Patent ID: 7960949

Claim:
A power converter comprising: a voltage level increasing circuit being coupled between first and second power converter inputs for receiving a DC-input voltage, and having an output for supplying an adapted input voltage having either a higher level than the input voltage or a polarity opposite to the input voltage, a down-converter having first and second down-converter inputs, a control switch with a main current path arranged between a first node and the first down-converter input, an inductor arranged between the first node and a load, and a sync switch arranged between the first node and the second down-converter input, a controller for controlling the control switch, and switches of the voltage level increasing circuit for either coupling the input voltage or the adapted input voltage to the first node or to the first or second down-converter input, and wherein the voltage level increasing circuit comprises: a first controllable switch having a main current path arranged between the first power converter input and a second node, a second controllable switch having a main current path arranged between the second node and the second power converter input, and a capacitor arranged between the first node and the second node, and wherein the controller either activates the control switch or one of the first controllable switch or the second controllable switch to supply the input voltage or the adapted input voltage to the first node, respectively.