The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 04, 2003
Filed:
Sep. 10, 2001
Douglas Farrenkopf, Santa Clara, CA (US);
National Semiconductor Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method that enforces current sharing and provides low on times for a multiphase voltage mode regulator has been described. A current level is sensed for each leg of the multiphase regulator. The sensed current level relates to the inductor current level for each of the phases. An average current level is determined from the sensed current levels. A comparison is then made between the sensed current levels and the average current level. In response to the comparison, the current level for the leg is adjusted. According to one embodiment, the on time for the switch of the phase is adjusted. The switch is adjusted to a shorter or longer time when the phase signal level is not equal to the average current level. The apparatus and method work with as few as 2-phases, or as many as N-phases.