Patent ID: 11888397
Assignee: STMICROELECTRON S.R.L.
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 0:
1. A DC-DC switching converter, comprising:
power switches operable to selectively couple an output terminal of the DC-DC switching converter to a first voltage or a second voltage, the output terminal being coupleable to a load when the DC-DC switching converter is in use;
wherein the power switches comprise a first power switch operable for selectively coupling an output terminal of the DC-DC switching converter to the first voltage, and a second power switch operable for selectively coupling the output terminal of the DC-DC switching converter to the second voltage;
a driver stage coupled to the power switches and configured to drive the power switches;
wherein the driver stage comprises: a first driver stage coupled to and configured to control the first power switch; and a second driver stage coupled to and configured to control the first power switch;
wherein the first driver stage comprises a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch in series between the first voltage and a first internal reference voltage of the DC-DC switching converter configured to cause activation of the first power switch when applied thereto, wherein the first switch is controlled by a first drive command generated by a control logic of the DC-DC switching converter, the second switch is controlled by a first activation command for the activation of the first driver stage and by a first signal indicative of a voltage level at the output terminal of the DC-DC switching converter, and the third switch is controlled by a first switch control signal depending on the first drive command and on a signal indicative of an activation state of the second power switch;
wherein the second driver stage comprises a fourth switch, a fifth switch and a sixth switch in series between the second voltage and a second internal reference voltage of the DC-DC switching converter configured to cause the activation of the second power switch when applied thereto, wherein the fourth switch is controlled by a second drive command generated by a control logic of the DC-DC switching converter, the fifth switch is controlled by a second activation command for the activation of the second driver stage and by a second signal indicative of the voltage level at the output terminal of the DC-DC switching converter, and the sixth switch is controlled by a second switch control signal depending on the second drive command and on a signal indicative of an activation state of the first power switch;
a driver control stage coupled to the driver stage and configured to control the operation of the driver stage;
wherein the driver control stage comprises:
first driver control stage coupled to and configured to control the operation of the first driver stage, wherein the first driver control stage is further configured to delay the first activation command for activation of the first driver stage when a first control signal is asserted, to receive the signal indicative of an activation state of the second power switch, and to enable the activation of the first power switch by the first driver stage if the signal indicative of the activation state of the second power switch indicates that the second power switch is de-activated; and
a second driver control stage coupled to and configured to control the operation of the second driver stage, wherein the second driver control stage is further configured to delay the second activation command for activation of the second driver stage when a second control signal is asserted, to receive the signal indicative of an activation state of the first power switch, and to enable the activation of the second power switch by the second driver stage if the signal indicative of an activation state of the first power switch indicates that the first power switch is de-activated; and

an output current sensing circuit coupled to the output terminal of the DC-DC switching converter and to the first and second driver control stages, the output current sensing circuit configured to sense a sign of an output current delivered by the DC-DC switching converter at the output terminal when in operation;
wherein the output current sensing circuit generates and feeds the first control signal to the first driver control stage, the first control signal being asserted when, during operation, the sensed sign of the output current delivered by the DC-DC switching converter at the output terminal is negative and the DC-DC switching converter is sinking current from the load;
wherein the output current sensing circuit generates and feeds the second control signal to the second driver control stage, the second control signal being asserted when, during operation, the sensed sign of the output current delivered by the DC-DC switching converter at the output terminal is positive and the DC-DC switching converter is sourcing current to the load;
wherein the first and second driver control stages control the operation of the first and second driver stages according to states of the first and second control signals to selectively delay activation of the first and second power switches depending on the sensed sign of the output current.