An interval mathematics approach to tolerance analysis of switching converters

The paper shows how interval mathematics (IM) can be profitably used to solve problems of tolerance analysis of switching power converters. The effects of circuit modeling approximations and of several concurring uncertainty sources are considered. It is shown that a straight evaluation of the global joined inference of all uncertainty sources is allowed by IM techniques, without resorting to iterative computations. Some applications to PWM DC-DC switching power converters are proposed concerning the effects of parameters uncertainties upon the boundary between continuous and discontinuous conduction modes, the control-to-output and the input-to-output frequency responses, the amplitude and phase margins and the DC voltage transfer ratio