Switch-mode power converters using hall effect sensors and methods thereof

Abstract

System and method for transmitting and receiving. For example, the system includes a transmitter, one or more wires, and a receiver connected to the transmitter through the one or more wires. The transmitter is configured to generate a first current, and the receiver is configured to receive the first current. The receiver includes a coil, a Hall effect sensor, and a comparator, and the Hall effect sensor includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The coil is electrically isolated from the Hall effect sensor and configured to generate a magnetic field based at least in part on the first current flowing through the coil, and the Hall effect sensor is configured to sense the magnetic field and generate a first voltage at the first electrode and a second voltage at the second electrode. The comparator includes a first input terminal and a second input terminal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for transmitting and receiving, the system comprising:
 a transmitter;   one or more wires; and   a receiver connected to the transmitter through the one or more wires;   wherein:
 the transmitter is configured to generate a first current; and 
 the receiver is configured to receive the first current; 
   wherein:
 the receiver includes a coil, a Hall effect sensor, and a comparator; and 
 the Hall effect sensor includes a first electrode and a second electrode; 
   wherein:
 the coil is electrically isolated from the Hall effect sensor and configured to generate a magnetic field based at least in part on the first current flowing through the coil; and 
 the Hall effect sensor is configured to sense the magnetic field and generate a first voltage at the first electrode and a second voltage at the second electrode; 
   wherein:
 the comparator includes a first input terminal and a second input terminal; and 
 the comparator is configured to:
 receive the first voltage at the first input terminal; 
 receive the second voltage at the second input terminal; and 
 generate an output voltage based at least in part on the first voltage and the second voltage. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the receiver is further configured to:
 in response to the first current increasing from a first current magnitude to a second current magnitude, increase the output voltage from a first voltage magnitude to a second voltage magnitude; and 
 in response to the first current decreasing from the second current magnitude to the first current magnitude, decrease the output voltage from the second voltage magnitude to the first voltage magnitude. 
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the Hall effect sensor further includes a third electrode and a fourth electrode; and 
 the receiver further includes a current source configured to generate a second current flowing from the third electrode to the fourth electrode. 
 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the transmitter is further configured to receive an input signal and generate the first current in response to the input signal. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the transmitter includes a current source configured to receive the input signal and generate the first current in response to the input signal. 
     
     
         6 . A system for a power converter, the system comprising:
 a first controller system including a first controller and a transmitter;   one or more wires; and   a second controller system connected to the first controller system through the one or more wires, the second controller system including a second controller and a receiver;   wherein:
 the first controller is configured to:
 output a first control signal to a first switch to affect a first current flowing through a primary winding of a power converter; and 
 generate an input signal; and 
 
 the transmitter is configured to receive the input signal and generate a current in response to the input signal; 
   wherein:
 the receiver includes a coil configured to generate a magnetic field based at least in part on the current flowing through the coil, a Hall effect sensor configured to sense the magnetic field, and a comparator configured to receive a first sensor voltage and a second sensor voltage from the Hall effect sensor; and 
 the receiver is configured to receive the current and generate an output signal based at least in part on the current; 
   wherein the second controller is configured to:
 receive the output signal; and 
 output a second control signal to a second switch to affect a second current flowing through a secondary winding of the power converter, the secondary winding being coupled to the primary winding. 
   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein:
 the Hall effect sensor includes a first electrode and a second electrode; and 
 the comparator includes a first input terminal and a second input terminal. 
 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the Hall effect sensor is configured to generate the first sensor voltage at the first electrode and the second sensor voltage at the second electrode. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the comparator is configured to:
 receive the first sensor voltage at the first input terminal; 
 receive the second sensor voltage at the second input terminal; and 
 generate the output signal based at least in part on the first sensor voltage and the second sensor voltage. 
 
     
     
         10 . A system for a power converter, the system comprising:
 a first controller system including a first controller and a receiver;   one or more wires; and   a second controller system connected to the first controller system through the one or more wires, the second controller system including a second controller and a transmitter;   wherein:
 the second controller is configured to:
 output a first control signal to a first switch to affect a first current flowing through a secondary winding of a power converter; and 
 generate an input signal; and 
 
 the transmitter is configured to receive the input signal and generate a current in response to the input signal; 
   wherein:
 the receiver includes a coil configured to generate a magnetic field based at least in part on the current flowing through the coil, a Hall effect sensor configured to sense the magnetic field, and a comparator configured to receive a first sensor voltage and a second sensor voltage from the Hall effect sensor; and 
 the receiver is configured to receive the current and generate an output signal based at least in part on the current; 
   wherein the first controller is configured to:
 receive the output signal; and 
 output a second control signal to a second switch to affect a second current flowing through a primary winding of the power converter, the primary winding being coupled to the secondary winding. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein:
 the Hall effect sensor includes a first electrode and a second electrode; and 
 the comparator includes a first input terminal and a second input terminal. 
 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the Hall effect sensor is configured to generate the first sensor voltage at the first electrode and the second sensor voltage at the second electrode. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the comparator is configured to:
 receive the first sensor voltage at the first input terminal; 
 receive the second sensor voltage at the second input terminal; and 
 generate the output signal based at least in part on the first sensor voltage and the second sensor voltage. 
 
