US6249111B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dual drive buck regulator
Assignee: Intel Corp
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Filing: 2000-06-22
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Granted: 2001-06-19
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Expires: 2020-06-22
Abstract
Abstract A switching regulator of the step down variety is disclosed. First and second transistors coupled in parallel between a first supply node and a first output node are controlled by a driver stage to sequentially (1) switch on the first transistor, (2) switch on the second transistor, (3) switch off the second transistor, and (4) switch off the first transistor. The first transistor is smaller than the second transistor, such that the first transistor can switch faster than the second transistor, thereby reducing power dissipation during the time intervals in which both transistors are switching. Such a design allows an increase in switching frequency without the conventional increase in power dissipation, in return for a relatively inexpensive change of adding an additional, smaller transistor in parallel with a larger one, and associated circuitry in the driver stage.
Inventors
- 👤 Don J. Nguyen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 22:58
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02M; H02M3/00; H02M3/02; H02M3/04; H02M3/10; H02M3/145; H02M3/155; H02M3/156; H02M3/158; H02M3/1588; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B70/00; Y02B70/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
A switching regulator comprising: a first transistor coupled between a first supply node and a first output node; a second transistor coupled in parallel with the first transistor, the first transistor being smaller than the second transistor; and a driver stage coupled to the first and second transistors to sequentially (1) switch on the first transistor, (2) switch on the second transistor, (3) switch off the second transistor, and (4) switch off the first transistor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
75 words
A switching regulator comprising: a first transistor coupled between a first supply node and a first output node; a second transistor coupled in parallel with the first transistor, the first transistor being smaller than the second transistor; and a driver stage coupled to the first and second transistors to sequentially (1) switch on the first transistor, (2) switch on the second transistor, (3) switch off the second transistor, and (4) switch off the first transistor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The switching regulator of claim 1 further comprising: a diode coupled between a second supply node and the first output node; and an inductor-capacitor low pass filter coupled between the first output node and one of the first and second supply nodes, to provide a substantially ripple-free voltage at a second output node.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
The switching regulator of claim 1 further comprising: a third transistor coupled between a second supply node and the first output node, wherein the driver stage is further coupled to the third transistor to (1) switch off the third transistor before switching on the first transistor, and (2) switch on the third transistor after switching off the first transistor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The switching regulator of claim 2 further comprising: a controller coupled to the driver stage to regulate the voltage at the second output node which is smaller in magnitude than a voltage of the first supply node.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The switching regulator of claim 4 wherein the controller is to feed the driver stage a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal to regulate the voltage at the second output node.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The switching regulator of claim 3 wherein the driver stage is configured to (1) switch off the third transistor in response to the PWM signal being asserted, and (2) switch on the third transistor after the PWM signal is deasserted.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The switching regulator of claim 1 wherein the second transistor is sized to provide a lower impedance than the first transistor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The switching regulator of claim 1 wherein the first transistor is sized to switch faster than the second transistor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
86 words
A switching regulator comprising: first switch means for selectively providing a first low impedance path between a first supply node and a first output node; second switch means for selectively providing a second low impedance path in parallel with the first path, the second path having a lower impedance than the first path; and means for driving the first and second switch means to sequentially (1) open the first path, (2) open the second path, (3) block the second path, and (4) block the first path.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
86 words
A switching regulator comprising: first switch means for selectively providing a first low impedance path between a first supply node and a first output node; second switch means for selectively providing a second low impedance path in parallel with the first path, the second path having a lower impedance than the first path; and means for driving the first and second switch means to sequentially (1) open the first path, (2) open the second path, (3) block the second path, and (4) block the first path.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
The switching regulator of claim 9 further comprising: a diode coupled between a second supply node and the first output node; and an inductor-capacitor low pass filter coupled between the first output node and one of the first and second supply nodes, to provide a substantially ripple-free voltage at a second output node.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
59 words
The switching regulator of claim 9 further comprising: third switch means for selectively providing a third low impedance path between a second supply node and the first output node; and means for driving the third switch means to (1) block the third path before opening the first path, and (2) open the third path after blocking the first path.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
The switching regulator of claim 10 further comprising: means for controlling the driving means to regulate the voltage at the second output node which is smaller in magnitude than a voltage of the first supply node.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The switching regulator of claim 12 wherein the controller means feeds the driver means a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal to regulate the voltage at the second output node.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The switching regulator of claim 13 wherein the driving means (1) blocks the third path in response to the PWM signal being asserted, and (2) opens the third path after the PWM signal is deasserted.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
105 words
A method comprising: (a) asserting a first pulse signal to a control electrode of a first transistor coupled between a first supply node and a first output node; and then (b) asserting a second pulse signal to a control electrode of a second transistor that is coupled in parallel with the first transistor, the first transistor being smaller than the second transistor; and then (c) deasserting the second pulse signal; and then (d) deasserting the first pulse signal; and then (e) repeating (a)-(d) to regulate a voltage at an output node of an inductor-capacitor low pass filter that is coupled to the first output node.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
105 words
A method comprising: (a) asserting a first pulse signal to a control electrode of a first transistor coupled between a first supply node and a first output node; and then (b) asserting a second pulse signal to a control electrode of a second transistor that is coupled in parallel with the first transistor, the first transistor being smaller than the second transistor; and then (c) deasserting the second pulse signal; and then (d) deasserting the first pulse signal; and then (e) repeating (a)-(d) to regulate a voltage at an output node of an inductor-capacitor low pass filter that is coupled to the first output node.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising: deasserting a third pulse signal to a control electrode of a third transistor coupled between a second supply node and the first output node, before asserting the first pulse signal; and asserting the third pulse signal after deasserting the first pulse signal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the second pulse signal is asserted in response to sensing that a voltage of the first output node has reached a level close to a voltage of the first supply node.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
156 words
A mobile module comprising: a printed wiring board having a board-to-board connector; a processor assembly containing a processor core and mounted to the board; a bridge chip set coupled to the processor assembly by a system bus and to the board-to-board connector through a plurality of buses; and a voltage regulator having a first supply node coupled to receive an input unregulated dc voltage from a terminal in the board-to-board connector and an output to provide a regulated dc processor core voltage, the regulator having a first transistor coupled between the first supply node and a first output node, a second transistor coupled in parallel with the first transistor, the first transistor being smaller than the second transistor, and a driver stage coupled to the first and second transistors to sequentially (1) switch on the first transistor, (2) switch on the second transistor, (3) switch off the second transistor, and (4) switch off the first transistor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
156 words
A mobile module comprising: a printed wiring board having a board-to-board connector; a processor assembly containing a processor core and mounted to the board; a bridge chip set coupled to the processor assembly by a system bus and to the board-to-board connector through a plurality of buses; and a voltage regulator having a first supply node coupled to receive an input unregulated dc voltage from a terminal in the board-to-board connector and an output to provide a regulated dc processor core voltage, the regulator having a first transistor coupled between the first supply node and a first output node, a second transistor coupled in parallel with the first transistor, the first transistor being smaller than the second transistor, and a driver stage coupled to the first and second transistors to sequentially (1) switch on the first transistor, (2) switch on the second transistor, (3) switch off the second transistor, and (4) switch off the first transistor.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
The mobile module of claim 18 further comprising a thermal feedback sensor mounted to the board to provide digital thermal sensing of the mobile module and being communicatively coupled to the board-to-board connector.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
The mobile module of claim 18 further comprising a sideband bus to provide address and command communication between the processor assembly and the board-to-board connector.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
58 words
The mobile module of claim 18 wherein the voltage regulator further includes a diode coupled between a second supply node and the first output node, and an inductor-capacitor low pass filter coupled between the first output node and one of the first and second supply nodes, to provide a substantially ripple-free voltage at the output of the regulator.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-06-18 | 2004-12-18 | 2005-06-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-06-18 | 2008-12-18 | 2009-06-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-06-18 | 2012-12-18 | 2013-06-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |