Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080278123 | Switching regulator circuit, system, and method for providing input current measurement without a dedicated input current sense element - A synchronous regulator includes a controller coupled to receive a reference signal and a feedback signal from the regulator operable to provide a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal at its output. The regulator includes at least one gate driver coupled to receive the PWM signal, and a synchronous output switch having a phase node there between controlled by the gate driver, and regulator input current measurement circuitry. The regulator input current measurement circuitry comprises a circuit operable for providing a signal representative of at least one phase node timing parameter, a sensing circuit operable for sensing inductor or output current provided by the regulator, and a calculation circuit coupled to receive the signal representative of the phase node timing parameters and the inductor or output current and is operable to determine the input current. | 11-13-2008 |
20080303495 | POWER SUPPLY WITH A MAGNETICALLY UNCOUPLED PHASE AND AN ODD NUMBER OF MAGNETICALLY COUPLED PHASES, AND CONTROL FOR A POWER SUPPLY WITH MAGNETICALLY COUPLED AND MAGNETICALLY UNCOUPLED PHASES - An embodiment of a power supply includes an input node operable to receive an input voltage, an output node operable to provide a regulated output voltage, an odd number of magnetically coupled phase paths each coupled between the input and output nodes, and a first magnetically uncoupled phase path coupled between the input and output nodes. Such a power supply may improve its efficiency by activating different combinations of the coupled and uncoupled phase paths depending on the load conditions. For example, the power supply may activate only an uncoupled phase path during light-load conditions, may activate only coupled phase paths during moderate-load conditions, and may activate both coupled and uncoupled phase paths during heavy-load conditions and during a step-up load transient. | 12-11-2008 |
20080309299 | Inductor assembly having a core with magnetically isolated forms - An embodiment of an inductor assembly includes a core, a first conductor, and a second conductor. The core includes first and second members, a first group of one or more forms extending between the members, a second group of one or more forms extending between the members, and an isolating region that magnetically isolates the first group of forms from the second group of forms. The first conductor is wound about a first one of the forms in the first group, and the second conductor is wound about a second one of the forms in the second group. Such an inductor assembly may allow both coupled and uncoupled inductors to be disposed on a common core, thus potentially reducing the cost and size of the inductors as compared to the coupled inductors being disposed on one core and the uncoupled inductors being disposed on another core. | 12-18-2008 |
20080315982 | COUPLED-INDUCTOR CORE FOR UNBALANCED PHASE CURRENTS - An embodiment of a coupled-inductor core includes first and second members and first and second forms extending between the first and second members. The first form has a parameter (e.g., length) of a first value, and is operable to conduct a first magnetic flux having a first density that depends on the first value of the parameter. The second form is spaced apart from the first form, has the parameter (e.g., length) of a second value different from the first value, and is operable to conduct a second magnetic flux having a second density that depends on the second value of the parameter. Because two or more of the forms of such a core may have different values for the same parameter, the core may be suitable for use in a multiphase power supply where the currents through the phases are unbalanced. | 12-25-2008 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100066319 | ADVANCED PHASE NUMBER CONTROL FOR MULTIPHASE CONVERTERS - A control circuit for generating a control signal to add phases to a multiphase voltage regulator. The control circuit includes an input for receiving an error correction voltage from an error amplifier of the multiphase voltage regulator and at least one output for providing a PWM control signal. Control circuitry generates at least one PWM control signal to add a phase to the multiphase voltage regulator responsive to a determination that the error correction voltage has exceeded a threshold level. | 03-18-2010 |
20100085024 | POWER SUPPLY CONTROLLER WITH DIFFERENT STEADY STATE AND TRANSIENT RESPONSE CHARACTERISTICS - An embodiment of a power-supply controller includes a control circuit and a detection circuit. The control circuit has a signal characteristic, and is operable in response to a regulated output signal and a reference signal to cause at least one power-supply phase to generate the regulated output signal. The detection circuit is operable to detect a change in the regulated output signal, and to alter the signal characteristic of the control circuit in response to the detected change. | 04-08-2010 |
