Regulator circuits and methods

A method of regulating supply energy in an analog regulator, comprising:

• receiving raw energy from a power supply;
• receiving an analog control signal;
• from a power stage, forwarding a portion of the raw energy to a power load, wherein the portion is determined by the analog control signal;
• sensing a physical quantity related to the portion of the raw energy in the power load, and forwarding the sensed physical quantity to a comparator;
• receiving and forwarding a reference physical quantity to the comparator;
• receiving a clock signal;
• in the comparator, comparing the sensed physical quantity to the reference physical quantity to obtain a comparator output signal;
• forwarding the comparator output signal to two or more analog filters;
• in the two or more analog filters, filtering the comparator output signal to obtain two or more updated analog control signals;
• forwarding the two or more updated analog control signals to an analog multiplexer;
• receiving a mode control code;
• in the analog multiplexer, based on the mode control code, selecting one of the two or more updated analog control signals to determine the portion of raw energy;
• and
• continuously repeating the previous steps with the selected one of the two or more updated analog control signals to obtain a proportional relation between the sensed physical quantity and the first reference physical quantity.

A level regulator circuit, comprising:

• a power digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with a raw energy input, a digital control code input, and a regulated power output, wherein the raw energy input is configured to receive raw energy from a power supply, and the regulated power output is configured to deliver regulated energy to a power load;
• an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), with a first input coupled with the regulated power output, wherein the first input is configured to receive a sensed physical quantity related to a portion of the raw energy in the power load, and with a second input configured to receive a reference physical quantity, wherein the ADC comprises a first clocked comparator and the first clocked comparator is configured to compare the sensed physical quantity to the reference physical quantity upon receiving a clock signal to obtain a first clocked comparator output signal;
• a first digital filter with:
• (a) an input coupled to an ADC output;
• (b) a mode control code input, wherein the digital filter is capable of modifying filter behavior based on a code received on the mode control code input;
• and
• (c) an output at least part of the time directly or indirectly coupled with the power DAC digital control code input;
• wherein the first digital filter is configured to filter the first clocked comparator output signal to obtain an updated first digital control code and to allow the sensed physical quantity to lock to the first reference physical quantity;
• and
• the level regulator circuit is configured to regularly repeat the previous steps with the updated first digital control code to obtain a proportional relation between the sensed physical quantity and the reference physical quantity.

A range regulator circuit, comprising:

• a power digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with a raw energy input, a digital control code input, and a regulated power output, wherein the raw energy input is configured to receive raw energy from a power supply, and the regulated power output is configured to deliver regulated energy to a power load;
• a first and a second clocked comparator, each with a first input coupled with the regulated power output, wherein the first inputs are configured to receive a sensed physical quantity related to a portion of the raw energy in the power load, and with a second input configured to each receive a separate reference physical quantity;
• a combiner configured to combine digital codes output by the first and the second clocked comparators and to deliver a combined digital code;
• and
• a first digital filter, with an input coupled with a combiner output and configured to filter the combined digital code, and with an output coupled with the power DAC digital control code input;
• wherein the range regulator circuit is configured to:
• upon receiving a clock signal, compare the sensed physical quantity to the separate reference physical quantities in the first and second clocked comparators to obtain first and second clocked comparator output signals;
• in the first digital filter, filter the first and second clocked comparator output signals to obtain an updated first digital control code and to allow the sensed physical quantity to lock to a value between the separate reference physical quantities;
• and
• regularly repeat the previous steps with the updated first digital control code to obtain a proportional relation between the sensed physical quantity and the separate reference physical quantities.

A two-step regulator system, comprising:

• a range regulator with a raw energy input configured to receive raw energy from a power supply, two reference inputs, and a first regulated power output coupled to an energy storage device;
• a level regulator with a raw energy input coupled to the range regulator regulated power output, one reference input, and a second regulated power output coupled to a power load;
• wherein:
• the range regulator comprises:
• (a) a power digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with the raw energy input, a digital control code input, and the first regulated power output, wherein the raw energy input is configured to receive raw energy from the power supply, and the first regulated power output is configured to deliver first regulated energy to the level regulator raw energy input;
• (b) a first and a second clocked comparator, each with a first input coupled with the first regulated power output and configured to receive a sensed physical quantity related to a portion of the first regulated energy, and with a second input configured to each receive a separate reference physical quantity, wherein the first and second clocked comparator are configured to, upon receiving a clock signal, compare the sensed physical quantity with the separate reference physical quantities and to output a digital code based on a result of comparing;
• (c) a combiner configured to combine digital codes output by the first and the second clocked comparators and to deliver a combined digital code;
• and
• (d) a first digital filter configured to execute a filtering action on the combined digital code and to produce an updated digital control code for the digital control code input;
• the range regulator is configured to regulate a first physical quantity on the energy storage device between limits determined by signal levels on the two range regulator reference inputs;
• and
• the level regulator is configured to regulate a second physical quantity on the power load to a level determined by a signal level on the level regulator reference input.