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In this paper, a sample voltage dead-beat control based on differentiative voltage prediction (DVP) and switching-cycle extension (SCE) is presented to achieve optimal transient response for DC-DC converters under discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) operation. Firstly, to improve load transient response, a DVP method is proposed to estimate the load. With the estimated load, the controller realizes load current feedforward and thus improves the transient response with a wide load range. Secondly, an SCE strategy is proposed to enlarge the output current range and output voltage slew rate, both of which have limited value under conventional digital pulse width modulation (DPWM). When the output current reaches the limited value, the proposed strategy increases the switching cycle to enlarge the current range without losing DCM operation. Finally, combining DVP with SCE, the converter not only achieves optimal response in large signal transients, but also doubles the load range in DCM operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power losses of switches and inductors are consistent challenges that hinder the development of high-frequency power supply in package (PSiP). This paper investigates the roadmap for power loss optimizations of switches and inductors in high-frequency PSiPs. Firstly, a size and parallel quantity design method to reduce power loss in an integrated Si LDMOSFET is provided with comprehensive consideration of switching frequency and power levels. Secondly, quality factors of different air-core inductors are analyzed with consideration of geometric parameters and skin effect, which provides the winding structure optimization to reduce power losses. The power losses of the integrated Si LDMOSFET and air-core inductors are both reduced to less than 10% of the output power at 1~100 MHz switching frequency and 0.1~10 W power level. Finally, based on the above optimizations, power losses of switches and inductors are calculated with switching frequency and power level. Combining the calculated results, this paper predicts the efficiency boundaries of PSiPs. Upon efficiency normalization with consideration of input and output voltage levels, all the predictions are consistent with the published literature. The efficiency predication error is 1~15% at 1~100 MHz switching frequency and 0.1~10 W power level. The above power loss optimizations improve the efficiency, which provides potential roadmaps for achieving high-frequency PSiPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a fully analytical loss model to reduce circling currents and improve the power efficiency of a class Φ2 inverter. Firstly, analytical expression of the switching node voltage is derived by analyzing its harmonic components. Based on the result, the power switch is modeled as a voltage source, where the circuit is simplified to a linear network and analytical expressions of branch currents are solved. Secondly, root mean square (RMS) values of branch currents and component losses are calculated to form the analytical loss model for a Φ2 inverter. The influence of circuit parameters on the circling current and power efficiency are thoroughly analyzed, which derives optimal design constraints to reduce circling currents of a class Φ2 inverter. Furthermore, detailed design guidance and equations are provided to calculate circuit parameters of a class Φ2 inverter, which reduces its circling currents and improves overall power efficiency. Finally, a class Φ2 inverter prototype is built, and experimental results demonstrate a 7% efficiency improvement compared to conventional empirical design methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a triple-mode average current control (TACC) strategy to achieve unity power factor and reduce the current stress for a boost PFC converter. The controller switches among different modes in each half-line cycle, and smooth transition is ensured by mapping of the operation region. By adaptive mode shifting, it reduces the current stress and current distortion caused by non-linear effects. With valley current shaping and comparisons, the TACC controller accordingly incorporates three control laws to adapt different modes. In discontinuous conduction mode (DCM), a variable on-time is calculated while the modulation is equivalent to PWM. In critical conduction mode (CRM), a constant on-time is derived, while the switching cycle is modified to regulate the current average value. For both DCM and CRM, the switching cycle is slightly extended to realize valley switching. Furthermore, with valley current shaping, the proposed controller reuses the CRM calculation to form continuous conduction mode (CCM) control law. To make the control laws compatible, normalized mapping and design rules are provided with respect to mode boundaries. This allows the TACC controller to automatically switch among different modes. Finally, experimental results prove the effectiveness of the controller in reducing the current stress and enlarging the preferable power range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Switched mode power converters are nonlinear systems, and it is a constant challenge to improve their modeling accuracy and control performance. In this paper, a State Switched Discrete-time Model (SSDM) is proposed, which achieves a higher accuracy at a high frequency than that of conventional state averaged models. Instead of averaging the converter states for approximation, the states within each switching cycle are considered in the modeling. Based on total differential equations of switching-ON and switching-OFF durations, the inductor current and output voltage within a cycle are accurately calculated, which derives the SSDM. Furthermore, a Digital Predictive Voltage Programmed (DPVP) control strategy is derived through the SSDM. Through voltage prediction, a suitable duty ratio is calculated that regulates the output voltage to its reference value in the minimum switching cycles. In this way, the converter achieves a very fast load/line transient response and reference tracking speed, and it exhibits a high stability under deviated inductance. Finally, the accuracy of SSDM and the system stability are proved by frequency response analyses and experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a linearized discrete charge balance (LDCB) control strategy is proposed for buck converter operating in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). For DC-DC power converters, discrete charge balance (DCB) control is an attractive approach to improve the output voltage transient response. However, as a non-linear control strategy, the algorithm is complex, which is difficult for implementation. To reduce the complexity, this paper proposes the LDCB control strategy that is derived through linearizing conventional DCB controller. By deriving the differential functions of the DCB control algorithm, the small signal relationship between the input and output of DCB controller is explored. Furthermore, based on the relationship, the LDCB controller is formed through three parallel feed loops to the duty ratio. As a linear control approach, the achieved LDCB controller is greatly simplified for implementation. This not only saves the hardware cost, but also reduces the calculation lag, which provides potential to improve the switching frequency. Besides, since the LDCB controller shares the same small signal model as that of DCB controller, it achieves similar control loop bandwidth and transient performance. Effectiveness of the proposed LDCB control is verified by zero/pole plots, transient analyses and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an Optimized Sensorless Charge Balance (OSCB) controller based on a damped current model for flyback converter operating in Discontinuous Conduction Mode (DCM). By solving total differential equations of non-ideal transformer currents, the damped current model is derived with consideration of parasitics, leakage inductance of transformer, and the Resistor-Capacitor-Diode (RCD) snubber circuit. Based on the proposed model, current observation and control algorithms of the Sensorless Charge Balance (SCB) controller are optimized, which forms the OSCB control strategy. The average current damping is considered in the equivalent discrete-time small signal model. Furthermore, frequency analyses show that OSCB controller achieves higher closed-loop bandwidth and lower overshoot than a SCB controller, which indicates an improved transient performance. Finally, both OSCB and conventional SCB controllers are experimentally evaluated on a flyback converter prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) are some of the most popular PUFs that provide a highly-secured solution for secret key storage. Given that PUF responses are noisy, the key reconstruction must use error correcting code (ECC) to reduce the noise. Repetition code is widely used in resource constrained systems as it is concise and lightweight, however, research has shown that repetition codes can lead to information leakage. In this paper we found that the strongest cell distribution in a SRAM array may leak information of the responses of SRAM PUF when the repetition code is directly applied. Experimentally, on an ASIC platform with the HHGRACE 0.13 μm process, we recovered 8.3% of the measured response using the strongest cells revealed by the helper data, and we finally obtained a clone response 79% similar to weak response using the public helper data. We therefore propose Error Resistant Fuzzy Extractor (ERFE), a 4-bit error tolerant fuzzy extractor, that extracts the value of the sum of the responses as a unique key and reduces the failure rate to 1.8 × 10−8 with 256 bit entropy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In digital current mode controlled DC-DC converters, conventional current sensors might not provide isolation at a minimized price, power loss and size. Therefore, a current observer which can be realized based on the digital circuit itself, is a possible substitute. However, the observed current may diverge due to the parasitic resistors and the forward conduction voltage of the diode. Moreover, the divergence of the observed current will cause steady state errors in the output voltage. In this paper, an optimal current observer is proposed. It achieves the highest observation accuracy by compensating for all the known parasitic parameters. By employing the optimal current observer-based predictive current controller, a buck converter is implemented. The converter has a convergently and accurately observed inductor current, and shows preferable transient response than the conventional voltage mode controlled converter. Besides, costs, power loss and size are minimized since the strategy requires no additional hardware for current sensing. The effectiveness of the proposed optimal current observer is demonstrated experimentally.