Ben-gurion University of the Negev Research and Development Authority

Or Kirshenboim

Mor Mordechai Peretz

Alon Cervera

A plug-and-play Transient Suppression Unit (TSU) for Voltage Regulator Modules (VRMs), which comprises a bi-directional current source connected via a high voltage port and a low voltage port of the TSU in parallel to a voltage output of the VRM, adapted to immediately sink or source current supplied to a load; a detection circuit for detecting mismatches between the voltage output of the VRM to a reference steady-state voltage, which comprises a first comparator for detecting a match between the voltage output of the VRM to the reference steady-state voltage; a second comparator for detecting a mismatch between the voltage output of the VRM to a predefined threshold higher than the reference steady-state voltage; a third comparator for detecting a mismatch between the voltage output of the VRM to a predefined threshold lower than the reference steady-state voltage value; a transient response accelerator, connected via a third port of the TSU to the output compensation port of the VRM error amplifier, and adapted to control duty-ratio saturation of the VRM. A loading transient is detected by the third comparator, upon which the VRM's duty ratio is saturated to a maximal value by the transient response accelerator and current is sourced from the current source to the output, until the first comparator detects that the voltage output of the VRM matches the expected steady-state voltage. An unloading transient is detected by the second comparator, upon which the VRM's duty ratio is saturated to a minimal value by the transient response accelerator and current is sunk from the output into the current source, until the first comparator detects that the voltage output of the VRM matches the expected steady-state voltage.

Plug-and-play electronic capacitor for voltage regulator modules applications

The present invention introduces a new compact Voltage Regulator Module (VRM) solution that hybrids a buck converter with a resonant switched-capacitor auxiliary circuit that is connected at the load side. By using a new control concept of the present invention, the auxiliary circuit effectively mimics increased capacitance during loading and unloading transient events, reducing the burden on both the input and output filters, and reduces the current stress.

Growing community of inventors

Tel Aviv, Israel

Or Kirshenboim