Infineon Technologies Austria Ag

Zhiqing You

Tim Ng

Benjamim Tang

Venkat Sreenivas

Amir Babazadeh

Jinghong Guo

Sujata Sen

Sue Perranoski

Tim M Ng

A multi-phase controller includes a summer circuit configured to sense a plurality of phase currents generated by a plurality of power stages and generate a summed current value representative of a total current generated by the plurality of power stages; and a current limit controller configurable in a current-limit mode or a non-current-limit mode based on the summed current value and configured to limit the total current to a predefined value during the current-limit mode. The current limit controller includes a threshold selector circuit and a mode configuration circuit. The threshold selector circuit selects a first threshold or a second threshold as a selected threshold based on a configuration signal. The mode configuration circuit monitors a duration during which a comparison result indicates that the summed current value satisfies the selected threshold, and generates the configuration signal based on whether the first duration satisfies a duration threshold.

Dynamic total current control for a voltage regulator

An apparatus such as a power supply includes management hardware. The management hardware monitors operation of multiple power converter phases coupled in parallel to produce an output voltage. Based on the monitored operation, the management hardware determines a status of a series circuit path connecting windings of the multiple power converter phases. The management hardware produces status information indicating the status of the series circuit path.

Trans-inductance multi-phase power converters, monitoring and management

A controller for a power converter includes: an estimator configured to estimate or calculate a slew rate of an output voltage of the power converter or a slew rate of an error voltage which corresponds to a difference between the output voltage and a target voltage, during a load transient; and a modulator configured to modify regulation of the output voltage based on the estimated or calculated slew rate. A corresponding voltage regulation method and an electronic system that includes the power converter are also described.

Method and apparatus for regulating an output voltage of a power converter during a load transient

An apparatus such as a power supply circuit includes an input, a signal generator, and a frequency selector. The input receives a signal indicating a magnitude of current supplied by an output voltage of a voltage converter to power a load. The signal generator produces a frequency selection signal based on the magnitude of the current supplied to the load as indicated by the received signal. Via the frequency selection signal, the frequency selector selects a switching frequency of controlling switches in the voltage converter to produce the output voltage. According to one configuration, the signal generator and frequency selector delay increasing the switching frequency from a first switching frequency setting to a second switching frequency setting subsequent to detecting a change in the magnitude of the current.

Power supply monitoring and switching frequency control

An apparatus includes a power converter and an estimator. The power converter produces an output voltage to power a load via current through an inductor. The estimator receives a current sense signal from a current monitor resource. The current sense signal represents/indicates a measured magnitude of the current supplied to the load through the inductor over time during one or more power delivery control cycles. Portions of the current sense signal may be an inaccurate representation of an amount of current through the inductor. Via the current sense signal, or portion thereof, the estimator determines (such as calculates) an inductance (value) of the inductor. The estimator then uses the calculated inductance value to estimate a magnitude of the output current supplied through the inductor to the load.

Inductance and current flow estimations

An apparatus includes a filter to receive a signal indicating a magnitude of current supplied by an output voltage to power a dynamic load. The filter produces a filtered signal from the received signal. A reference voltage generator generates a target setpoint voltage based on the filtered signal. The target setpoint voltage is used to control (such as regulate) a magnitude of the output voltage. The apparatus further includes a filter controller to dynamically change operational settings of the filter. For example, the filter controller reduces the bandwidth of filtering the signal in response to detecting that: i) the magnitude of the output voltage falls below an output voltage threshold value, and ii) the magnitude of a received VID value is greater than a VID threshold value.

Power supply, filter control, and dynamic adaptive voltage positioning

A controller of a switching voltage regulator estimates a load current based upon a current within the voltage regulator, a change in the output voltage of the voltage regulator, and the capacitance and/or equivalent series resistance (ESR) of an output capacitor. For sharp drops in the output voltage, the output capacitor's ESR provides a better estimate of the load current, whereas the output capacitance provides a better estimate for moderate output voltage drops. These techniques allow the voltage regulator controller to more quickly detect excessive load current, and issue an over current warning to the load with little latency. The fast response afforded by these techniques provides the load, e.g., a CPU or GPU, sufficient time to reduce its current, thereby avoiding a complete shutdown due to excessive load current.

Peak current estimation based on output capacitor parameters and change of output voltage

A method is provided for configuring a controller for a voltage regulator system having an output filter response set by an inductance (L) and a capacitance (C). The method includes applying one or more pulses of known on-time and off-time to the voltage regulator system, and taking measurements of the voltage regulator system in response to the one or more pulses of known on-time and off-time. The method further includes constructing a model of the output filter response of the voltage regulator system based on the measurements, and setting one or more control loop parameters of the controller based on the model of the output filter response.

Control loop parameter setting in a voltage regulator controller

A voltage regulator includes a power stage electrically coupled to an input voltage terminal, a controller for controlling the power stage and a shunt resistor of a sense network connected in series between the input voltage terminal and the power stage. In a non-calibration mode, a first level shifting resistor of the sense network is electrically connected in series between a first terminal of the shunt resistor and a first sense pin of the controller and a second level shifting resistor of the sense network is electrically connected in series between a second terminal of the shunt resistor and a second sense pin of the controller. In a calibration mode, the first sense pin and the second sense pin of the controller are electrically connected to the same terminal of the shunt resistor via the first level shifting resistor and the second level shifting resistor of the sense network.

Input calibration for switching voltage regulators

Voltage and current sensing calibration for switching voltage regulators

A multiphase voltage regulator includes a plurality of phases and a controller. Each phase is configured to output a phase current to a load through an inductor in response to a control signal input to the phase. The controller is operable to: generate the control signals input to the phases; set a switching frequency of the control signals to a first value; and change the switching frequency from the first value to a second value different than the first value if the load current changes repetitively at a frequency that is within a predetermined range of the first value of the switching frequency. A corresponding method of operating the multiphase voltage regulator is also provided.

Dynamic switching frequency control in multiphase voltage regulators

Method and apparatus for setting control loop parameters of a voltage regulator controller

A voltage regulator includes a power stage configured to produce an output voltage from an input voltage at an input voltage terminal, a shunt resistor connected in series between the input voltage terminal and the power stage, a first level shifting resistor connected in series between a first terminal of the shunt resistor and a first sense pin of the controller, and a second level shifting resistor connected in series between a second terminal of the shunt resistor and a second sense pin of the controller. The input current of the regulator is sensed as a function of the voltage across the shunt resistor, as shifted down by the level shifting resistors and measured across the sense pins. The input voltage of the regulator is sensed as a function of the current flowing through either one of the level shifting resistors, as measured at one of the sense pins.

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Zhiqing You