Patent ID: 7272025
Filing Date: 2007-09-18
Classification: H02M

Abstract:
1. A switching regulator, comprising: a switch to be coupled to an energy transfer element of a power supply; a controller coupled to the switch to control a switching of the switch to control an output of the power supply, wherein the output of the power supply includes a combination of an output voltage and an output current; and a feedback circuit coupled to the controller, the feedback circuit coupled to receive a feedback-signal derived from the output of the power supply, wherein combinations of the output voltage and the output current correspond to either regulated or unregulated output regions in which the power supply can operate, wherein at least one unregulated output region is a self protection auto-restart region where the power supply operates at a reduced output voltage and reduced average output current and where the controller continuously cycles between a first period of unregulated switching of the switch and a second period of no switching of the switch while in the auto-restart region, wherein within another unregulated output region the switching regulator provides continuous output power at substantially the maximum output power of the switching regulator, and wherein a magnitude of the feedback signal corresponds to one of the regulated or unregulated output regions in which the power supply can operate.