     
     
         14 . A system for a power converter, the system comprising:
 a first controller;   a first transmitter;   a first receiver;   one or more first wires;   one or more second wires;   a second controller;   a second receiver connected to the first transmitter through the one or more first wires; and   a second transmitter connected to the first receiver through the one or more second wires;   wherein:
 the first controller is configured to:
 output a first control signal to a first switch to affect a first current flowing through a primary winding of a power converter; and 
 generate a first input signal; and 
 
 the first transmitter is configured to receive the first input signal and generate a first current in response to the first input signal; 
   wherein:
 the second receiver includes a first coil configured to generate a first magnetic field based at least in part on the first current flowing through the first coil, a first Hall effect sensor configured to sense the first magnetic field, and a first comparator configured to receive a first sensor voltage and a second sensor voltage from the first Hall effect sensor; and 
 the second receiver is configured to receive the first current and generate a first output signal based at least in part on the first current; 
   wherein the second controller is configured to:
 receive the first output signal; 
 output a second control signal to a second switch to affect a second current flowing through a secondary winding of the power converter, the secondary winding being coupled to the primary winding; and 
 generate a second input signal; 
   the second transmitter is configured to receive the second input signal and generate a second current in response to the second input signal;   wherein:
 the first receiver includes a second coil configured to generate a second magnetic field based at least in part on the second current flowing through the second coil, a second Hall effect sensor configured to sense the second magnetic field, and a second comparator configured to receive a third sensor voltage and a fourth sensor voltage from the second Hall effect sensor; and 
 the first receiver is configured to receive the second current and generate a second output signal based at least in part on the second current; 
   wherein the first controller is configured to receive the second output signal.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein:
 the first controller, the first transmitter, and the first receiver are located on a first chip; 
 the second controller, the second receiver, and the second transmitter are located on a second chip; 
 the first chip and the second chip are different. 
 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the first controller, the first transmitter, the first receiver, the second controller, the second receiver, and the second transmitter are located on a same chip. 
     
     
         17 . A method for transmitting and receiving, the method comprising:
 generating a first current;   receiving the first current;   generating, by a coil, a magnetic field based at least in part on the first current flowing through the coil;   sensing the magnetic field by a Hall effect sensor, the Hall effect sensor being electrically isolated from the coil;   generating a first voltage and a second voltage by the Hall effect sensor;   receiving the first voltage and the second voltage; and   generating an output voltage based at least in part on the first voltage and the second voltage.   
     
     
         18 . A method for a power converter, the method comprising:
 outputting a first control signal to a first switch to affect a first current flowing through a primary winding of a power converter;   generating an input signal;   receiving the input signal;   generating a current in response to the input signal;   receiving the current;   generating a magnetic field by a coil based at least in part on the current flowing through the coil;   sensing the magnetic field by a Hall effect sensor;   receiving a first sensor voltage and a second sensor voltage from the Hall effect sensor;   generating an output signal based at least in part on the first sensor voltage and the second sensor voltage;   receiving the output signal; and   outputting a second control signal to a second switch to affect a second current flowing through a secondary winding of the power converter, the secondary winding being coupled to the primary winding.   
     
     
         19 . A method for a power converter, the method comprising:
 outputting a first control signal to a first switch to affect a first current flowing through a secondary winding of a power converter;   generating an input signal;   receiving the input signal;   generating a current in response to the input signal;   receiving the current;   generating a magnetic field, by a coil, based at least in part on the current flowing through the coil;   sensing the magnetic field by a Hall effect sensor;   receiving a first sensor voltage and a second sensor voltage from the Hall effect sensor;   generating an output signal based at least in part on the first sensor voltage and the second sensor voltage;   receiving the output signal; and   outputting a second control signal to a second switch to affect a second current flowing through a primary winding of the power converter, the primary winding being coupled to the secondary winding.   
     
     
         20 . A method for a power converter, the method comprising:
 outputting a first control signal to a first switch to affect a first current flowing through a primary winding of a power converter;   generating a first input signal;   receiving the first input signal;   generating a first current in response to the first input signal;   receiving the first current;   generating a first magnetic field, by a first coil, based at least in part on the first current flowing through the first coil;   sensing the first magnetic field by a first Hall effect sensor;   receiving a first sensor voltage and a second sensor voltage from the first Hall effect sensor;   generating a first output signal based at least in part on the first sensor voltage and the second sensor voltage;   receiving the first output signal;   outputting a second control signal to a second switch to affect a second current flowing through a secondary winding of the power converter, the secondary winding being coupled to the primary winding;   generating a second input signal;   receiving the second input signal;   generating a second current in response to the second input signal;   receiving the second current;   generating a second magnetic field, by a second coil, based at least in part on the second current flowing through the second coil;   sensing the second magnetic field by a second Hall effect sensor;   receiving a third sensor voltage and a fourth sensor voltage from the second Hall effect sensor;   generating a second output signal based at least in part on the third sensor voltage and the fourth sensor voltage; and   receiving the second output signal.