There is provided in one aspect a nozzle boot arrangement for supporting a nozzle of a fuel dispensing unit, the nozzle including a spout and a base portion including a grip. The arrangement includes a nozzle boot including means for supporting the nozzle at the base portion thereof, and a section for receiving at least a portion of the spout. The arrangement also includes a stopper provided at said receiving section and formed separately from said nozzle boot. The stopper is arranged to cooperate with the spout to prevent the nozzle from falling about from the nozzle boot arrangement by rotation of the nozzle about said supporting means. According to further aspects, there is provided a fuel dispensing unit, a nozzle boot module and method of manufacturing a nozzle boot arrangement.

A container (1, 2) for storing and dispensing a liquid, the container including an access port (16) having a frangible seal (18) for allowing contained liquid to be dispensed. A vent (19) permeable to vapour but impermeable to liquid is also provided so that vapour may be vented from the interior of the container.

A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet and a refrigerating compartment within the refrigerator cabinet. A beverage dispensing system is operatively connected to the refrigerator cabinet, the beverage dispensing system configured to dispense a stream of a beverage. The beverage dispensing system includes a light source and a light sensor positioned on opposite sides of the stream of the beverage. The beverage dispensing system is configured for detecting if dispensement of the beverage is occurring and characterizing the volume or amount of the beverage being dispensed.

Devices and methods for clamping a beverage extraction device to a beverage container, such as a wine bottle. One or more clamp arms may be arranged to clamp the extraction device to a wine bottle as well as allow the device to be supported upright on a table top. Clamp arms may include tab and ridge features that operate to properly engage and position a wide variety of different bottle neck shapes relative to the device. The one or more clamp arms may move the bottle neck distally, e.g., toward a resilient pad, so that the neck is suitably positioned relative to the device. Proper positioning and engagement of the neck may allow for desired piercing of a cork or other closure of the bottle by the device.

The invention provides for fluidic connections to be established between tubes, ports, fluidic components and fluidic devices. The leak-tight connections are formed through controlled, compressive forces and can be used for both low and high pressure applications.

A gas filling system (1) includes a gas tank (30); a gas filling device (2) that fills gas into the gas tank (30); and a controller (24) that calculates a temperature increase ΔT and a pressure increase ΔP in the gas tank (30) during a predetermined period of time (t seconds) that elapses from a start of gas filling. The controller (24) selects a filling rate map (Ma, Mb) from a prepared filling rate map group on the basis of the calculated temperature increase ΔT and the calculated pressure increase ΔP. The gas filling device (2) carries out gas filling using the filling rate map selected by the controller (24).

A device, system and/or method for dispensing a fuel additive to a fuel tank that employs a fuel additive delivery device secured to an opening of the fuel tank. The delivery device is fluidly coupled to a fuel additive reservoir. The delivery device includes a cap that automatically opens or closes fluid communication with the fuel additive reservoir. The delivery device also includes a bore defined through the delivery device configured to receive a fuel filler spout with a fuel passageway outlet positioned in the bore such that, as fuel passes through the bore and into the fuel tank, the bore is configured to create a suction at the fuel additive outlet to pull fuel additive from the reservoir, through the delivery device, and into the fuel tank with the fuel.

A method to prevent gelation of an uncured gelcoat composition during storage is described. The method includes applying a gelation inhibitor to the surface of a gelcoat composition in the container to prevent premature gelation. The gelation inhibitor additionally prevents the formation of a crust on the inner surface of storage container lids.

An apparatus for safety-compliant emptying and filling of a reagent container (24, 40) for a tissue processor (20) comprises a suction line (30, 42) for aspirating a reagent out of the reagent container (24, 40) and a delivery line (32, 44) for filling the reagent container (24, 40) with the reagent, a terminating opening (31, 43) of the suction line (30, 42) being spaced away from a terminating opening (33, 45) of the delivery line (32, 44).

A reusable aseptic connector is provided. The connector may be used to provide fluid communication between a bag-in-box (BIB) container and a beverage dispenser. The connector may provide aseptic properties of the connection by insulation of an inner volume of a first part and an inner volume of a second part, with the beverage component kept from contacting any of the part of the connector structure that are exposed to the environment and have a risk of induced contamination. The connector may comprise a resilient membrane and a sliding tube wherein the sliding tube is configured to have a portion move toward and through the resilient membrane to establish fluid communication between the first part and the second part, and for the portion to move away from the resilient membrane to destablish fluid communication between the first part and the second part when desired.

A machine for dosing a product in capsules, includes a rotating turret which has seats suitable for receiving empty capsules and a dosing device for dosing the product in the capsules. The machine further includes a feeding unit having a first weighing device for weighing empty capsules, a transfer arrangement for transferring empty capsules, when weighed, to predetermined seats of the turret for being filled with the product, a second weighing device for weighing capsules filled with the product, and a processing device connected to the first and second weighing device for receiving data relative to weights measured by the first and second weighing devices and for calculating for each capsule a difference between the weight measured before and the weight measured after filling. In this manner, a respective quantity of dosed product is calculated.

A container and method are provided for storing fat containing liquid products. The container includes a body defining a storage chamber for receiving the product, and a container closure. A first material portion forms at least most of the surface area overlying the storage chamber that can contact any product therein. Neither the body nor the first material portion leach more than a predetermined amount of leachables into the product or undesirably alter a taste profile thereof. A needle penetrable and thermally resealable second material portion either (i) overlies the first material portion and cannot contact any product within the storage chamber, or (ii) forms a substantially lesser surface area overlying the storage chamber that can contact any product therein in comparison to the first material portion. A sealing portion is engageable with the body to form a substantially dry hermetic seal between the container closure and body.

A communication device or auxiliary ECU is activated when a fuel door of a fuel cell vehicle is open. Upon closing the fuel door, the communication device/ECU is shut off. The communication device/auxiliary ECU is operational regardless of whether the keys in the vehicle or not. This assures that communication of information can occur when a refueling station is most likely to request the information, i.e. when the fuel door is open. A temperature measurement device may monitor a vehicle tank temperature, communicate the tank temperature data to a filling station, and confirm that the tank temperature data is associated with the tank being filled.

A cover for covering a spout of a fuel dispenser when the fuel dispenser is not in use includes a sheath having an elongated cavity which is shaped and dimensioned to longitudinally receive the spout of the fuel dispenser. The sheath is fabricated from a fuel absorbent material. After the fuel dispenser is used, the sheath is installed over the spout of the fuel container, absorbs any residual fuel, and prevents contaminants from collecting on the spout. In an embodiment, the sheath has a hole which receives the hanger of a fuel nozzle and holds the sheath in place on the spout.

A liquid filling kit having a container with a separable bottom and top member and containing the remaining cooperating elements of the filling kit. A plurality of elongated legs, a pouch holding rack and a filling member are provided to allow flexible pouches to be filled and sealed with premixed liquids for subsequent use. The bottom member may be adapted to receive the elongated legs to thereby elevate the pouch holding rack and the filling member so that the premixed liquids may be poured through the compartments of the filling member into the open pouches held by the holding rack therebelow. Subsequent use of the filling kit, the components may be disassembled for storage within the bottom and top members forming the container.

High-altitude balloons and apparatuses for filling such high-altitude balloons are provided. As an example, an apparatus for filling a high-altitude balloon includes a tube extending through envelope material of the balloon is provided. The apparatus also includes a flange connected to a first end of the tube. The flange is connected to an interior surface of the balloon. A fitting is connected to a second end of the tube. The fitting is configured for attachment with an apparatus for filling the balloon with lift gas. In addition, methods of filing high-altitude balloons with lift gas and methods of manufacturing balloons are also provided.

An apparatus to introduce a defined amount of a second powder into a process container in which a first powder or a powder mixture is present, includes a coupling flange having a cover flap located on the process container. The second powder is introduced into a tubular cartridge mounted displaceably in a transport unit, the latter including a joining flange having a cover flap. The joining flange is joinable to the coupling flange so that the respective cover flaps can be opened, and the cartridge can be pushed through openings thereby provided into the plane of the inner wall of the process container. The second powder is emptied from the cartridge into the process container by a delivery piston. The cartridge may include a piston rod having multiple pistons. Other embodiments include a double piston, a rotatable cartridge core or a rotary closure.

Provided is a gathering device for gathering plastic members. The gathering device includes a gathering portion and a tray detachably connected to the gathering portion. The gathering portion includes an outer shell, a hollow inner shell and a number of fans. The inner shell is received in the outer shell. The inner shell includes a number of vent. The fans are positioned between the outer shell and the inner shell for blowing ions into the inner shell through the vents. The tray is configured for containing the plastic members passing through the gathering portion.

