Intersil Americas Inc.

Renesas Electronics America Inc.

Shawn Evans

Bogdan M Duduman

Edward Coleman

Daniel Zheng

Byongho Park

Cindy C Manion

Chris Jurado

Noboru Kagemoto

The present embodiments are directed to circuitry and techniques for operating a switching regulator, including in connection with transitions out of energy conservation modes during which a minimal amount of current is drawn from a power source such as a battery. According to certain aspects, embodiments of an energy conservation mode include provisions for maintaining high performance voltage regulation even in the face of a sudden increase in load requirements. These and other embodiments can further include various techniques for signaling an appropriate transition for exiting out of energy conservation mode and into a continuous conduction mode.

Method and apparatus for minimizing voltage droop due to load step during energy conservation operation

A method for soft-starting a voltage generator includes disabling an output driver; detecting the voltage on an output node; ramping a reference voltage at a controlled rate from a predetermined first level until the reference voltage reaches a second level that is a predetermined function of said output node voltage; enabling the output driver when the reference voltage reaches said second level; and then ramping the reference voltage and the output node voltage at a controlled rate to a boot voltage level. A soft-start circuit for an output voltage generator includes a comparator for causing a ramp generator to ramp the reference voltage and the voltage on the output node to a boot voltage level at a controlled rate once the comparator detects that the reference voltage is substantially equal to the voltage on the output node.

System and method for soft-starting a power converter with a pre-charged output

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Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Shawn Evans