Patent ID: 8248046

Claim:
A DC-DC converter that performs pulse frequency modulation control at a light load and outputs an output signal, comprising: an error amplifier configured to amplify a difference between the output signal and a reference signal and to output a difference signal; a detection circuit configured to detect a load state based on the difference signal and to output a control signal; an oscillation circuit configured to output an oscillation frequency signal; a skipping circuit configured to, during the light load, selectively skip pulses of the oscillation frequency signal and to generate a skipped signal, wherein the skipping circuit includes a frequency intermittent circuit that outputs a pulse signal; a selector configured to select one of the oscillation frequency signal and the skipped signal based on the control signal; and a pulse width modulation control circuit configured to control ON and OFF states of a first transistor and a second transistor based on the selected signal, wherein a pulse width associated with an output signal of the pulse width modulation control circuit varies in response to the pulse signal.