Multiphase switching converters with daisy chain configuration
AssigneeChengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
InventorSuhua Luo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multiphase switching converter has a plurality of switching circuits coupled in parallel, and a plurality of control circuits configured in a daisy chain. Each control circuit receives a phase input signal, and provides a phase output signal and a switching control signal for controlling a corresponding switching circuit. One of the plurality of control circuits is master control circuit to provide the phase output signal and the switching control signal based on a turn-on control signal and the phase input signal. When a combination of the phase output signal and the switching control signal provided by the master control circuit meets a phase transfer type, the phase output signal of the master control circuit equals the turn-on control signal.
Claims20
A multiphase switching converter comprising:
- a plurality of switching circuits coupled in parallel between an input voltage and an output voltage;
- and
- a plurality of control circuits configured in a daisy chain, wherein each of the plurality of control circuits has a phase control input terminal and a phase control output terminal, and each of the plurality of control circuits is respectively coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of switching circuits to provide a switching control signal, wherein the phase control input terminal of each of the plurality of control circuits is coupled to the phase control output terminal of a previous one of the plurality of control circuits in the daisy chain to receive a phase input signal, and the phase control output terminal of each of the plurality of control circuits is coupled to the phase control input terminal of a latter one of the plurality of control circuits in the daisy chain to provide a phase output signal;
- wherein
- one of the plurality of control circuits is configured as a master control circuit to provide the phase output signal and the switching control signal based on a turn-on control signal and the phase input signal, if the phase output signal is at a high impedance state, and a time period after the corresponding one of the plurality of switching circuits turned on by the switching control signal achieves a preset blanking time period, then the phase output signal of the master control circuit equals the turn-on control signal;
- and
- each of the rest of the plurality of control circuits is respectively configured as a slave control circuit to provide the phase output signal and the switching control signal based on the phase input signal, if the phase output signal is at the high impedance state, and the time period after the corresponding one of the plurality of switching circuits turned on by the switching control signal achieves the preset blanking time period, then the phase output signal of the slave control circuit equals the phase input signal.
A control method for a multiphase switching converter, wherein the multiphase switching converter comprises a plurality of switching circuits coupled in parallel, and a plurality of control circuits configured in a daisy chain, each of the plurality of control circuits has a phase control input terminal and a phase control output terminal, and is respectively coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of switching circuits for providing a switching control signal, and wherein the phase control input terminal of each of the plurality of control circuits is coupled to a previous one of the plurality of control circuits in the daisy chain to receive a phase input signal, and the phase control output terminal of each of the plurality of control circuits is coupled to a latter one of the plurality of control circuits in the daisy chain to provide a phase output signal, the control method comprising:
- judging whether one of the plurality of control circuits is configured as a master control circuit or as a slave control circuit;
- if the one of the plurality of control circuits is configured as the master control circuit, then providing the phase output signal and the switching control signal based on a turn-on control signal and the phase input signal, and when a combination of the phase output signal and the switching control signal meets a phase transfer type, then the phase output signal equals the turn-on control signal;
- and
- if the one of the plurality of control circuits is configured as the slave control circuit, then providing the phase output signal and the switching control signal based on the phase input signal, and when the combination of the phase output signal and the switching control signal meets the phase transfer type, then the phase output signal equals the phase input signal.
A control circuit used in a multiphase switching converter, wherein the multiphase switching converter comprises a plurality of switching circuits coupled in parallel and a plurality of control circuits configured in a daisy chain, the control circuit comprising:
- a phase control input terminal configured to receive a phase input signal from a previous one of the plurality of control circuits in the daisy chain;
- and
- a phase control output terminal configured to provide a phase output signal to a latter one of the plurality of control circuits in the daisy chain;
- wherein
- if the control circuit is configured as a master control circuit, then the master control circuit is configured to provide the phase output signal and a switching control signal to control a corresponding one of the plurality of switching circuits based on a turn-on control signal and the phase input signal, and when a combination of the phase output signal and the switching control signal meets a phase transfer type, then the phase output signal equals the turn-on control signal;
- and wherein
- if the control circuit is configured as a slave control circuit, then the slave control circuit is configured to provide the phase output signal and the switching control signal based on the phase input signal, and when the combination of the phase output signal and the switching control signal meets the phase transfer type, then the phase output signal equals the phase input signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.