Performance controller for a step down current mode switching regulator
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
G05F-001/40
G05F-001/10
출원번호
US-0206977
(2005-08-19)
등록번호
US-7282900
(2007-10-16)
발명자
/ 주소
Oswald,Richard K.
Yamamoto,Tamotsu
Ryu,Takashi
Motomori,Mikio
Ishii,Takuya
출원인 / 주소
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
대리인 / 주소
McDermott Will & Emery LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
3인용 특허 :
36
초록▼
A method of regulating an output voltage by utilizing a switching regulator, where the switching regulator includes a high side switch, a low side switch having an active diode, a controller coupled to the high side switch and the low side switch, and a current measuring circuit coupled to the high
A method of regulating an output voltage by utilizing a switching regulator, where the switching regulator includes a high side switch, a low side switch having an active diode, a controller coupled to the high side switch and the low side switch, and a current measuring circuit coupled to the high side switch. The method includes the steps of: measuring the output voltage and if the output voltage is below a desired level, activating the high side switch so as to provide current to a load capacitor via a load inductor, if the voltage is above the desired level, activating the low side switch so as to sink current from the load capacitor via the load inductor; and utilizing the current measuring circuit to measure the current flowing through the high side switch in either a positive direction or a negative direction, where the controller is operable for controlling the current measuring circuit and disabling active components contained in the current measuring circuit and the active diode when the active components are not utilized during operation of the switching regulator so as to reduce operational power requirements of the switching regulator.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A switching regulator comprising: a high side switch; a low side switch comprising an active diode; a controller coupled to said high side switch and said low side switch, said controller governing the operational state of said high side switch and said low side switch during
What is claimed is: 1. A switching regulator comprising: a high side switch; a low side switch comprising an active diode; a controller coupled to said high side switch and said low side switch, said controller governing the operational state of said high side switch and said low side switch during operation of said switching regulator; and a current measuring circuit coupled to said high side switch, said current measuring circuit capable of measuring current flowing through said high side switch in both a positive and a negative direction. 2. The switching regulator of claim 1, further comprising: an error amplifier having a first input for receiving a signal indicative of the desired output voltage of said switching regulator and a second input for receiving a signal indicative of an output voltage level of said switching regulator, said error amplifier generating a first output and a second output signal, each of which is indicative of the difference between the desired output voltage and the output voltage level of said switching regulator. 3. The switching regulator of claim 2, further comprising: a first comparator having a first input for receiving said first output signal of said error amplifier, and a second input for receiving a reference voltage, said first comparator operable for asserting a first logic output signal when said output voltage is greater than said desired output voltage. 4. The switching regulator of claim 3, further comprising: a second comparator having a first input for receiving said second output signal of said error amplifier, and a second input for receiving an output of said current measuring circuit, said second comparator operable for asserting a second logic output signal when said second output signal from said error amplifier combined with an average of signals previously output by said error amplifier is a level which is less than said output of said current measuring circuit. 5. The switching regulator of claim 4, wherein said first output signal of said error amplifier input into said first input of said first comparator receives represents an instantaneous value of the difference between the desired output voltage and the output voltage level of said switching regulator. 6. The switching regulator of claim 2, wherein said first output signal of said error amplifier and said second output signal of said error amplifier have quantities that are proportional to one another. 7. The switching regulator of claim 2, wherein said first output signal of said error amplifier and said second output signal of said error amplifier are equal to one another. 8. The switching regulator of claim 4, further comprising a loop filter coupled to said first input of said second comparator, said loop filtering generating said average of signals previously output by said error amplifier. 9. The switching regulator of claim 4, further comprising a terminating impedance and a reference voltage disposed between the output of said current measuring circuit and said second input of said second comparator. 10. The switching regulator of claim 4, further comprising a terminating impedance and a reference coupled to said first input of said first comparator. 11. The switching regulator of claim 2, wherein said first output signal and said second output signal of said error amplifier are current signals. 12. The switching regulator of claim 1, wherein said active diode comprises: a transistor having a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal; an amplifier having a non-inverting input terminal and an inverting input terminal, and an output terminal, said non-inverting input terminal being connected to said first terminal of said transistor via an offset bias source, said inverting input terminal being connected to said second terminal of said transistor; a summer circuit having a first input for receiving a control signal from said controller and a second input for receiving an output signal from said amplifier; and a driver circuit having an input for receiving the output of said summer circuit, and an output coupled to said control terminal of said transistor, said driver circuit operable for controlling the operation of said transistor based on the output of said summer circuit. 