Low power consuming integrated circuit for power supply circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12308749-B2
Application number	US-202217846849-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2022
Priority date	Aug 10, 2021
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

An integrated circuit for a power supply including a power transistor, the integrated circuit being configured to switch and drive the power transistor. The integrated circuit includes: a first terminal to which a first switch is coupled; a first determination circuit configured to determine, based on a voltage level at the first terminal, whether to operate the integrated circuit in a first mode or a second mode, a power consumption in the second mode being greater than a power consumption in the first mode; a first power supply voltage generation circuit configured to stop generating a first power supply voltage when the integrated circuit operates in the first mode, and generate the first power supply voltage when the integrated circuit operates in the second mode; and a driver circuit configured to receive the first power supply voltage, to switch and drive the power transistor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An integrated circuit for a power supply circuit configured to generate an output voltage at a target level, the power supply circuit including
a power transistor, the integrated circuit being configured to switch and drive the power transistor, and
a first switch configured to be turned on and off in response to an instruction signal instructing an operation mode of the integrated circuit, the operation mode including a first mode and a second mode, a power consumption in the second mode being greater than a power consumption in the first mode,

the integrated circuit comprising:
a first terminal to which the first switch is coupled;
a first determination circuit configured to determine, based on a voltage level at the first terminal, whether to operate the integrated circuit in the first mode or the second mode;
a first power supply voltage generation circuit configured to
stop generating a first power supply voltage when the integrated circuit operates in the first mode, and
generate the first power supply voltage when the integrated circuit operates in the second mode; and

a driver circuit configured to receive the first power supply voltage, to thereby switch and drive the power transistor.

2. The integrated circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second terminal configured to receive a voltage corresponding to an alternating current (AC) voltage;
a constant voltage source configured to generate a predetermined voltage based on the voltage received at the second terminal irrespective of the first and second modes; and
a current source configured to supply a current to the first terminal, wherein
the current source and the first determination circuit operate upon receipt of the predetermined voltage.

3. The integrated circuit according to claim 2 , wherein
the power supply circuit further includes
a first capacitor, and
a transformer including a primary coil, a secondary coil, and an auxiliary coil,

the power transistor controls a current flowing through the primary coil of the transformer,
the first capacitor is charged with a current from the auxiliary coil,
the integrated circuit further includes a third terminal to which the first capacitor is coupled, and

the first power supply voltage generation circuit operates based on a charge voltage of the first capacitor.

4. The integrated circuit according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a charging circuit configured to operate based on the predetermined voltage, to thereby charge the first capacitor, upon activation of the integrated circuit.

5. The integrated circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a load detection circuit configured to output a first signal corresponding to a load of the power supply circuit;
an oscillator circuit configured to output an oscillator signal corresponding to a third mode or a fourth mode, the third mode and the fourth mode being included in the second mode, and a state of the load being lighter in the fourth mode than in the third mode;
a second determination circuit configured to determine, based on the voltage level at the first terminal, whether a change between the third mode and the fourth mode is performed in an internal mode, in which the change is performed inside the integrated circuit, or in an external mode, in which the change is performed outside the integrated circuit; and
a first signal output circuit configured to output a second signal corresponding to the third mode or the fourth mode based on the voltage level at the first terminal, when the integrated circuit is in the external mode, wherein
the power supply circuit further includes a resistor that is coupled in series with the first switch, and is coupled to the first terminal,
the oscillator circuit
outputs the oscillator signal in response to the first signal when the integrated circuit is in the internal mode, and
outputs the oscillator signal in response to the second signal when the integrated circuit is in the external mode, and

the driver circuit switches and drives the power transistor in response to the oscillator signal.

6. The integrated circuit according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a second signal output circuit configured to output a third signal, corresponding to the third mode or the fourth mode, to the first terminal in response to the first signal when the integrated circuit is in the internal mode.

7. The integrated circuit according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a fourth terminal configured to receive the first power supply voltage, wherein the integrated circuit further includes
a second switch configured to be turned on in response to the first power supply voltage being applied to the fourth terminal, and
a third switch coupled in series with the second switch, and being configured to be turned on and off according to the third and fourth modes,

the second and third switches being coupled in parallel with the resistor; and
the first terminal is coupled with the second switch and the third switch.

8. The integrated circuit according to claim 5 , wherein
the power supply circuit further includes a second capacitor coupled to the first terminal; and
the integrated circuit further comprises:
a discharging circuit configured to discharge the second capacitor coupled to the first terminal; and

a control circuit configured to control the discharging circuit such that the second capacitor is discharged before a current is supplied to the resistor, when the integrated circuit is activated in the second mode.

9. The integrated circuit according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a second power supply voltage generation circuit configured to
stop generating a second power supply voltage when the integrated circuit operates in the first mode, and
generate the second power supply voltage when the integrated circuit operates in the second mode, wherein

the second power supply voltage is supplied to the control circuit.

10. The integrated circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a clamp device configured to clamp the voltage level at the first terminal to a predetermined level.

11. A power supply circuit configured to generate an output voltage at a target level, the power supply circuit comprising:
a power transistor;
an integrated circuit configured to drive the power transistor; and
a first switch configured to be turned on and off in response to an instruction signal instructing an operation mode of the integrated circuit, the operation mode including a first mode and a second mode, a power consumption in the second mode being greater than a power consumption in the first mode, wherein

the integrated circuit includes
a first terminal to which the first switch is coupled,
a first determination circuit configured to determine, based on a voltage level at the first terminal, whether to operate the integrated circuit in the first mode or the second mode,
a first power supply voltage generation circuit configured to
stop generating a first power supply voltage when the integrated circuit operates in the first mode, and
generate the first power supply voltage when the integrated circuit operates in the second mode, and

a driver circuit configured to receive the first power supply voltage, to thereby switch and drive the power transistor.

12. An integrated circuit for a power supply circuit configured to generate an output voltage at a target level, the power supply circuit including a power transistor, the integrated circuit being configured to switch and drive the power transistor, the integrated circuit comprising:
a first terminal to which an

Assignees

• Fuji Electric Co Ltd

Inventors

• Matsumoto Hiroaki
• Yamadaya Masayuki
• Kobayashi Yoshinori

Classifications

• H02M1/0032

  Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode · CPC title

• H02M1/08

  Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters · CPC title

• H02M1/32

  Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection · CPC title

• H02M3/01

  Resonant DC/DC converters · CPC title

• H02M1/0006

  Arrangements for supplying an adequate voltage to the control circuit of converters · CPC title