Patent ID: 7826236

Claim:
An apparatus for increasing efficiency in a switching power supply operating near a zero load condition, the apparatus comprising: a power detection module that detects an amount of power provided by a switching power supply to a load, the switching power supply capable of operating in a zero voltage switching mode, the power detection module further detecting when the amount of power provided by the switching power supply falls below a minimum power threshold; and a low load power control module configured to operate the switching power supply in a low load mode in response to the power detection module detecting that the amount of power provided to the load is below the minimum power threshold, the low load mode comprising operating the switching power supply to provide energy to an output of the switching power supply in a zero voltage switching mode in response to an output voltage of the switching power supply falling below a regulation voltage threshold; and turning off switching of the switching power supply in response to the output voltage of the switching power supply rising above a regulation voltage threshold wherein turning off switching of the switching power supply results in energy not being transferred to the output of the switching power supply.