EP0893876A2 — Dynamic regulator for a dc-to-dc power converter …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 115 words

An electronic circuit comprising a dc-to-dc converter and a load connected thereto, said load being capable of generating a load current demand transient and a load current excess transient, a dynamic regulator connected to said load and comprising current sourcing means for actively sourcing current during the load current demand transient to thereby reduce a load voltage dip which would otherwise occur, current sinking means for actively sinking current during the load current excess transient to thereby reduce a load voltage spike which would otherwise occur, in which said dynamic regulator comprises voltage sensing means for sensing a load voltage, and said dynamic regulator further comprises load voltage tracking means for tracking the load voltage.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 115 words

An electronic circuit comprising a dc-to-dc converter and a load connected thereto, said load being capable of generating a load current demand transient and a load current excess transient, a dynamic regulator connected to said load and comprising current sourcing means for actively sourcing current during the load current demand transient to thereby reduce a load voltage dip which would otherwise occur, current sinking means for actively sinking current during the load current excess transient to thereby reduce a load voltage spike which would otherwise occur, in which said dynamic regulator comprises voltage sensing means for sensing a load voltage, and said dynamic regulator further comprises load voltage tracking means for tracking the load voltage.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 47 words

An electronic circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said current sourcing means comprises a current source switch, current source control means for operating said current source switch responsive to a sensed load voltage falling rapidly, in which said current source switch comprises at least one transistor.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 124 words

An electronic circuit as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein said current source control means comprises first signal generating means for generating a first scaled tracking signal related to the tracked load voltage by a first factor, a first comparator for operating said current source switch responsive to the sensed load voltage falling below the first scaled tracking signal, said load voltage tracking means operates according to one of a fast time constant and a slow time constant; and further comprising time constant switching means for switching from the fast time constant to the slow time constant responsive to the sensed voltage falling below the first scaled tracking signal, and said load voltage tracking means comprises a resistor-capacitor network connected to said load.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 121 words

An electronic circuit as claimed in claim 3 wherein said resistor-capacitor network comprises a pair of resistors and a capacitor connected thereto; said pair of resistors are connected in parallel with said capacitor for the fast time constant and only one of said resistors is connected to said capacitor for the slow time constant; and said time constant switching means comprises logic means associated with an output of said first comparator for effecting switching of said pair of resistors, in which said current sinking means comprises a current sink switch for sinking current, current sink control means for operating said current sink switch responsive to a sensed load voltage falling rapidly, and said current sink switch comprises at least one transistor.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 58 words

An electronic circuit as claimed in claim 4 wherein said current sink control means comprises second signal generating means for generating a second scaled tracking signal related to the tracked load voltage by a second factor, a second comparator for operating said current sink switch responsive to the sensed load voltage rising above the second scaled tracking signal.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 108 words

An electronic circuit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said load comprises a circuit having a sleep state drawing relatively little current, and an awakened state drawing relatively large current; wherein said load generates the load current demand transient responsive to switching from the sleep state to the awakened state; and wherein said load generates the current excess transient responsive to switching from awakened state to the sleep state, preferably in which said load comprises a microprocessor, said dc-to-dc converter comprises a first integrated circuit; and said dynamic regulator comprises a second integrated circuit, and said dc-to-dc converter comprises a step-down dc-to-dc converter.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 119 words

A dynamic regulator for a load and a dc-to-dc converter connected thereto, the load being capable of generating a load current demand transient, said dynamic regulator comprising voltage sensing means for sensing a load voltage, load voltage tracking means for tracking the load voltage, current sourcing means for actively sourcing current during a load current demand transient based upon the sensed load voltage dropping with respect to the tracked load voltage, to thereby reduce a load voltage dip which would otherwise occur, in which said current sourcing means comprises a current source switch, and current source control means for operating said current source switch responsive to the sensed load voltage falling rapidly with respect to the tracked load voltage.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 119 words

A dynamic regulator for a load and a dc-to-dc converter connected thereto, the load being capable of generating a load current demand transient, said dynamic regulator comprising voltage sensing means for sensing a load voltage, load voltage tracking means for tracking the load voltage, current sourcing means for actively sourcing current during a load current demand transient based upon the sensed load voltage dropping with respect to the tracked load voltage, to thereby reduce a load voltage dip which would otherwise occur, in which said current sourcing means comprises a current source switch, and current source control means for operating said current source switch responsive to the sensed load voltage falling rapidly with respect to the tracked load voltage.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 125 words

A dynamic regulator as claimed in claim 6 wherein said current source control means comprises first signal generating means for generating a first scaled tracking signal related to the tracked load voltage by a first factor, a first comparator for operating said current source switch responsive to the sensed load voltage falling below the first scaled tracking signal, said load voltage tracking means operates according to one of a fast time constant and a slow time constant; and further comprising time constant switching means for switching from the fast time constant to the slow time constant responsive to the sensed load voltage falling below the first scaled tracking signal, and in which said load voltage tracking means comprises a resistor-capacitor network connected to the load.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 134 words

A dynamic regulator as claimed in claim 7 wherein said resistor-capacitor network comprises a pair of resistors and a capacitor connected thereto; said pair of resistors are connected in parallel with said capacitor for the fast time constant and only one of said resistors is connected to said capacitor for the slow time constant; and wherein said time constant switching means comprises logic means associated with an output of said first comparator for effecting switching of said pair of resistors, and the load is further capable of generating a load current excess transient; and further comprising current sinking means for actively sinking current during the load current excess transient based upon the sensed load voltage rising with respect to the tracked load voltage, to thereby reduce a load voltage spike which would otherwise occur.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 128 words

A dynamic regulator as claimed in claims 6, 7 or 8, wherein said current sink control means comprises second signal generating means for generating a second scaled tracking signal related to the tracked load voltage by a second factor, a second comparator for operating said current source switch responsive to the sensed load voltage rising above the second scaled tracking signal, in which said load voltage tracking means operates according to one of a fast time constant and a slow time constant; and further comprising time constant switching means for switching from the fast time constant to the slow time constant responsive to the sensed load voltage rising above the second scaled tracking signal, and said load voltage tracking means comprises a resistor-capacitor network connected to the load.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 169 words

A dynamic regulator for a load and a dc-to-dc converter connected thereto, the load being capable of generating a load current excess transient, said dynamic regulator comprising voltage sensing means for sensing a load voltage, load voltage tracking means for tracking the load voltage, current sinking means for actively sinking current during a load current excess transient based upon the sensed load voltage rising with respect to the tracked load voltage, to thereby reduce a load voltage spike which would otherwise occur, in which said current sinking means comprises, a current sink switch, current sink control means for operating said current sink switch responsive to the sensed load voltage rising rapidly with respect to the tracked load voltage, and said current sink control means comprises: second signal generating means for generating a second scaled tracking signal related to the tracked load voltage by a second factor, and a second comparator for operating said current source switch responsive to the sensed load voltage rising above the second scaled tracking signal.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 169 words

A dynamic regulator for a load and a dc-to-dc converter connected thereto, the load being capable of generating a load current excess transient, said dynamic regulator comprising voltage sensing means for sensing a load voltage, load voltage tracking means for tracking the load voltage, current sinking means for actively sinking current during a load current excess transient based upon the sensed load voltage rising with respect to the tracked load voltage, to thereby reduce a load voltage spike which would otherwise occur, in which said current sinking means comprises, a current sink switch, current sink control means for operating said current sink switch responsive to the sensed load voltage rising rapidly with respect to the tracked load voltage, and said current sink control means comprises: second signal generating means for generating a second scaled tracking signal related to the tracked load voltage by a second factor, and a second comparator for operating said current source switch responsive to the sensed load voltage rising above the second scaled tracking signal.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 152 words

A method for controlling transients in an electronic circuit comprising a load and a dc-to-dc converter connected thereto, the load being capable of generating a load current demand transient, the method comprising the steps of sensing a load voltage, tracking the load voltage, actively sourcing current during a load current demand transient based upon the sensed load voltage dropping with respect to the tracked load voltage, to thereby reduce a load voltage dip which would otherwise occur, in which the step of actively sourcing current comprises operating a current source switch responsive to the sensed load voltage falling rapidly with respect to the tracked load voltage, in which the step of operating the current source switch comprises generating a first scaled tracking signal related to the tracked load voltage by a first factor, and operating the current source switch responsive to the sensed load voltage falling below the first scaled tracking signal.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 152 words

A method for controlling transients in an electronic circuit comprising a load and a dc-to-dc converter connected thereto, the load being capable of generating a load current demand transient, the method comprising the steps of sensing a load voltage, tracking the load voltage, actively sourcing current during a load current demand transient based upon the sensed load voltage dropping with respect to the tracked load voltage, to thereby reduce a load voltage dip which would otherwise occur, in which the step of actively sourcing current comprises operating a current source switch responsive to the sensed load voltage falling rapidly with respect to the tracked load voltage, in which the step of operating the current source switch comprises generating a first scaled tracking signal related to the tracked load voltage by a first factor, and operating the current source switch responsive to the sensed load voltage falling below the first scaled tracking signal.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 114 words

A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the step of tracking the load voltage comprises tracking the load voltage at one of a fast time constant and a slow time constant; and further comprising the step of switching from the fast time constant to the slow time constant responsive to the sensed load voltage falling below the first scaled tracking signal, and the load is capable of generating a load current excess transient, and comprising the step of actively sinking current during the load current excess transient based upon the sensed load voltage rising with respect to the tracked load voltage, as as to reduce a load voltage spike which would otherwise occur.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 82 words

A method as claimed in claims 11 or 12 wherein the step of current sinking comprises operating a current sink switch responsive to the sensed load voltage rising rapidly with respect to the tracked load voltage, in which the step of operating the current sink switch comprises generating a second scaled tracking signal related to the tracked load voltage by a second factor; and operating the current source switch responsive to the sensed load voltage rising above the second scaled tracking signal.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 69 words

A method as claimed in any one of claims 11, 12 and 13 wherein the step of tracking the load voltage comprises tracking the load voltage according to one of a fast time constant and a slow time constant; and further comprising the step of switching from the fast time constant to the slow time constant responsive to the sensed load voltage rising above the second scaled tracking signal.

Dynamic regulator for a dc-to-dc power converter and related methods

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