Patent ID: 8077490

Claim:
A switching power converter circuit, comprising: a magnetic storage element; a switching circuit coupled to the magnetic storage element for energizing the magnetic storage element; a capacitive storage element coupled to the magnetic storage element, wherein the capacitive storage element is charged by a current transferred from the magnetic storage element to provide an output terminal adapted for coupling to a load; a sensing circuit for sensing at least one of a current or a voltage provided at the output terminal; a control circuit having an input coupled to an output of the sensing circuit and an output coupled to the switching circuit, for controlling the switching circuit according to a feedback path from an output of the sensing circuit to an input of a modulator that controls the switching circuit, wherein the feedback path includes at least one digital element, and wherein the control circuit is responsive to a control signal to alter a transfer function of the at least one digital element within the feedback path to cause generation of a limit-cycle oscillation within the feedback path; and a limit-cycle oscillation measurement circuit for measuring characteristics of the limit-cycle oscillation, whereby characteristics of the switching power converter are obtained.