Patent ID: 7456620

Claim:
A controller capable of regulating a substantially DC signal at the output of a switched-mode DC-DC converter comprising a pair of power switches, the controller comprising: an input capable of receiving a substantially DC feedback signal from the output of the switched-mode DC-DC converter; a DC reference generator capable of providing a DC reference signal; a comparator configured to receive said substantially DC feedback signal and said DC reference signal, and capable of providing an analog error signal a digital error signal based at least in part upon a difference between said substantially DC feedback signal and said DC reference signal; an analog to digital converter configured to receive said analog error signal and generate a digital error signal based upon said analog error signal; a compensator capable of receiving said digital error signal and capable of providing a time-varying duty-cycle command and a digital status signal indicative of the direction of change of said substantially DC feedback signal based at least in part upon said digital error signal; a dead-time sub-controller configured to receive said digital status signal and configured to determine a pair of dead-time commands based at least in part upon an algorithm minimizing said digital status signal, wherein said algorithm is implemented through either hardware logic or software; and a modulator capable of receiving said time-varying duty-cycle command and said pair of dead-time commands, and capable of determining a pair of power switch control signals based at least in part upon said time-varying duty-cycle command and said pair of dead-time commands.