Analog Devices,inc.

Ya Liu

Owen Jong

Jindong Zhang

Yingyi Yan

Mark Frederick Hartman

Xuebing Chen

Several current sensing techniques are described that may be used to obtain an accurate current signal, which may help to achieve the best performance with a trans-inductor voltage regulator (TLVR) topology. The techniques may have the coupling effect from the secondary side included, so the current sensing signal is accurate for the regulation and other functions related to the current signal. The current sensing techniques may have more accurate gain and phase information in the middle frequency and high frequency ranges. The coupling effect from the secondary side may be well represented in the current sensing signal. The advantages of TLVR topology may be enhanced with accurate current information.

Trans-inductor voltage regulator current sensing techniques

A current sensing technique for coupled inductors in switching regulator circuits, where the current sensing technique can provide the current information needed for a power converter design and can be implemented as a real-world solution. The current sensing techniques can provide complete information of the coupled inductor current, such as peak current, valley current, and intermediate ripples. The current sensing techniques can use a simple RC network, such as two resistors and two capacitors for 2-phase operation. The techniques, however, are not limited to two-phase operation. The current sensing techniques of this disclosure can be extended to power stage assembly implementations, e.g., DrMOS modules, with current output in order to increase signal-to-noise ratio, which is significant for reliable control. in addition, the current sensing techniques of this disclosure can be extended to multi-phase operation, such as three or more phases.

Current sensing techniques for power converter circuits

A current sensing technique for coupled inductors in switching regulator circuits, where the current sensing technique can provide the current information needed for a power converter design and can be implemented as a real-world solution. The current sensing techniques can provide complete information of the coupled inductor current, such as peak current, valley current, and intermediate ripples. The current sensing techniques can use a simple RC network, such as two resistors and two capacitors for 2-phase operation. The techniques, however, are not limited to two-phase operation. The current sensing techniques of this disclosure can be extended to power stage assembly implementations, e.g., DrMOS modules, with current output in order to increase signal-to-noise ratio, which is significant for reliable control. In addition, the current sensing techniques of this disclosure can be extended to multi-phase operation, such as three or more phases.

A multi-phase hybrid DC-DC converter using a switched-capacitor technique is described. The multi-phase hybrid converter can reduce the volt-seconds on the inductors of the converter, which can allow for a reduction in the size of the inductors. In addition, the multi-phase hybrid converter can utilize inductors as current sources to charge and discharge the flying capacitors, which can reduce the size of the mid capacitor and increase solution density. Because charging and discharging are performed by inductors, the multi-phase hybrid converter can eliminate the capacitor-to-capacitor charge transfer. As such, the multi-phase hybrid converter does not need high capacitance to achieve high efficiency operation, which can further increase solution density.

Multi-phase hybrid converter

A dual-phase hybrid DC-DC converter using a switched-capacitor technique is described. The dual-phase hybrid converter can reduce the volt-seconds on the inductors of the converter, which can allow for a reduction in the size of the inductors. In addition, the dual-phase hybrid converter can utilize inductors as current sources to charge and discharge the flying capacitors, which can reduce the size of the mid capacitor and increase solution density. Because charging and discharging are performed by inductors, the dual-phase hybrid converter can eliminate the capacitor-to-capacitor charge transfer. As such, the dual-phase hybrid converter does not need high capacitance to achieve high efficiency operation, which can further increase solution density.

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Ya Liu