Patent ID: 7868597

Claim:
A method of operating a synchronous power converter, the method comprising: detecting when at least one of an upper power switch and a lower power switch of a synchronous power converter transitions to an off state during a dead-time transition interval between the upper power switch and the lower power switch; generating a first comparison signal in a dead-time adjustment circuit coupled to the synchronous power converter, the first comparison signal indicative of a voltage level at a phase node of the synchronous power converter; detecting a body diode conduction level of at least one of the upper and lower power switches in the off state using at least a second comparison signal generated in the dead-time adjustment circuit; and based on the first and second comparison signals indicating a continuing body diode conduction level of at least one of the upper and lower power switches in the off state, adjusting the dead-time transition interval between the upper power switch and the lower power switch using at least one current source from the dead-time adjustment circuit to reduce the dead-time transition interval to a desired dead-time interval.