US 12,438,536 B2
Half-bridge driver and half-bridge driving method having slew rate adjustment function
Yi-Kuang Chen, Taichung (TW)
Assigned to Richtek Technology Corporation, Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by Richtek Technology Corporation, Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Oct. 16, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/487,997.
Claims priority of application No. 111141849 (TW), filed on Nov. 2, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0146295 A1, May 2, 2024
Int. Cl. H03K 17/16 (2006.01); H02M 1/088 (2006.01); H02M 1/44 (2007.01)
CPC H03K 17/162 (2013.01) [H02M 1/088 (2013.01); H02M 1/44 (2013.01); H03K 2217/0063 (2013.01); H03K 2217/0072 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A half-bridge driver for driving a half-bridge circuit, wherein the half-bridge circuit comprises a high-side switch and a low-side switch connected in series with each other, and the half-bridge driver comprises:
a switch selection circuit, configured to turn on or off the high-side switch or the low-side switch according to a control signal, and to generate a source current or a sink current to correspondingly pull up or pull down a gate-source voltage of the high-side switch or the low-side switch, so as to turn on or turn off the high-side switch or the low-side switch, to thereby convert an input voltage into an output voltage; and
at least one slew rate adjustment circuit, coupled to the half-bridge circuit, wherein the slew rate adjustment circuit comprises:
a pulse width control unit, configured to generate an adjustment pulling control signal with a preset pulse according to the control signal;
an adjustment pulling unit, configured to pull up or pull down the gate-source voltage of the high-side switch or the low-side switch according to the adjustment pulling control signal, so as to adjust a slew rate of the output voltage; and
a stop-adjustment pulling unit, coupled to the adjustment pulling unit, configured to stop pulling up or pulling down the gate-source voltage of the high-side switch or the low-side switch according to a preset threshold;
wherein a voltage difference between a high power voltage and a low power voltage of the slew rate adjustment circuit is less than a voltage difference between a power supply voltage and a ground potential;
wherein the power supply voltage is higher than the input voltage and the output voltage;
wherein the adjustment pulling unit pulls up or pulls down the gate-source voltage of the high-side switch or the low-side switch for an adjustment period, and the adjustment period is related to at least one of a pulse width of the preset pulse, the preset threshold, and a level of the adjustment pulling control signal.