20100327825 | SWITCHING REGULATOR CIRCUIT, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING INPUT CURRENT MEASUREMENT WITHOUT A DEDICATED INPUT CURRENT SENSE ELEMENT - A synchronous regulator includes a controller coupled to receive a reference signal and a feedback signal from the regulator operable to provide a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal at its output. The regulator includes at least one gate driver coupled to receive the PWM signal, and a synchronous output switch having a phase node there between controlled by the gate driver, and regulator input current measurement circuitry. The regulator input current measurement circuitry comprises a circuit operable for providing a signal representative of at least one phase node timing parameter, a sensing circuit operable for sensing inductor or output current provided by the regulator, and a calculation circuit coupled to receive the signal representative of the phase node timing parameters and the inductor or output current and is operable to determine the input current. | 12-30-2010 |
20120229113 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREVENTING CONTROLLER INDUCED PULSE SKIPPING AT LOW DUTY CYCLE OPERATIONS - A voltage regulator generates a regulated output voltage responsive to an input voltage and drive control signals. An error amplifier generates an error voltage signal responsive to the regulated output voltage and a reference voltage. A PWM modulator generates a PWM control signal responsive to the error voltage signal, a ramp voltage and an inverse of the reference voltage. Control circuitry within the PWM modulator maintains the error voltage signal applied to the PWM modulator at substantially a same DC voltage level over the reference voltage operating range and maintains the error voltage signal above a minimum value of the ramp voltage. Driver circuitry generates the drive control signals responsive to the PWM control signal. | 09-13-2012 |
20130082670 | VOLTAGE REGULATOR SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EFFICIENCY OPTIMIZATION USING DUTY CYCLE MEASUREMENTS - A method and system control the adding or dropping of phases in a multiphase voltage regulator. The regulator has an efficiency and this efficiency of the regulator is calculated for a given number of phases being activated from an output voltage, input voltage, output current, and duty cycle of the regulator. The efficiency of the regulator is also calculated if a phase is added using the derivative of the duty cycle as a function of the output current. The efficiency of the regulator is further calculated if a phase is dropped using the derivative of the duty cycle as a function of the output current. From these operations of calculating, a phase is either added, dropped, or the phase is maintained at its current value to thereby optimize the efficiency of the regulator. | 04-04-2013 |
20130293207 | POWER SUPPLY WITH A MAGNETICALLY UNCOUPLED PHASE AND AN ODD NUMBER OF MAGNETICALLY COUPLED PHASES, AND CONTROL FOR A POWER SUPPLY WITH MAGNETICALLY COUPLED AND MAGNETICALLY UNCOUPLED PHASES - An embodiment of a power supply includes an input node operable to receive an input voltage, an output node operable to provide a regulated output voltage, an odd number of magnetically coupled phase paths each coupled between the input and output nodes, and a first magnetically uncoupled phase path coupled between the input and output nodes. Such a power supply may improve its efficiency by activating different combinations of the coupled and uncoupled phase paths depending on the load conditions. For example, the power supply may activate only an uncoupled phase path during light-load conditions, may activate only coupled phase paths during moderate-load conditions, and may activate both coupled and uncoupled phase paths during heavy-load conditions and during a step-up load transient. | 11-07-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110109284 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EQUALIZING THE SMALL SIGNAL RESPONSE OF VARIABLE PHASE VOLTAGE REGULATORS - A control circuit for a variable phase voltage regulator comprises an error amplifier to generate a difference signal based on a difference between a reference voltage and a signal representative of a voltage at an output node of the variable phase voltage regulator. The control circuit also comprises a variable phase compensator to amplify the difference signal to produce a modified difference signal to compensate for effects of varying the number of active phases in the variable phase voltage regulator, wherein the amplification is proportional to a ratio of total number of phases in the variable phase voltage regulator to number of active phases in the variable phase voltage regulator. | 05-12-2011 |
20120074924 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPEN LOOP MODULATION TO DETECT NARROW PWM PULSE - An open loop modulation network for a voltage regulator including a latch network, an output sense network, a timing network, and pulse control logic. The latch network latches assertion of a pulse control signal and provides a corresponding latched control pulse indication. The output sense network detects initiation of an output pulse and provides a corresponding output pulse indication. The timing network initiates a delay period in response to the output pulse indication and resets the latched control pulse indication after expiration of the delay period. The pulse control logic terminates the output pulse after the latched control pulse indication is reset and the pulse control signal is negated, whichever occurs last. Very narrow input pulses are detected and either a minimum output pulse is generated or the output pulse is based on the pulse control signal. | 03-29-2012 |
