Apple Inc.

Jonathan F Bolus

Fabio Gozzini

Sanjay Pant

Hubert Attah

Wenxun Huang

Jitendra K Agrawal

Hao Zhou

Alberto Alessandro Angelo Puggelli

Koushik Vaithyanathan

Alberto Puggelli

A power converter with slew rate detection is disclosed. A power converter comprises a plurality of phase circuits coupled to a regulated power supply line via corresponding ones of a plurality of inductors. A first control loop generates, using digital samples and based on comparisons of a reference voltage to a voltage on the regulated power supply line, a first plurality of control signals. A second control loop, using the digital samples, generates a second plurality of control signals based on a rate of change of the voltage of the regulated power supply line. The second control loop causes the first control loop to control the plurality of phase circuits in response to detecting that the rate of change is within a specified range, and causes the second control loop to control the plurality of phase circuits, in response to detecting that the rate of change exceeds the specified range.

Slew rate detection in power converter with digital current mode control

A voltage regulator circuit included in a computer system may include multiple phase circuits coupled to a regulated power supply line via corresponding one of multiple inductors. The phase circuits may modify a voltage level of the regulated power supply line using respective control signals generated by a digital control circuit that processes multiple data bits. An analog-to-digital converter circuit may compare the voltage level of the regulated power supply node to multiple reference voltage levels and sample the resultant comparisons to generate the multiple data bits.

Digital current mode control for multi-phase voltage regulator circuits

A power converter is disclosed. The power converter includes a switching circuit configured to source current to a switch node that is coupled, via an inductor, to a regulated power supply node. A DC resistance sensing circuit includes a first filter and a second filters. The first filter circuit is configured to filter a voltage level of a first terminal of the inductor to generate a first filtered signal, while the second filter circuit is configured to filter a voltage level of a second terminal of the inductor to generate a second filtered signal. A control circuit is configured to adjust the operation of the switching circuit using a voltage level of the regulated power supply node, the first filtered signal, and the second filtered signal.

Power converter with DCR sensing circuit having improved noise immunity

A voltage regulator circuit included in a computer system may include multiple phase circuits each coupled to a regulated power supply node via a corresponding inductor. The phase circuits may modify a voltage level of the regulated power supply node using respective control signals generated by a digital control circuit that processes multiple data bits. An analog-to-digital converter circuit may compare the voltage level of the regulated power supply node to multiple reference voltage levels and sample the resultant comparisons to generate the multiple data bits.

A circuit and method for current sensing in DC-DC converters having coupled inductors is disclosed. A DC-DC converter includes a first and second inductors coupled to first and second switching nodes, respectively. The DC-DC converter further includes a current sensing circuit. The current sensing circuit includes a first current sensing circuit coupled to the first switching node and having a first sense node, and further includes a second sensing circuit coupled to the second switching node and having a second sense node. The circuit further includes a first capacitor coupled between the first sensing circuit and the second sensing circuit.

Direct current sensing for coupled inductors

A power converter circuit that includes a switch node coupled to a regulated power supply node via an inductor may, during a charge cycle, source current to the regulated power supply node. In response to initiating the charge cycle, a control circuit may generate a control current using a voltage level of the regulated power supply node and a reference voltage level. The control circuit may also halt the charge cycle using results from comparisons of the compensated and uncompensated versions of the inductor current to the control current.

Current mode power converter with transient response compensation

A power converter circuit that includes a switch node coupled to a regulated power supply node via an inductor may, during a charge cycle, source current to the regulated power supply node. In response to initiating the charge cycle, a control circuit may generate a control current using a voltage level of the regulated power supply node and a reference voltage level. The control circuit may also generate compensation and correction currents that are used with a sensed inductor current to determine when to halt the charge cycle.

Current mode power converter with slope compensation error control

An apparatus includes an inductor coupled to a load circuit, a control circuit, and a driver circuit. The control circuit may be configured to select a first operating mode in response to a determination that a value of current flowing through the inductor is greater than a threshold, and to otherwise select a second operating mode. In the first operating mode, the driver circuit may be configured to source current to the load circuit through the inductor for a first duration, based on a comparison of a supply voltage level to a voltage level across the load circuit. In the second operating mode, the driver circuit may be configured to source current to the load circuit through the inductor at a number of time points. At each time point the current may be sourced for a second duration that is based on an allowable peak current flowing through the inductor.

Reconfigurable on time circuit for current mode control of buck converter

An apparatus including an inductor coupled to a load circuit, a control circuit, and a driver circuit. The control circuit may be configured to select a first operating mode in response to a determination that a value of current flowing through the inductor is greater than a threshold, and to otherwise select a second operating mode. In the first operating mode, the driver circuit may be configured to source current to the load circuit through the inductor for a first duration, based on a comparison of a supply voltage level to a voltage level across the load circuit. In the second operating mode, the driver circuit may be configured to source current to the load circuit through the inductor at a number of time points. At each time point the current may be sourced for a second duration that is based on an allowable peak current flowing through the inductor.

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Jonathan F Bolus