Patent US6285571B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6285571B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for an efficient multiphase switching regulator
Assignee: Microsemi Corp
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Filing: 2000-04-07
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Granted: 2001-09-04
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Expires: 2020-04-07
Abstract
Abstract An efficient multiphase switching regulator uses sensed voltages to achieve accurate forced current sharing and programmable current sharing. The voltage waveforms at the input of respective inductors are low-pass filtered to produce sensed voltages which are proportional to the duty cycles of the respective voltage waveforms. The sensed voltages are compared. The comparisons are used to adjust PWM circuits which control the duty cycles of the voltage waveforms of the respective inductors. Substantially identical sensed voltages at the inputs of identical inductors result in substantially identical output currents from respective inductors. The ratio of the output currents from respective inductors can be changed by adjusting a variable resistor that changes the fractions of respective sensed voltages being compared.
Inventors
- 👤 Steven W. Brooks
- 👤 Louis Joseph Maggiolino
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 17:37
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02M; H02M3/00; H02M3/02; H02M3/04; H02M3/10; H02M3/145; H02M3/155; H02M3/156; H02M3/158; H02M3/1584; H02M1/00; H02M1/0003; H02M1/0025; H02M3/1586
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A multiphase switching regulator with forced current sharing comprising: at least a first inductor and a second inductor having respective input terminals and respective output terminals, said output terminals connected together; at least a first switch circuit connected to said input terminal of said first inductor and a second switch circuit coupled to said input terminal of said second inductor; at least one voltage source coupled to said first and second switch circuits; and a controller to control operations of said first and second switch circuits to alternately connect said input terminals of the respective inductors to said respective voltage source and ground, and wherein said controller adjusts duty cycles of respective voltage waveforms across the respective inductors to achieve equal sensed voltages representative of respective voltages at the input terminals of the inductors.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
134 words
A multiphase switching regulator with forced current sharing comprising: at least a first inductor and a second inductor having respective input terminals and respective output terminals, said output terminals connected together; at least a first switch circuit connected to said input terminal of said first inductor and a second switch circuit coupled to said input terminal of said second inductor; at least one voltage source coupled to said first and second switch circuits; and a controller to control operations of said first and second switch circuits to alternately connect said input terminals of the respective inductors to said respective voltage source and ground, and wherein said controller adjusts duty cycles of respective voltage waveforms across the respective inductors to achieve equal sensed voltages representative of respective voltages at the input terminals of the inductors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The multiphase switching regulator with forced current sharing of claim 1 wherein said voltages at the respective input terminals are low-pass filtered to produce said respective sensed voltages.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The multiphase switching regulator with forced current sharing of claim 1 wherein said switch circuits are implemented by Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor-Field-Effect-Transistors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
The multiphase switching regulator with forced current sharing of claim 1 wherein: said controller comprises a control voltage circuit and at least two pulse-width modulation circuits; and said control voltage circuit produces control voltages to control duty cycles of respective outputs of the respective pulse-width modulation circuits.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
252 words
A multiphase switching regulator with forced current sharing comprising: at least a first inductor and a second inductor having respective input terminals and respective output terminals, said output terminals connected together; at least a first switch circuit connected to said input terminal of said first inductor and a second switch circuit coupled to said input terminal of said second inductor; at least one voltage source coupled to said first and second switch circuits; a controller to control operations of said first and second switch circuits to alternately connect said input terminals of the respective inductors to said respective voltage source and ground, and wherein said controller adjusts duty cycles of respective voltage waveforms across the respective inductors to achieve equal sensed voltages representative of respective voltages at the input terminals of the inductors; said controller comprises a control voltage circuit and at least two pulse-width modulation circuits; said control voltage circuit produces control voltages to control duty cycles of respective outputs of the respective pulse-width modulation circuits; and said control voltage circuit further comprises: an error amplifier configured to compare a feedback voltage proportional to an output voltage with a reference voltage; a first feedback amplifier configured to buffer output of said error amplifier and provide a first control voltage; an offset amplifier configured to compare a first sensed voltage with a second sensed voltage; and a second feedback amplifier configured to sum an output of said offset amplifier with an output of said error amplifier and provide a second control voltage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
252 words
A multiphase switching regulator with forced current sharing comprising: at least a first inductor and a second inductor having respective input terminals and respective output terminals, said output terminals connected together; at least a first switch circuit connected to said input terminal of said first inductor and a second switch circuit coupled to said input terminal of said second inductor; at least one voltage source coupled to said first and second switch circuits; a controller to control operations of said first and second switch circuits to alternately connect said input terminals of the respective inductors to said respective voltage source and ground, and wherein said controller adjusts duty cycles of respective voltage waveforms across the respective inductors to achieve equal sensed voltages representative of respective voltages at the input terminals of the inductors; said controller comprises a control voltage circuit and at least two pulse-width modulation circuits; said control voltage circuit produces control voltages to control duty cycles of respective outputs of the respective pulse-width modulation circuits; and said control voltage circuit further comprises: an error amplifier configured to compare a feedback voltage proportional to an output voltage with a reference voltage; a first feedback amplifier configured to buffer output of said error amplifier and provide a first control voltage; an offset amplifier configured to compare a first sensed voltage with a second sensed voltage; and a second feedback amplifier configured to sum an output of said offset amplifier with an output of said error amplifier and provide a second control voltage.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The multiphase switching regulator with forced current sharing of claim 5 wherein: said error amplifier and said offset amplifier are integrating amplifiers; and said feedback amplifiers are unity gain amplifiers.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of forced current sharing in a multiphase switching regulator comprising the acts of: converting voltages at respective input terminals of inductors into sensed voltages, wherein said sensed voltages are proportional to respective duty cycles of respective voltage waveforms across said respective inductors, one of said sensed voltages being a master sensed voltage and the others of said sensed voltages being slave sensed voltages; comparing said slave sensed voltages to said master sensed voltage; generating respective offset voltages based on respective differences between each of said slave sensed voltages and said master sensed voltage; and adjusting duty cycles of said voltage waveforms in accordance with respective offset voltages to achieve equal sensed voltages.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of forced current sharing in a multiphase switching regulator comprising the acts of: converting voltages at respective input terminals of inductors into sensed voltages, wherein said sensed voltages are proportional to respective duty cycles of respective voltage waveforms across said respective inductors, one of said sensed voltages being a master sensed voltage and the others of said sensed voltages being slave sensed voltages; comparing said slave sensed voltages to said master sensed voltage; generating respective offset voltages based on respective differences between each of said slave sensed voltages and said master sensed voltage; and adjusting duty cycles of said voltage waveforms in accordance with respective offset voltages to achieve equal sensed voltages.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
A multiphase switching regulator with forced current sharing comprising: means for converting voltage waveforms at respective input terminals of respective inductors into respective sensed voltages; means for comparing said sensed voltages; and means for adjusting duty cycles of said respective voltage waveforms to achieve equal sensed voltages.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
A multiphase switching regulator with forced current sharing comprising: means for converting voltage waveforms at respective input terminals of respective inductors into respective sensed voltages; means for comparing said sensed voltages; and means for adjusting duty cycles of said respective voltage waveforms to achieve equal sensed voltages.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-09-03 | 2005-03-05 | 2005-09-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-09-03 | 2009-03-05 | 2009-09-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-09-03 | 2013-03-05 | 2013-09-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |