Patent US5955871A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5955871A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Voltage regulator that bases control on a state of a power conservation mode
Assignee: Intel Corp
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Filing: 1998-10-14
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Granted: 1999-09-21
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Expires: 2018-10-14
Abstract
Abstract A switching regulator for use with a computer system having a power conservation mode includes a switch circuit, a sampling storage device, a sampling circuit and a controller. The switch circuit is coupled to an input voltage source to produce an output voltage, and the switch circuit provides an indication of a parameter of the regulator. When the computer system is not in a power conservation mode, the controller operates the sampling circuit to provide the indication to the sampling storage device at a switching frequency. When the computer system is in the power conservation mode, the controller operates the sampling circuit to continuously provide the indication to the sampling storage device for substantially the duration of the power conservation mode. Based on the indications provided to the sampling storage device, the controller interacts with the switch circuit to regulate the output voltage.
Inventors
- 👤 Don J. Nguyen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 06:09
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02M; H02M3/00; H02M3/02; H02M3/04; H02M3/10; H02M3/145; H02M3/155; H02M3/156; H02M3/158; H02M3/1582; G; G05; G05F; G05F1/00; G05F1/10; G05F1/46; G05F1/618; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/26; H02M3/1563
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
A switching regulator for use with a computer system having a power conservation mode, comprising: a switch circuit coupled to an input voltage source to produce an output voltage; a sampling storage device; a sampling circuit; and a controller to: operate the sampling circuit to first provide an indication of the output voltage to the sampling storage device at a switching frequency when the computer system is not in the power conservation mode, when the computer system is in the power conservation mode, operate the sampling circuit to continuously provide the indication to the sampling storage device for substantially the duration of the power conservation mode, and based on the first and continuously provided indications, interact with the switch circuit to regulate the output voltage.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
A switching regulator for use with a computer system having a power conservation mode, comprising: a switch circuit coupled to an input voltage source to produce an output voltage; a sampling storage device; a sampling circuit; and a controller to: operate the sampling circuit to first provide an indication of the output voltage to the sampling storage device at a switching frequency when the computer system is not in the power conservation mode, when the computer system is in the power conservation mode, operate the sampling circuit to continuously provide the indication to the sampling storage device for substantially the duration of the power conservation mode, and based on the first and continuously provided indications, interact with the switch circuit to regulate the output voltage.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The switching regulator of claim 1, wherein the sampling circuit comprises a switch to selectively provide the indication to the sampling storage device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The switching regulator of claim 2, wherein the switch comprises a transistor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The switching regulator of claim 1, wherein the sampling storage device comprises a capacitor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The switching regulator of claim 1, wherein the switch circuit comprises: a switch; and an energy storage element, wherein the controller further operates the switch to regulate the output voltage when the computer system is in the power conservation mode based on the continuously provided indication.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The switching regulator of claim 1, wherein the indication comprises an indication of a current.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The switching regulator of claim 1, wherein the switch circuit comprises: a switch; and an energy storage element, wherein the controller further operates the switch to regulate the output voltage when the computer system is not in the power conservation mode based on the first provided indications.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The switching regulator of claim 1, wherein the switching regulator comprises a synchronous Buck switching regulator when the computer system is not in the power conservation mode.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
78 words
A method for use with a computer system having a power conservation mode comprising: when the computer system is not in the power conservation mode, sampling indications of an output voltage at a switching frequency; when the computer system is in the power conservation mode, obtaining a substantially continuous indication of the output voltage for substantially the duration of the power conservation mode, and regulating the output voltage of the regulator based on the continuous and sampled indications.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
78 words
A method for use with a computer system having a power conservation mode comprising: when the computer system is not in the power conservation mode, sampling indications of an output voltage at a switching frequency; when the computer system is in the power conservation mode, obtaining a substantially continuous indication of the output voltage for substantially the duration of the power conservation mode, and regulating the output voltage of the regulator based on the continuous and sampled indications.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 9, further comprising: coupling a sensing element of the regulator to a storage element at the switching frequency when the computer system is not in the power conservation mode.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 9, further comprising: operating a switch to regulate the output voltage when the computer system is not in the power conservation mode based on the sampled indications.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 9, further comprising: operating a switch to regulate the output voltage when the computer system is in the power conservation mode based on the continuous indication.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
78 words
A computer system having a power conservation mode comprising: a processor; and a switching regulator coupled to provide an output voltage to the processor to: obtain sampled indications of the output voltage at a switching frequency when the computer system is not in the power conservation mode; obtain a substantially continuous indication of the output voltage when the computer system is in the power conservation mode; and regulate the output voltage based on the continuous and sampled indications.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
78 words
A computer system having a power conservation mode comprising: a processor; and a switching regulator coupled to provide an output voltage to the processor to: obtain sampled indications of the output voltage at a switching frequency when the computer system is not in the power conservation mode; obtain a substantially continuous indication of the output voltage when the computer system is in the power conservation mode; and regulate the output voltage based on the continuous and sampled indications.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
58 words
The computer system of claim 13, wherein the regulator comprises: a switch; a sensing element to indicate the parameter; a storage element to store the sampled indications; and a controller to cause the switch to couple the sensing element to the storage element at the switching frequency when the computer system is not in the power conservation mode.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
The computer system of claim 13, wherein the regulator comprises: a switch; and an energy storage element, wherein the controller further operates the switch to regulate the output voltage when the computer system is not in the power conservation mode based on the sampled indications.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
The computer system of claim 13, wherein the regulator comprises: switch; and an energy storage element, wherein the controller further operates the switch to regulate the output voltage when the computer system is in the power conservation mode based on the continuous indication.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computer system of claim 13, wherein the indication comprises an indication of a current.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
125 words
A computer system having a power conservation mode, comprising: a processor; a switch circuit coupled to an input voltage source to furnish an output voltage to the processor; a sampling storage device; a sampling circuit; and a controller to: operate the sampling circuit to provide an indication of the output voltage to the sampling storage device at a switching frequency when the computer system is not in the power conservation mode; when the computer system is in the power conservation mode, operate the sampling circuit to continuously provide the indication of the output voltage to the sampling storage device for substatially the duration of the power conservation mode, and based on the sampled and continuous indications, interact with the switch circuit to the output voltage.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
125 words
A computer system having a power conservation mode, comprising: a processor; a switch circuit coupled to an input voltage source to furnish an output voltage to the processor; a sampling storage device; a sampling circuit; and a controller to: operate the sampling circuit to provide an indication of the output voltage to the sampling storage device at a switching frequency when the computer system is not in the power conservation mode; when the computer system is in the power conservation mode, operate the sampling circuit to continuously provide the indication of the output voltage to the sampling storage device for substatially the duration of the power conservation mode, and based on the sampled and continuous indications, interact with the switch circuit to the output voltage.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer system of claim 18, wherein the sampling circuit comprises a switch coupled to the sampling storage device.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
12 words
The computer system of claim 19, wherein the switch comprises a transistor.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computer system of claim 18, wherein the sampling storage device comprises a capacitor.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
46 words
The computer system of claim 18, wherein the switch circuit comprises: a switch; and an energy storage element, wherein the controller further operates the switch to regulate the output voltage when the computer system is in the power conservation mode based on the continuously provided indication.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
50 words
The computer system of claim 18, wherein the switch circuit comprises: a switch; and an energy storage element, wherein the controller further operates the switch to regulate the output voltage when the computer system is not in the power conservation mode based on the indications provided at the switching frequency.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
The computer system of claim 18, wherein the switching regulator comprises a synchronous Buck switching regulator during the power conservation mode.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5745352A
Cited
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-09-20 | 2003-03-22 | 2003-09-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-09-20 | 2007-03-22 | 2007-09-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-09-20 | 2011-03-22 | 2011-09-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |