Patent ID: 7432614

Claim:
A circuit comprising: (a) a main switch and an inductive element coupled in series with a source of electric potential; (b) a switch for freewheel switching coupled in parallel with said inductive element; (c) a first auxiliary switch having a first end coupled with a node between said main switch and said inductive element, and a second end coupled with first output; (d) a second auxiliary switch having a first end coupled with a node between said main switch and said inductive element, and a second end coupled with a second output; and (e) a switch control, configured to selectively close the main switch during a first time period of a switching phase, said first or second auxiliary switch during a second time period of the switching phase, and the switch for freewheel switching during a third time period of the switching phase when current through the inductive element drops down to a re-defined current level above zero, said switch control being further configured to maintain the current through said inductive element at the pre-defined current level during the third time period and at least at the pre-defined current level during the first and second time periods of the switching phase.