US 12,463,528 B2
Handling connection faults of a bootstrap capacitor in a switching converter
Arnold J D'Souza, Bangalore (IN); and Shyam Somayajula, Bangalore (IN)
Assigned to Shaoxing Yuanfang Semiconductor Co., Ltd., Zhejiang (CN)
Filed by Shaoxing Yuanfang Semiconductor Co., Ltd., Shaoxing (CN)
Filed on Jul. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/360,881.
Claims priority of application No. 202241058855 (IN), filed on Oct. 14, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0128856 A1, Apr. 18, 2024
Int. Cl. H02M 1/32 (2007.01); H02M 3/156 (2006.01)
CPC H02M 1/325 (2021.05) [H02M 3/156 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A power stage of a voltage regulator comprising:
a high-side switch and a low-side switch coupled in series at a switching node, and together operable to generate an output voltage at an output node based on an input voltage received at an input node;
a bootstrap capacitor coupled to provide a gate drive for said high-side switch, said bootstrap capacitor coupled between a first node and said switching node in a no-fault condition of operation of said power stage, said first node being coupled to a power supply to provide power for charging said bootstrap capacitor; and
a fault-detector circuit for detecting each of an open condition of said bootstrap capacitor and a short condition of said bootstrap capacitor,
wherein said open condition comprises said bootstrap capacitor not being connected between said first node and said switching node,
wherein said short condition comprises said first node and said switching node being connected electrically with little or zero resistance.