20130127557 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MAINTAINING GAIN LINEARITY OF VARIABLE FREQUENCY MODULATOR - A variable frequency modulator including a compensation network, first and second pulse control networks and a linearity controller. The compensation network is configured to provide a compensation signal indicative of an output load condition. The first pulse control network is configured to initiate pulses on a pulse control signal and to adjust operating frequency based on changes of the compensation signal. The second pulse control network is configured to terminate the pulses on the pulse control signal based on a predetermined timing parameter. The linearity controller is configured to adjust timing of terminating the pulses based on a predetermined steady state operating frequency and an actual operating frequency to maintain modulator gain at a constant level. | 05-23-2013 |
20130293212 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF BALANCED SLOPE COMPENSATION FOR SWITCH MODE REGULATORS - A modulator with balanced slope compensation including a control network, a slope compensation network, an offset network and an adjust network. The control network receives a feedback signal indicative of an output voltage and provides a loop control signal. The slope compensation network develops a slope compensation signal. The offset network determines a DC offset of the slope compensation signal. The adjust network combines the DC offset, the slope compensation signal and the loop control signal to provide a balanced slope compensated control signal. The DC offset may be determined as a peak of the slope compensation signal. The slope compensation signal may be developed based on the output voltage and a pulse control signal, in which the pulse control signal is developed using the balanced slope compensated control signal. | 11-07-2013 |
20130300388 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PREDICTIVE CURRENT FEEDBACK FOR SWITCHED MODE REGULATORS - A predictive current feedback system for a switched mode regulator including a sample and hold network for sampling voltage across a lower switch of the regulator and for providing a hold signal indicative thereof, and a predictive current feedback network which adds an offset adjustment to the hold signal based on a duration of a pulse width of a pulse control signal developed by the regulator. Sampling may be done while the lower switch is on for providing a hold value indicative of inductor current while the pulse control signal is low. The offset adjustment may be added to the hold signal in response to a transient event when the pulse signal is high. The offset may be incremental values after each of incremental time periods after a nominal time period, or may be a time-varying value. Adjustment may be made while the pulse signal is low as well. | 11-14-2013 |
20130300392 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DYNAMIC DROOP FOR SWITCHED MODE REGULATORS - A regulator system with dynamic droop including a regulator control network which is adapted to control regulation of an output voltage to a reference level, a DC droop network which provides a droop signal to modify the reference level based on output load according to a predetermined DC load line, and a dynamic droop network which adjusts the droop signal to delay recovery to the predetermined DC load line within an AC load line tolerance in response to a load transient. A transient reduction network may be included to reduce transient overshoot for load insertion or release depending upon duty cycle type. The dynamic droop network adjusts the droop signal to optimize utilization of an AC delay parameter while transitioning between an AC offset voltage allowance and the predetermined DC load line. | 11-14-2013 |
20140002047 | FAST DYNAMIC VOLTAGE RESPONSE FOR VOLTAGE REGULATORS WITH DROOP CONTROL | 01-02-2014 |
20140368174 | AUDIO FREQUENCY DEADBAND SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SWITCH MODE REGULATORS OPERATING IN DISCONTINUOUS CONDUCTION MODE - A controller for controlling operation of a switching regulator including a modulator, a discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) controller, an audible DCM (ADCM) controller, and a sub-sonic discontinuous conduction mode (SBDCM) controller. The modulator generally operates in a continuous conduction mode. The DCM controller modifies operation to DCM during low loads. The ADCM controller detects when the switching frequency is less than a super-sonic frequency threshold and modifies operation to maintain the switching frequency at a super-sonic frequency level. The SBDCM controller detects a sub-sonic operating condition during ADCM operation and responsively inhibits operation of the ADCM mode controller to allow a SBDCM mode within a sub-sonic switching frequency range. The SBDCM operating mode allows for efficient connected standby operation. The SBDCM controller allows operation to return to other modes when the switching frequency increases above the sub-sonic level. | 12-18-2014 |