Patent ID: 6970339

Claim:
A method of limiting the current using an embedded overcurrent protection circuit within a power converter having a power device, comprising the steps of: a. resetting a current limit detection circuit within the power converter on the rising edge of the system clock; b. turning on the power device, having a control node; c. detecting the drain-to-source voltage across the power device and the output current generated thereby by a current detecting circuit; d. comparing the output current detected by a comparator with a first predetermined limit value; e. regulating the output current by modulating the pulse width of the signal sent to the control node of the power device, when the output current is less than the first predetermined limit value; f. turning the power device off when the output current exceeds the first predetermined limit value and monitoring a synchronous rectifier for a second predetermined limit value, wherein the synchronous rectifier monitoring step includes: i. turning on a synchronous rectifier; ii. monitoring the current in the synchronous rectifier; iii. comparing the current in the synchronous rectifier with the second predetermined limit value; iv. repeating step iii, when the current in the synchronous rectifier is equal to or greater than the second predetermined limit value; and v. turning off the synchronous rectifier, when the current in the synchronous rectifier is less than the second predetermined limit value; and g. repeating steps a through f.