A processing system according to embodiments has an article supplier which supplies an article; a first conveyor which conveys an object to be processed; a workbench which is provided on the downstream side of the first conveyor and places thereon the object to be processed, conveyed by the first conveyor; a robot which takes out the article from the article supplier and subjects the object to be processed, placed on the workbench, to an operation using the article according to a previously instructed operation movement; and a second conveyor which is provided on the downstream side of the workbench and conveys the object to be processed, which has been subjected to the operation by the robot.

A lid lock controller includes a lid lock unit operable in a lock state, which keeps the lid closed, and an unlock state, which allows for the lid to open. A detection unit detects an unlocking operation performed on the lid lock unit. A key check unit checks whether or not an electronic key is located in the vicinity of the vehicle through wireless communication between the vehicle and the electronic key when the unlock operation is detected. An unlocking unit switches the lid lock unit to the unlock state when the electronic key is located in the vicinity of the vehicle. The unlocking unit switches the lid lock unit to the unlock state even when the electronic key is not located in the vicinity of the vehicle as long as a further lid unlock condition is satisfied.

A pressure-stable cylinder/piston unit which blocks water vapor and oxygen and is designed for a needle-free injector, with a chamber arranged in a cylinder, which blocks water vapor and oxygen, and designed for long-term and sterile storage of an injection solution, an end wall with at least one nozzle bore or one outlet element, a pressure-stable outer cylinder, and a pressure-stable piston arranged movably in the chamber and blocking water vapor and oxygen. Methods for bubble-free, automatic or manual filling of the cylinder/piston unit, also at atmospheric pressure are also disclosed.

A conveying device for free-flowing fine-particle solids, in particular for powdery and/or granular (mixed) material, especially plastic granulate, includes a vertically arranged and flexibly mountable telescopic pipe for the conveyance of, preferably, polymer granulates, for example in a plant for the filling of polymer granulates.

A reductant fill system is provided. A reductant tank is configured to store a reductant. A receiver is configured to receive a supply of the reductant from an off-board reservoir. A first valve is in communication with the reductant tank and is configured to control a reductant flow into the reductant tank. A reductant supply line is in fluid communication with the receiver. The reductant supply line is configured to provide the reductant flow to the first valve. The reductant level sensor is configured to generate a signal based on a level of reductant in the reductant tank. A controller is communicably coupled to the reductant level sensor. The controller is configured to purge a stranded reductant in the reductant supply line, based on the signal generated by the reductant level sensor.

A powder refilling device includes a refill powder chamber to accommodate a powder bag containing powder, an opener to open the powder bag inside the refill powder chamber, and a squeezer to squeeze the opened powder bag to discharge powder therefrom and reduce a volume of the opened powder bag.

The phase margin compensation method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: outputting reference voltage (Vout2); outputting a first reference voltage (Vout1) actually supplied to the target circuit; comparing the reference voltage (Vout2) with the first reference voltage (Vout1) by the comparator; counting any section of an output signal (pulse signal) from the comparator by a predetermined frequency by the duty cycle calculator; and controlling a phase margin of a frequency of output voltage supplied to the target circuit by controlling buffer current based on the duty cycle ratios and the output bit information fed back from the duty cycle calculator.

A DC-DC converter includes a first amplifier that amplifies a first difference between a first reference voltage and a feedback voltage corresponding to an output voltage, a second amplifier that amplifies a second difference between the first reference voltage and an integrated value of the feedback voltage, and a controller that controls a switching circuit to change the output voltage when the first difference reaches the second different.

A power supply for a load control device generates a DC voltage and provides an asymmetrical output current, while drawing a substantially symmetrical input current. The power supply comprises a controllably conductive switching circuit for controllably charging an energy storage capacitor across which the DC voltage is produced. The energy storage capacitor begins charging at the beginning of a half-cycle and stops charging after a charging time in response to the magnitude of the DC voltage and the amount of time that the energy storage capacitor has been charging during the present half-cycle. The charging time is maintained substantially constant from one half-cycle to the next. The power supply is particularly beneficial for preventing asymmetrical current from flowing in a multiple location load control system having a master load control device supplying power to a plurality of remote load control devices all located on either the line-side or the load-side of the system.

Efficiency of a switch mode power supply (SMPS) is optimized by operating the SMPS in an asynchronous mode when current being supplied therefrom is less than a certain current value and operating the SMPS in a synchronous mode when the current being supplied therefrom is equal to or greater than the certain current value. When the SMPS is operating in the synchronous mode high-side and low-side power transistors alternately turn on and off. When the SMPS is operating in the asynchronous mode only the high-side power transistor turns on and off and the low-side power transistor remains off. When charging a battery with the SMPS discharge of the battery is eliminated when operating in the asynchronous mode at a low current output.

Circuits and processes for detecting a peak value of an input signal are disclosed. In one example, a peak detector circuit may sample a line sense signal, determine the peak value of the line sense signal during a search window, and output a peak detection signal representative of the determined peak value. In a first mode, the peak detector circuit may cause the peak detection signal to be representative of the determined peak value from an immediately preceding search window. In a second mode, the peak detector circuit may cause the peak detection signal to follow the sampled line sense signal. The peak detector circuit may operate in the second mode in response to the sample of the line sense signal being greater than a peak value of the line sense signal from an immediately preceding search window by more than a threshold amount.

A power conversion system has a power converter configured to receive an input voltage signal, convert the input voltage to an output voltage signal, and provide the output voltage signal to a load and a closed loop compensator configured to receive the output voltage signal and a reference voltage signal, the closed loop compensator configured to transmit an error signal indicative of a difference between the output voltage signal and the reference voltage signal. The power conversion system further has a pulse with modulator configured to receive the error signal and modulate a control signal with the error signal to control the output voltage signal, the pulse width modulator configured to transmit the control signal to the power converter and logic configured to receive the error signal and control the closed loop compensator based upon the error signal. A controller observes the error signal characterstics such as peak-to-peak values, frequency and phase and adjust the closed loop controller variables and other power converter system variables in order to improve the dynamic performance and improve stability.

A DC/DC converter arrangement includes an input terminal to receive a supply voltage, an output terminal to provide an output voltage and a switching arrangement, including a coil and at least two switches to provide a Buck-Boost conversion. The arrangement further includes a current detection circuit which is coupled to the switching arrangement for sensing a coil current and a comparator, including a first input which is coupled to the output terminal and a second input which is coupled to an output of the current detection circuit. An output of the comparator is coupled to the switching arrangement. Furthermore, the arrangement includes a ramp generator which is coupled to the first or the second input of the comparator.

The present disclosure is directed to a voltage-to-current sensing circuit having a bias terminal configured to receive a reference voltage, an offset terminal configured to receive an offset current, and an operational amplifier configured to output a low voltage signal. The device includes a first amplifier having first and second high voltage inputs configured to receive a first voltage difference across a sense component on a high voltage line and to generate a first current, a second amplifier having first and second low voltage inputs configured to receive a second voltage difference between the bias terminal and the offset terminal and to generate a second current, a summing circuit configured to provide an intermediate voltage corresponding to a sum of the first and the second currents, and a low-voltage transistor coupled to an output of the amplifier and controlled by the intermediate voltage to generate the output current.

A controller used in a buck-boost converter includes a clock generator, an error amplifying circuit, a comparing circuit, a proportional sampling circuit, a logic circuit, a pulse width increasing circuit, first and second driving circuits. Based on a clock signal generated by the clock generator, the proportional sampling circuit samples the difference between a current sensing signal and a compensation signal generated by the error amplifying circuit, and generates a proportional sampling signal. The pulse width increasing circuit generates a sum control signal based on the proportional sampling signal and a logic control signal generated by the logic circuit, wherein a modulation value adjusted by the proportional sampling signal is added to the pulse width of the logic control signal to generate the pulse width of the sum control signal. The first and second driving circuits generate driving signals based on the sum control signal and the logic control signal.

A method for controlling voltage crossing a power switch of a switched-mode power converter includes the steps of: controlling a switch frequency of the power switch of the switched-mode power converter to a first frequency as activating the switched-mode power converter; and then changing the switch frequency of the power switch to a second frequency after the switched-mode power converter is activated for a predetermined time; wherein the first frequency is lower than the second frequency.

In some aspects of the invention, overcurrent protection is carried out by suppressing fluctuations in current flowing through a switching element after overcurrent detection. A peak current reaching time detection circuit detects a peak current reaching time needed until current flowing through a switching element reaches a peak value. A difference voltage detection circuit, including a ½ time detection circuit which detects a time of ½ an ON time of the preceding cycle of the switching element, detects difference voltage between reference voltage used when detecting overcurrent flowing to a load and a signal which has detected current flowing through the switching element for the ½ time. A delay time adjustment circuit, based on at least one of the peak current reaching time and difference voltage, carries out adjustment and control of a delay time occurring until the time when the switching element is turned off after detecting the overcurrent.

Methods and systems are described for providing power factor correction for high-power loads using two interleaved power factor correction stages. Each power factor correction stage includes a controllable switch that is operated to control the phasing of each power factor correction stage. The phasing of output current from the second power factor correction stage is shifted 180 degree relative to the output current from the first power factor correction stage.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a multi-phase voltage regulator may comprise a plurality of phases, each phase configured to supply electrical current to one or more information handling resources electrically coupled to the voltage regulator. A controller may be electrically coupled to the plurality of phases. The controller may designate at least one of the plurality of phases as a first state phase, and designate each of the plurality of phases not designated as a first state phase as a second state phase. The controller may alternate the designation of at least two of the plurality of phases between a first state phase and a second state phase. Each first state phase may be configured to supply a first electrical current regardless of electrical current demand. Each second state phase may be configured to supply a second electrical current based on the current demand.

In one implementation, a modular power converter having a reduced switching loss includes a package, a field-effect transistor (FET) including a gate terminal, a drain terminal, and a source terminal, and fabricated on a semiconductor die situated inside the package, and a driver circuit inside the package. The driver circuit is configured to drive the gate terminal of the FET. The driver circuit is further configured to sample a drain-to-source voltage (VDS) of the FET directly from the drain terminal and the source terminal, thereby enabling the reduced switching loss.

A ballast circuit for a Light Emitting Diode (LED) has a regulator element coupled to the LED and to an input voltage source. A control circuit is coupled to the LED and to an input voltage source. A first switching device is coupled in series with the regulator element. A second switching device is coupled to the input voltage and the control circuit.

The invention relates to a system for eliminating current surges that includes a first voltage regulator (7) having a current limit programmable to a value (I(limit)) that depends on the value of the intermittent current surges (IO(surge)) required by the intermittent load (3) and the relationship thereof to the work cycle, a second voltage regulator (9), a condenser (4) connected between the first and second regulators (7, 9), that loads when the current is no longer required and that unloads when there is a need for output current to provide current to the second regulator (9) which absorbs the changes in voltage produced by the loading/unloading of the condenser and provides a constant voltage for any value of the required output current surge, independently of voltage changes in the condenser (4), and a control loop between a sensor for the output current provided to the load and an input limit (15) for the input current (II) in the first regulator (7). Thus, the input current (I(limit)) (1) and the output voltage (VLoad) are constant for any value of the output current surge (IO(surge)).

A “windowless” H-bridge buck-boost switching converter includes a regulation circuit with an error amplifier which produces a ‘comp’ signal, a comparison circuit which compares ‘comp’ with a ‘ramp’ signal, and logic circuitry which receives the comparison circuit output and a mode control signal indicating whether the converter is to operate in buck mode or boost mode and operates the primary or secondary switching elements to produce the desired output voltage in buck or boost mode, respectively. A ‘ramp’ signal generation circuit operates to shift the ‘ramp’ signal up by a voltage Vslp(p−p)+Vhys when transitioning from buck to boost mode, and to shift ‘ramp’ back down by Vslp(p−p)+Vhys when transitioning from boost to buck mode, thereby enabling the converter to operate in buck mode or boost mode only, with no need for an intermediate buck-boost region.

This disclosure relates to radio frequency (RF) power converters and methods of operating the same. In one embodiment, an RF power converter includes an RF switching converter, a low-drop out (LDO) regulation circuit, and an RF filter. The RF filter is coupled to receive a pulsed output voltage from the RF switching converter and a supply voltage from the LDO regulation circuit. The RF filter is operable to alternate between a first RF filter topology and a second RF filter topology. In the first RF filter topology, the RF filter is configured to convert the pulsed output voltage from a switching circuit into the supply voltage. The RF filter in the second RF filter topology is configured to filter the supply voltage from the LDO regulation circuit to reduce a ripple variation in a supply voltage level of the supply voltage. As such, the RF filter provides greater versatility.

A device (200) includes a circuit (202) and a driver stage (204) therefor. The circuit includes two sub-circuits (231 and 232). The driver stage includes switcher logic (206) that produces signals that control switching on and off of the sub-circuits. The switcher logic also produces other signals in advance of the signals that control the switching of the sub-circuits. The driver stage includes delay compensations circuits (221 and 222), coupled to the switcher logic and to the circuit, that produce timing signals for the switcher logic. The timing signals are closely aligned with moments that a changing voltage at a node between the sub-circuits passes through threshold voltages. The timing signals compensate for all delays of signals through the device such that a period that both sub-circuits are off is minimized, while ensuring that both sub-circuits are not on at a same time.

