blank-signal V_BLANK is low, Blanking Circuit 300 switches pulse-signal V₂ to a low level even when ZCD-signal V₁ is high.

[0047] FIG. 5 illustrates that in this embodiment, the switching frequency is restricted by varying blank-time T_BLANK according to on-time T_ON. As discussed above, blank-time T_BLANK is extended, when on-time T_ON decreases, for example, because input voltage V_IN increases. The present embodiment restricts such increases of the switching frequency.

[0048] FIGS. 4F and H illustrate that switching-period T_S satisfies the equation: T_S=T_ON+T_BLANK+α. As seen from this equation, the decrease of switching-period T_S (i.e., the increase of the switching frequency) can be prevented by increasing blank-time T_BLANK, when on-time T_ON is reduced. Here α is a time interval between the rising edge of blank voltage V_BLANK and the rising edge of gate-source voltage V_GS. The value of α depends on ZCD-signal V₁ and is typically less than one resonant period. This operation was described in relation to FIG. 5.

[0049] FIG. 6 illustrates a switching power supply 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Switching power supply 400 is analogous to switching power supply 50, except that Blanking Circuit 300 is additionally coupled to input terminal 57. In this embodiment, Blanking Circuit 300 receives a control signal V_CTRL from PWM signal generator 100 instead of the signal representing on-time T_ON. Further, Blanking Circuit 300 receives input voltage V_IN from input terminal 57.

[0050] On-time T_ON is proportional to control-signal V_CTRL of an output voltage controller (not shown in FIGS. 3 and 6). On-time T_ON increases, when control-signal V_CTRL increases, and on-time T_ON decreases, when control-signal V_CTRL decreases. On-time T_ON also decreases, when input voltage V_IN increases, since switch-current I_Q has a gradient of V_IN/L_P. Therefore, on-time T_ON is in inverse relation to input voltage V_IN:

[0051] $\begin{array}{cc}{T}_{\mathrm{ON}}=k\frac{V_{\mathrm{CTRL}}}{V_{\mathrm{IN}}},& \left(1\right)\end{array}$

[0052] where k is a constant. The switching frequency can be restricted by inputting control-signal V_CTRL and input voltage V_IN into Blanking Circuit 300, rather than the signal representing on-time T_ON. Blanking Circuit 300 uses control-signal V_CTRL and input voltage V_IN rather than the signal representing on-time T_ON, to generate blank-signal V_BLANK.

[0053] FIG. 7 illustrates that a gradual increase of blank-time T_BLANK is capable of restricting the switching frequency of switch Q₁, when the value of V_CTRL/V_IN is reduced below a predetermined reference value. This ability to restrict the switching frequency is based on Equation 1. In detail, when input voltage V_IN increases, the increase of the switching frequency of switch Q₁ is restricted by increasing blank-time T_BLANK. Also, the increase of the switching frequency of switch Q₁, caused by reduction of the load is restricted in a like manner. Switching power supply 400 has the same operation as that of switching power supply 50 except that input voltage V_IN and control-signal V_CTRL rather than the signal representing on-time T_ON are input to Blanking Circuit 300.

[0054] Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. That is, the discussion included in this application is intended to serve as a basic description. It should be understood that the specific discussion may not explicitly describe all embodiments possible; many alternatives are implicit. It also may not fully explain the generic nature of the invention and may not explicitly show how each feature or element can actually be representative of a broader function or of a great variety of alternative or equivalent elements. Again, these are implicitly included in this disclosure. Where the invention is described in device-oriented terminology, each element of the device implicitly performs a function. Neither the description nor the terminology is intended to limit the scope of the claims.