Patent ID: 11967901
Assignee: RENESAS DESIGN (UK) LIMITED
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 13:
14. A method of converting power with an output-to-input conversion ratio, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a power converter having a ground port, a first port, and a second port, wherein when the power converter operates as a step-down converter the first port receives an input voltage and the second port provides the output voltage and when the power converter operates as a step-up converter the second port receives an input voltage and the first port provides the output voltage; the power converter comprising a reservoir capacitor, a first flying capacitor, a first inductor and a second inductor coupled to a network of switches; and a driver adapted to drive the network of switches with a sequence of states during a drive period; wherein the power converter is operable in a first mode to deliver an output current using both the first inductor and the second inductor and a second mode to deliver the output current using the first inductor and without using the second inductor;
driving the network of switches in a first sequence of states to operate the power converter in the first mode when a load current is above a threshold value;
driving the network of switches in a second sequence of states to operate the power converter in the second mode when the load current is equal or below the threshold value.