US6094038A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Buck converter with inductive turn ratio optimization
Assignee: Semtech Corp
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Filing: 1999-06-28
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Granted: 2000-07-25
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Expires: 2019-06-28
Abstract
Abstract A DC--DC power converter circuit for converting relatively high input voltages to relatively low output voltages employs a buck-type circuit topology with a multiple winding inductor. An optional winding is provided to the inductor to clamp a voltage spike appearing on the drain of one of the switching devices. Optionally, two inductor windings may be capacitively coupled for better efficiency.
Inventors
- 👤 Patrice R. Lethellier
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 22:13
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02M; H02M3/00; H02M3/02; H02M3/04; H02M3/10; H02M3/145; H02M3/155; H02M3/156; H02M3/158; H02M3/1588; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B70/00; Y02B70/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
A DC--DC synchronous converter, comprising: an input voltage node for connecting to an input voltage; an output voltage node for providing an output voltage; a fixed voltage node, such as ground; a first switching device having a first switching input, a first terminal and a second terminal; a second switching device having a second switching input, a first terminal and a second terminal; and an inductor having a series connected first winding and second winding, said first winding having a first number of turns and said second winding having a second number of turns, said inductor including a center tap connected to said first winding and said second winding, an input connected to said first winding and an output connected to said second winding, said first terminal of said first switching device connected to said input voltage node; said inductor input coupled to said second terminal of said first switching device; said second terminal of said second switching device connected to said fixed voltage node; said first terminal of said second switching device connected to said center tap; and said output of said inductor connected to said output voltage node.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
190 words
A DC--DC synchronous converter, comprising: an input voltage node for connecting to an input voltage; an output voltage node for providing an output voltage; a fixed voltage node, such as ground; a first switching device having a first switching input, a first terminal and a second terminal; a second switching device having a second switching input, a first terminal and a second terminal; and an inductor having a series connected first winding and second winding, said first winding having a first number of turns and said second winding having a second number of turns, said inductor including a center tap connected to said first winding and said second winding, an input connected to said first winding and an output connected to said second winding, said first terminal of said first switching device connected to said input voltage node; said inductor input coupled to said second terminal of said first switching device; said second terminal of said second switching device connected to said fixed voltage node; said first terminal of said second switching device connected to said center tap; and said output of said inductor connected to said output voltage node.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A converter according to claim 1, wherein: said first switching device is an N-Channel MOSFET.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A converter according to claim 1, wherein: said first switching device is a P-Channel device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A converter according to claim 3, wherein: said P-Channel device is a bi-polar transistor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
198 words
A DC--DC synchronous converter, comprising: an input voltage node for connecting to an input voltage; an output voltage node for providing an output voltage; a fixed voltage node, such as ground; a first switching device having a first switching input, a first terminal and a second terminal; a second switching device having a second switching input, a first terminal and a second terminal; and an inductor having a first winding and a second winding, said first winding having a first number of turns and said second winding having a second number of turns, said first winding magnetically coupled to said second winding, each said winding having a first end and a second end, said first end of said first winding connected to said input voltage node; said second end of said first winding connected to said first terminal of said first switching device; said second terminal of said first switching device connected to said first terminal of said second switching device and to said first end of said second winding; said second terminal of said second switching device connected to said fixed voltage node; and said second end of said second winding connected to said output voltage node.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
198 words
A DC--DC synchronous converter, comprising: an input voltage node for connecting to an input voltage; an output voltage node for providing an output voltage; a fixed voltage node, such as ground; a first switching device having a first switching input, a first terminal and a second terminal; a second switching device having a second switching input, a first terminal and a second terminal; and an inductor having a first winding and a second winding, said first winding having a first number of turns and said second winding having a second number of turns, said first winding magnetically coupled to said second winding, each said winding having a first end and a second end, said first end of said first winding connected to said input voltage node; said second end of said first winding connected to said first terminal of said first switching device; said second terminal of said first switching device connected to said first terminal of said second switching device and to said first end of said second winding; said second terminal of said second switching device connected to said fixed voltage node; and said second end of said second winding connected to said output voltage node.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A converter according to claim 5, wherein: said first switching device is an N-Channel MOSFET.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
A converter according to claim 5, wherein: said first switching device is a P-Channel device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
A converter according to claim 7, wherein: said P-Channel device is a bi-polar transistor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
273 words
A DC--DC synchronous converter, comprising: an input voltage node for connecting to an input voltage; an output voltage node for providing an output voltage; a fixed voltage node, such as ground; a first switching device having a first switching input, a first terminal and a second terminal; a second switching device having a second switching input, a first terminal and a second terminal; and an inductor having a first winding, a second winding and a third winding, said first winding having a first number of turns, said second winding having a second number of turns and said third winding having a third number of turns, said first, second and third windings magnetically coupled to one another, each said winding having a first end and a second end, said first ends being all of the same polarity and said second ends being all of the opposite polarity to said first ends, said first end of said first winding connected to said input voltage node; said second end of said first winding connected to said first terminal of said first switching device; said second terminal of said first switching device connected to said first terminal of said second switching device and to said first end of said second winding; said second end of said second winding connected to said output voltage node; said second terminal of said second switching device connected to said fixed voltage node; said first end of said third winding connected to said fixed voltage node; said second end of said third winding connected to the anode of a diode; and a cathode of said diode connected to said output voltage node.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
