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US 10,122,179 B2Granted
Power supplies with feedback
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorsTodd Sutton, Charles Tuten
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Features and advantages of certain embodiments include a plurality of power supplies that work together to deliver power to a target circuit. In one embodiment, a downstream power supply provides a fast current delivery in response to load current transients and generates a feedback signal to control an upstream power supply so that the upstream and downstream power supplies work together to meet the current and voltage requirements of a target circuit across a wide range of loading conditions.
Claims21
A circuit comprising:
- a second power supply coupled to a second power supply rail, the second power supply configured to provide a second current to the second power supply rail in response to a loading event on the second power supply rail and generate a feedback signal indicating the loading event;
- a first power supply coupled to the second power supply to receive the feedback signal and configured to produce a first current and a first voltage to a first power supply rail in response to the feedback signal;
- and
- a downstream circuit coupled to the first power supply rail, the circuit configured to receive the first current and the first voltage from the first power supply and produce a second voltage on the second power supply rail based on the received first current and first voltage,
- wherein the second current provided by the second power supply is transitory while the first current is provided through the circuit to respond to the loading event.
2 more elements
A circuit comprising:
- a second power supply coupled to a second power supply rail, the second power supply configured to provide a second current to the second power supply rail in response to a loading event on the second power supply rail and generate a feedback signal indicating the loading event;
- a first power supply coupled to the second power supply to receive the feedback signal and configured to produce a first current and a first voltage to a first power supply rail in response to the feedback signal;
- and
- a downstream circuit coupled to the first power supply rail, the circuit configured to receive the first current and the first voltage from the first power supply and produce a second voltage on the second power supply rail based on the received first current and first voltage,
- wherein the second current provided by the second power supply is transitory while the first current is provided through the circuit to respond to the loading event,
- wherein the second power supply comprises:
- a first transistor having a first terminal coupled to the second power supply rail, a second terminal coupled to a third power supply rail, and a control terminal;
- a sense circuit to sense the loading event and generate a load event signal;
- and
- a one-shot circuit having an input coupled to receive the load event signal and an output coupled to the control terminal of the first transistor, the one-shot circuit turning on the first transistor for a predetermined time period in response to the load event signal.
7 more elements
A method of supplying power comprising:
- producing a first voltage and a first current from a first power supply to a first power supply rail in response to a feedback signal, the first power supply configured to produce current and voltage in response to a loading event on a second power supply rail within a first time period;
- coupling the first voltage and first current through a first circuit to the second power supply rail;
- producing a transitory second current from a second power supply to the second power supply rail in response to the loading event within a second time period that is shorter than the first time period;
- and
- generating the feedback signal to the first power supply in response to the loading event.
2 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- first means for producing a first voltage and a first current to a first power supply rail in response to a feedback signal, the first means configured to produce current and voltage in response to a loading event on a second power supply rail within a first time period;
- means for coupling the first voltage and first current to the second power supply rail;
- means for producing a transitory second current to the second power supply rail in response to the loading event within a second time period that is shorter than the first time period;
- and
- means for generating the feedback signal to the first means in response to the loading event.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.