Patent ID: 8716989

Claim:
A DC to DC converter comprising an inductor, first and second electrically controllable switches and a controller, wherein the first electrically controllable switch is interposed between an input node and a first terminal of the inductor and the second electrically controllable switch extends between a second terminal of the inductor and a common node or a ground, and where a first rectifier extends between the common node or ground and the first terminal of the inductor and a second rectifier connects the second terminal of the inductor to an output node, wherein the controller controls operation of the first and second switches to perform voltage step down or step up to achieve a desired output voltage, wherein a decision about when to switch the first electrically controlled switch is made as a first function of a voltage error between the output voltage and a target output voltage, and an estimate of the current flowing in the inductor, and wherein a voltage difference between two terminals of the first electrically controllable switch is provided to an amplifier whose output is switchably provided to a sample-and-hold circuit for estimating the current flowing in the inductor.