A power supply device includes a first converter which converts an input voltage to a first voltage, a second converter which converts the first voltage from the first converter to a second voltage, a voltage comparison section which compares the first voltage outputted from the first converter with a predetermined reference voltage, a voltage comparison result output section which outputs a first signal until the first voltage is determined to be higher than the predetermined reference voltage by the voltage comparison section and retains a second signal as an output after the first voltage is determined to be higher than the predetermined reference voltage, and a converter control section which controls the second converter to stop when the first signal is outputted from the voltage comparison result output section and controls the second converter to operate when the second signal is outputted from the voltage comparison result output section.

A voltage regulator compensation circuit provides power to a dynamic load and includes a power transistor configured to drive the dynamic load, a reference determining transistor configured to establish a voltage reference proportional to a regulated output voltage of the power transistor, and a control circuit coupled to a gate input of both the power transistor and the reference determining transistor. Also included is a comparison engine configured to compare the regulated output voltage and the voltage reference, and a current consuming transistor operatively coupled to an output of the power transistor and configured to provide a varying secondary load. The comparison engine is configured to control the current consuming transistor to increase current draw or decrease current draw from the power transistor based on the difference between the regulated output voltage and the voltage reference.

A charge pump regulator circuit includes a voltage controlled oscillator and a plurality of charge pumps. The voltage controlled oscillator has a plurality of inverter stages connected in series in a ring. A plurality of oscillating signals is generated from outputs of the inverter stages. Each oscillating signal has a frequency or amplitude or both that are variable dependent on a variable drive voltage. Each oscillating signal is phase shifted from a preceding oscillating signal. Each charge pump is connected to a corresponding one of the inverter stages to receive the oscillating signal produced by that inverter stage. Each charge pump outputs a voltage and current. The output of each charge pump is phase shifted from the outputs of other charge pumps. A combination of the currents thus produced is provided at about a voltage level to the load.

A switching power converter includes a voltage source that provides an input voltage Vin to an unregulated DC/DC converter stage and at least one buck-boost converter stage to produce a desired output voltage Vout. The unregulated DC/DC converter stage is adapted to provide an isolated voltage to the at least one regulated buck-boost converter stage, wherein the unregulated DC/DC converter stage comprises a transformer having a primary winding and at least one secondary winding and at least one switching element coupled to the primary winding. The at least one buck-boost converter stage is arranged to operate in a buck mode, boost mode or buck-boost mode in response to a mode selection signal from a mode selection module. By influencing the pulse width modulation output power controller the at least one buck-boost converter stage is arranged to produce one or multiple output voltages.

A constant on-time switching converter includes a switching circuit, an on-time control circuit, a comparing circuit and a logic circuit. The switching circuit has a first switch and is configured to provide an output voltage to a load. The on-time control circuit generates an on-time control signal to control the on-time of the first switch. The comparing circuit compares the output voltage of the switching circuit with a reference signal and generates a comparison signal. The logic circuit generates a control signal to control the first switch based on the on-time control signal and the comparison signal. When the switching frequency of the switching circuit approaches an audible range, the switching converter enters into a sleep mode, the on-time control signal is reduced to increase the switching frequency of the switching circuit.

A power converting circuit includes an upper gate switch, a transistor, a current source circuit, a comparator circuit, a delay circuit, and a pulse width modulation signal generating circuit. The transistor and the current source circuit provide a reference signal. The comparator circuit generates a comparing signal according to the reference signal and an output signal provided by the upper gate switch. The delay circuit generates a delay signal according to the comparing signal and a clock signal. The pulse width modulation signal generating circuit generates a control signal for the upper gate switch according to the delay signal and the clock signal for configuring the conduction status of the upper gate switch. The power converting circuit adjusts the conduction time of the upper gate switch according to the reference signal and the output signal.

In various embodiments a controller for controlling the operation of a switched mode power supply is provided, the controller comprising: a first signal source configured to provide a first set of signals including a set signal and a clear signal, wherein the first set of signals may correspond to a first mode of operation of the switched mode power supply; a second signal source configured to provide a second set of signals including a set signal and a clear signal, wherein the second set of signals may correspond to a second mode of operation of the switched mode power supply; a selecting circuit coupled to the first signal source and to the second signal source, the selecting circuit being configured to select either the first set of signals or the second set of signals; a switching signal generating circuit coupled to the selecting circuit and configured to provide a switching signal to the switched mode power supply based on the set of signals received from the selecting circuit.