Switch-mode drive sensing of reverse recovery in bipolar junction transistor (BJT)-based power converters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9609701-B2
Application number	US-201514634716-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2015
Priority date	Feb 27, 2015
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

A bipolar junction transistor (BJT) may be used in a power stage DC-to-DC converter, such as a converter in LED-based light bulbs. The power stage may be operated by a controller to maintain a desired current output to the LED load. The controller may operate the power stage by monitoring a start and end of a reverse recovery time of the BJT. Information regarding the start and end of the reverse recovery time may be used in the control of the power stage to improve efficiency of the power stage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
driving a base current from a base current source to a base of a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) to maintain conduction of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) during a first time period;
disconnecting the base current source from the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) for a second time period, wherein the second time period comprises a reverse recovery time period during which the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) remains conducting while the base current source is disconnected; and
detecting an end of the reverse recovery time period by monitoring a voltage at the base of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of detecting the end of the reverse recovery time period comprises detecting the base voltage is at least 2 Volts below a supply voltage.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of driving the base current maintains conduction of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) to charge an energy storage device coupled to a load.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
detecting de-engergization of the energy storage device during the second time period; and
repeating the step of driving the base current after detecting the de-energization.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of detecting de-energization of the energy storage device comprises detecting a zero current through the energy storage device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of detecting the zero current comprises detecting the zero current at the base of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT).

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of detecting de-energization comprises coupling a resistor to the base of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) to form a high pass filter (HPF) with a capacitor, wherein the capacitor is coupled to the base of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) and an emitter of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT).

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the high pass filter (HPF) comprises at least one pole at a frequency greater than an expected oscillation frequency of a voltage at a collector of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) when the energy storage device is de-energized.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of detecting de-energization comprises detecting a ringing voltage at a collector of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT).

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of repeating the step of driving the base current comprises coupling the base current source to the base of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) prior to approximately a minimum voltage at the collector of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) during the detected ringing.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of coupling the base current source prior to approximately a minimum voltage comprises coupling the base current source a fixed delay offset duration prior to approximately the minimum voltage.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
measuring a turn-on delay of the bipolar junction transistor when repeating the step of driving the base current; and
again repeating the step of driving the base current by coupling the base current source to the base of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) a time prior to approximately a minimum voltage at the collector of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT), wherein the time prior is based, at least in part, on the measured turn-on delay.

13. An apparatus, comprising:
a controller configured to couple to a base of a bipolar junction transistor (BJT);
wherein the controller is configured to perform the steps comprising:
driving a base current from a base current source to the base of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) to maintain conduction of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) during a first time period;
disconnecting the base current source from the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) for a second time period, wherein the second time period comprises a reverse recovery time period during which the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) remains conducting while the base current source is disconnected; and
detecting an end of the reverse recovery time period by monitoring a voltage at the base of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT).

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the step of detecting the end of the reverse recovery time period comprises detecting the base voltage is at least 2 Volts below a supply voltage.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the step of driving the base current maintains conduction of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) to charge an energy storage device coupled to a load.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to perform the steps of:
detecting de-engergization of the energy storage device during the second time period; and
repeating the step of driving the base current after detecting the de-energization.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the step of detecting de-energization of the energy storage device comprises detecting a zero current through the energy storage device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the step of detecting the zero current comprises detecting the zero current at the base of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT).

19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the step of detecting de-energization comprises coupling a resistor to the base of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) to form a high pass filter (HPF) with a capacitor, wherein the capacitor is coupled to the base of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) and an emitter of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT).

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the high pass filter (HPF) comprises at least one pole at a frequency greater than an expected oscillation frequency of a voltage at a collector of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) when the energy storage device is de-energized.

21. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the step of detecting de-energization comprises detecting a ringing voltage at a collector of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT).

22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the step of repeating the step of driving the base current comprises coupling the base current source to the base of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) prior to approximately a minimum voltage at the collector of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) during the detected ringing.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the step of coupling the base current source prior to approximately a minimum voltage comprises coupling the base current source a fixed delay offset duration prior to approximately the minimum voltage.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the controller is further configured to perform the steps of:
measuring a turn-on delay of the bipolar junction transistor when repeating the step of driving the base current; and
again repeating the step of driving the base current by coupling the base current source to the base of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) a time prior to approximately a minimum voltage at the collector of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT), wherein the time prior is based, at least in part, on the measured turn-on delay.

Assignees

• Cirrus Logic Inc

Inventors

• Melanson John L
• Zanbaghi Ramin
• Rengachari Thirumalai
• Drakshapalli Prashanth
• Singh Rahul
• Dutta Arnab Kumar

Classifications

• H05B45/50 Primary

  responsive to malfunctions or undesirable behaviour of LEDs; responsive to LED life; Protective circuits · CPC title

• H05B45/10

  Controlling the intensity of the light · CPC title

• H05B47/10

  Controlling the light source · CPC title

• H02M3/335 Primary

  using semiconductor devices only · CPC title

• H05B33/0845

  Electricity · mapped topic