13. The switching regulator of claim 12, wherein the voltage between said first terminal of said transistor and said second terminal of said transistor is maintained at the voltage of said offset bias voltage source when forward current flows from said first terminal of said transistor to said second terminal of said transistor. 14. The switching regulator of claim 12, wherein said amplifier senses the voltage difference between said first terminal of said transistor and said second terminal of said transistor and generates said output signal in accordance with the voltage difference. 15. The switching regulator of claim 12, wherein said controller is capable of activating said transistor by forwarding said control signal to said summer circuit. 16. The switching regulator of claim 4, wherein each of said current measuring circuit, said error amplifier, said active diode, said first comparator and said second comparator are activated by said controller during operation of said switching regulator when necessary, said controller activating a given device by forwarding an enable control signal to the given device. 17. The switching regulator of claim 12, wherein said driver circuit generates an output status signal indicating the state of said transistor, said output status signal being coupled to said controller. 18. The switching regulator of claim 1, wherein said current measuring circuit measures current flowing through said high side switch in a positive direction when a first control enable signal is forwarded by said controller, and measures current flowing through said high side switch in a negative direction when a second control enable signal is forwarded by said controller. 19. The switching regulator of claim 1, wherein said current measuring circuit generates an output current signal which is proportional to the amount of current flowing through said high side switch. 20. The switching regulator of claim 19, wherein said output current signal is a positive current signal when current is flowing through said high side switch in a positive direction, and said output current signal is a negative current signal when current is flowing through said high side switch in a negative direction. 21. The switching regulator of claim 1, wherein further comprising: an inductor and a capacitor coupled between said high side switch and said low side switch, and a load coupled in parallel with said capacitor. 22. The switching regulator of claim 1, wherein a positive voltage level is utilized to represent a load supply current of zero. 23. The switching regulator of claim 9, wherein a positive voltage level is utilized to represent a load supply current of zero. 24. A switching regulator for regulating an output voltage, said switching regulator including: a high side switch; a low side switch comprising an active diode, a controller coupled to said high side switch and said low side switch, and a current measuring circuit coupled to said high side switch, wherein said switching regulator is operative for measuring said output voltage and if said output voltage is below a desired level, activating said high side switch so as to provide current to a load via an inductor, if said voltage is above said desired level, activating said low side switch so as to sink current from said load via said inductor; said current measuring circuit is operative for measuring the current flowing through said high side switch in either a positive direction or a negative direction; and said controller is operative for controlling said current measuring circuit, and disabling active components contained in said current measuring circuit and said active diode when said active components are not utilized during operation of said switching regulator so as to reduce operational power requirements of said switching regulator. 25. The switching regulator of claim 24, wherein a positive voltage level is utilized to represent a load supply current of zero. 26. A method of regulating an output voltage by utilizing a switching regulator, said switching regulator including a high side switch, a low side switch comprising an active diode, a controller coupled to said high side switch and said low side switch, and a current measuring circuit coupled to said high side switch, said method comprising the steps of: measuring said output voltage and if said output voltage is below a desired level, activating said high side switch so as to provide current to a load via an inductor, if said voltage is above said desired level, activating said low side switch so as to sink current from said load via said inductor; and utilizing said current measuring circuit to measure the current flowing through said high side switch in either a positive direction or a negative direction, wherein said controller is operable for controlling said current measuring circuit; and disabling active components contained in said current measuring circuit and said active diode when said active components are not utilized during operation of said switching regulator so as to reduce operational power requirements of said switching regulator. 27. The method of regulating an output voltage according to claim 26, further comprising the steps of: generating a first output signal indicative of the difference between the desired output voltage and the output voltage level of said switching regulator, said first output signal being generated by an error amplifier; generating a second output signal when said output voltage is greater than said desired output voltage, said second output signal being generated by a first comparator; generating a third output signal when the output of said current measuring circuit is greater than a combination of the present and average of previous values output by an error amplifier, said third output signal being generated by a second comparator, said error amplifier, said first comparator and said second comparator being disabled when not being utilized during operation of said switching regulator so as to reduce operational power requirements of said switching regulator. 28. The method of regulating an output voltage according to claim 27, wherein said controller enables a given device by forwarding an enable control signal to the given device. 29. The method of regulating an output voltage according to claim 27, further comprising the step of generating an output status signal indicating the state of said low side switch, said output status signal being coupled to said controller. 30. The method of regulating an output voltage according to claim 26, wherein a positive voltage level is utilized to represent a load supply current of zero.
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