273 words
A DC--DC synchronous converter, comprising: an input voltage node for connecting to an input voltage; an output voltage node for providing an output voltage; a fixed voltage node, such as ground; a first switching device having a first switching input, a first terminal and a second terminal; a second switching device having a second switching input, a first terminal and a second terminal; and an inductor having a first winding, a second winding and a third winding, said first winding having a first number of turns, said second winding having a second number of turns and said third winding having a third number of turns, said first, second and third windings magnetically coupled to one another, each said winding having a first end and a second end, said first ends being all of the same polarity and said second ends being all of the opposite polarity to said first ends, said first end of said first winding connected to said input voltage node; said second end of said first winding connected to said first terminal of said first switching device; said second terminal of said first switching device connected to said first terminal of said second switching device and to said first end of said second winding; said second end of said second winding connected to said output voltage node; said second terminal of said second switching device connected to said fixed voltage node; said first end of said third winding connected to said fixed voltage node; said second end of said third winding connected to the anode of a diode; and a cathode of said diode connected to said output voltage node.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
A converter according to claim 9, wherein: said first switching device is an N-Channel MOSFET.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
A converter according to claim 9, wherein: said first switching device is a P-Channel device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
A converter according to claim 11, wherein: said P-Channel device is a bi-polar transistor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
281 words
A DC--DC synchronous converter, comprising: an input voltage node for connecting to an input voltage; an output voltage node for providing an output voltage; a fixed voltage node, such as ground; a first switching device having a first switching input, a first terminal and a second terminal; a second switching device having a second switching input, a first terminal and a second terminal; and an inductor having a first winding, a second winding and a third winding, said first winding having a first number of turns, said second winding having a second number of turns and said third winding having a third number of turns, each said winding having a first end and a second end, said first ends being all of the same polarity and said second ends being all of the opposite polarity to said first ends; and said first end of said first winding connected to said input voltage node; said second end of said first winding connected to said first terminal of said first switching device and to a first lead of a first capacitor; said second terminal of said first switching device connected to said first terminal of said second switching device and to said first end of said second winding; said second end of said second winding connected to said output voltage node; said second terminal of said second switching device connected to said fixed voltage node; said first end of said third winding connected to said fixed voltage node; said second end of said third winding connected to the anode of a diode and to a second lead of said first capacitor; and a cathode of said diode connected to said output voltage node.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
281 words
A DC--DC synchronous converter, comprising: an input voltage node for connecting to an input voltage; an output voltage node for providing an output voltage; a fixed voltage node, such as ground; a first switching device having a first switching input, a first terminal and a second terminal; a second switching device having a second switching input, a first terminal and a second terminal; and an inductor having a first winding, a second winding and a third winding, said first winding having a first number of turns, said second winding having a second number of turns and said third winding having a third number of turns, each said winding having a first end and a second end, said first ends being all of the same polarity and said second ends being all of the opposite polarity to said first ends; and said first end of said first winding connected to said input voltage node; said second end of said first winding connected to said first terminal of said first switching device and to a first lead of a first capacitor; said second terminal of said first switching device connected to said first terminal of said second switching device and to said first end of said second winding; said second end of said second winding connected to said output voltage node; said second terminal of said second switching device connected to said fixed voltage node; said first end of said third winding connected to said fixed voltage node; said second end of said third winding connected to the anode of a diode and to a second lead of said first capacitor; and a cathode of said diode connected to said output voltage node.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
A converter according to claim 13, wherein: said first switching device is an N-Channel MOSFET.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
A converter according to claim 13, wherein: said first switching device is a P-Channel device.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
A converter according to claim 15, wherein: said P-Channel device is a bi-polar transistor.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
A converter according to claim 13, further comprising a second capacitor connected between said input voltage node and said output voltage node.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
A converter according to claim 17, wherein: said first switching device is an N-Channel MOSFET.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
A converter according to claim 17, wherein: said first switching device is a P-Channel device.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
A converter according to claim 19, wherein: said P-Channel device is a bi-polar transistor.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
A converter according to claim 17, further comprising a third capacitor connected between said second end of said second winding and said second end of said third winding.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
A converter according to claim 21, wherein: said first switching device is an N-Channel MOSFET.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
A converter according to claim 21, wherein: said first switching device is a P-Channel device.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
A converter according to claim 23, wherein: said P-Channel device is a bi-polar transistor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-07-25 | 2004-01-24 | 2004-07-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-07-25 | 2008-01-24 | 2008-07-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-07-25 | 2012-01-24 | 2012-07-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |