Bridge driver for a switching voltage regulator which is operable to soft-switch and hard-switch

A voltage regulator comprising:

• a signal generator to generate a pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal;
• a bridge having a low-side switch that includes a first transistor with the low-side switch being coupled to an output node for providing regulated voltage supply according to the PWM signal;
• a first driver operable to cause the low-side switch to turn off when the output node rises above a first transistor threshold voltage of the first transistor of the low-side switch, wherein the first driver comprises an n-type driver, the n-type driver comprising a zero-voltage switching (ZVS) catch circuit which is operable to indirectly sense a voltage on the output node to turn on the low-side switch, a zero-current switching (ZCS) release circuit couple with the ZVS catch circuit by a transistor which is operable to indirectly sense a voltage on the output node to turn off the low-side switch, and an end pre-charge circuit to pre-charge a node driving the low-side switch;
• and
• a bridge controller to provide control signals to the first driver.

A system comprising:

• a wireless interface;
• and
• a processor, capable of communicating directly or indirectly with another device via the wireless interface, the processor including a voltage regulator,
• a low-side switch having a first transistor with the low-side switch being coupled to an output node for providing regulated voltage supply;
• and
• a first driver operable to cause the low-side switch to turn off when the output node rises above a first transistor threshold voltage of the first transistor of the low-side switch, wherein the first driver comprises an n-type driver, the n-type driver comprising a zero-voltage switching (ZVS) catch circuit which is operable to indirectly sense a voltage on the output node to turn on the low-side switch, a zero-current switching (ZCS) release circuit couple with the ZVS catch circuit by a transistor which is operable to indirectly sense a voltage on the output node to turn off the low-side switch, and an end pre-charge circuit to pre-charge a node driving the low-side switch.

An apparatus comprising:

• an end pre-charge circuit, upon activation, to pre-charge a node driving a low-side switch device of a voltage regulator;
• an output node coupled to the low-side switch device, the low-side switch device to turn on when the output node transitions from an input voltage supply level to a voltage supply level between half of the input voltage supply level and ground;
• and
• a first driver operable to cause the low-side switch device to turn off when the output node rises above a first transistor threshold voltage of the first transistor of the low-side switch, wherein the first driver comprises an n-type driver, the n-type driver comprising a zero-voltage switching (ZVS) catch circuit which is operable to indirectly sense a voltage on the output node to turn on the low-side switch, a zero-current switching (ZCS) release circuit coupled with the ZVS catch circuit by a transistor which is operable to indirectly sense a voltage on the output node to turn off the low-side switch, and the end pre-charge circuit to pre-charge the node driving the low-side switch.