Patent ID: 8289007

Claim:
A power converter, comprising: a first switch having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein when the first switch is turned on, the first and second terminals are electrically coupled with each other, and when the first switch is turned off, the first and second terminals are riot electrically coupled with each other, and wherein the first terminal is coupled to a first node; a second switch having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein when the second switch is turned on, the first and second terminals are electrically coupled with each other, and when the first switch is turned off, the first and second terminals are not electrically coupled with each other, and wherein the first terminal of the second switch is coupled to the second terminal of the first switch, and the second terminal of the second switch is coupled to a second node; a capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal; and a third switch having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal is coupled to the first node, and the second terminal is coupled to the first terminal of the capacitor, the third switch having a linear-active region of operation wherein in a first condition, the first switch and the second switch are turned off, and the third switch is configured to operate in a linear or a saturated region while operating in the first condition; and in a second condition, the second switch and the third switch are turned on and off together; and the first switch and the second switch are turned on and off complementarily while operating in the second condition.