Patent ID: 6961253

Claim:
A power converter, comprising: a primary switch that repetitively switches between a conductive state and a substantially non-conductive state to selectively connect an input of said power converter to an electrical power source; a detection circuit that senses the approximate switch timing of said primary switch to provide a timing signal representative of the primary switch timing; and a rectifier device that includes a conduction control terminal and a bi-directional conduction path selectively enabled by said conduction control terminal, such that when said conduction control terminal is driven ON said bi-directional conduction path is activated to conduct an output current provided to an output of said power converter, and when said conduction control terminal is driven OFF said bi-directional conduction path is de-activated, wherein said conduction control terminal is driven OFF based on said timing signal to de-activate said bi-directional conduction path at a time such that the magnitude of the current conducted by said rectifier device is not substantial relative to the magnitude of the output current and such that substantial cross-conduction does not occur.