# US 11,451,145 B2 · Trans-inductor voltage regulator with nonlinear compensation inductor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,451,145 B2 - Document ID: US11451145B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/141,528 - Filed: 2021-01-05 - Published: 2022-07-07 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-01-05 - Assignees: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. - Applicants: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. - Inventors: Hang Shao; Dianbo Fu; Daocheng Huang; Tao Zhao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11451145B2 ## CPC - H02M 3/1566: {with means for compensating against rapid load changes, e.g. with auxiliary current source, with dual mode control or with inductance variation} - H02M 1/0064: {Magnetic structures combining different functions, e.g. storage, filtering or transformation} - H02M 1/0077: {Plural converter units whose outputs are connected in series} - H02M 1/14: Arrangements for reducing ripples from DC input or output - H02M 3/1584: {with a plurality of power processing stages connected in parallel} - H02M 3/1586: {switched with a phase shift, i.e. interleaved} - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) ## Abstract A trans-inductor voltage regulator (TLVR) circuit has multiple phases and a regulator block for each phase. Each regulator block has a winding of a transformer as an output inductor. The other windings of the transformers are connected in series with a nonlinear compensation inductor. The compensation inductor has a large inductance when the compensation inductor current is responsive to a steady state load current and has a small inductance when the compensation inductor current is responsive to a transient load current. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A trans-inductor voltage regulator (TLVR) circuit comprising: a plurality of transformers, each of the plurality of transformers comprising a first winding and a second winding, the second windings of the plurality of transformers being connected in series; a plurality of regulator blocks that each provides a phase of the TLVR circuit, each of the regulator blocks being connected to an output capacitor of the TLVR circuit by way of an output inductor, the output inductor being a first winding of a transformer of the plurality of transformers; and a nonlinear compensation inductor that is connected in series with the second windings of the plurality of transformers, the nonlinear compensation inductor having a first inductance when a compensation inductor current flowing through the compensation inductor is responsive to a steady state condition of a load current provided by the TLVR circuit to a load and having a second inductance when the compensation inductor current is responsive to a transient condition of the load current, wherein the first inductance is larger than the second inductance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The TLVR circuit of claim 1, wherein the nonlinear compensation inductor has a magnetic core that is made of powdered-iron. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The TLVR circuit of claim 1, wherein each of the regulator blocks comprises: a high-side switch and a low-side switch, a switch node between the high-side switch and the low-side switch being connected to a first end of a first winding of a transformer of the plurality of transformers, and a second end of the first winding of the transformer of the plurality of transformers being connected to the output capacitor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The TLVR circuit of claim 3, wherein the high-side switch is connected to an input voltage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The TLVR circuit of claim 1, wherein a series-connection of the second windings of the plurality of transformers has a first end that is connected to ground and a second end that is connected to a first end of the nonlinear compensation inductor, and wherein a second end of the nonlinear compensation inductor is connected to ground. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The TLVR circuit of claim 1, wherein the nonlinear compensation inductor has an inductance profile with an inductance that is at least 200 nH when the compensation inductor current is below 20 A and an inductance that is smaller than 60 nH when the compensation inductor current is greater than 30 A. ### Claim 7 A trans-inductor voltage regulator (TLVR) circuit comprising: a first regulator block of a first phase of the TLVR circuit, the first regulator block comprising a high-side switch that is connected to an input voltage, a low-side switch that forms a switch node with the high-side switch of the first regulator block, wherein the switch node of the first regulator block is connected to an output voltage of the TLVR circuit by way of a first winding of a first transformer; a second regulator block of a second phase of the TLVR circuit, the second regulator block comprising a high-side switch that is connected to the input voltage, a low-side switch that forms a switch node with the high-side switch of the second regulator block, wherein the switch node of the second regulator block is connected to the output voltage of the TLVR circuit by way of a first winding of a second transformer; and a nonlinear compensation inductor that is connected in series with a second winding of the first transformer and a second winding of the second transformer, the nonlinear compensation inductor having a first inductance when a compensation inductor current flowing through the compensation inductor is responsive to a steady state condition load current and having a second inductance when the compensation inductor current is responsive to a transient load current, wherein the first inductance is at least three times larger than the second inductance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The TLVR circuit of claim 7, wherein the nonlinear compensation inductor has an inductance profile with an inductance that is at least 200 nH at the steady state load current. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The TLVR circuit of claim 7, wherein the nonlinear compensation inductor has an inductance profile with an inductance that is at least 200 nH when the compensation inductor current is below 20 A and an inductance that is smaller than 60 nH when the compensation inductor current is greater than 30 A. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The TLVR circuit of claim 7, further comprising: a third regulator block of a third phase of the TLVR circuit, the third regulator block comprising a high-side switch that is connected to the input voltage, a low-side switch that forms a switch node with the high-side switch of the third regulator block, wherein the switch node of the third regulator block is connected to the output voltage of the TLVR circuit by way of a first winding of a third transformer; and a fourth regulator block of a fourth phase of the TLVR circuit, the fourth regulator block comprising a high-side switch that is connected to the input voltage, a low-side switch that forms a switch node with the high-side switch of the fourth regulator block, wherein the switch node of the fourth regulator block is connected to the output voltage of the TLVR circuit by way of a first winding of a fourth transformer, wherein the nonlinear compensation inductor is connected in series with the second winding of the first transformer, the second winding of the second transformer, a second winding of the third transformer, and a second winding of the fourth transformer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The TLVR circuit of claim 10, wherein the nonlinear compensation inductor has a magnetic core that is made of powdered-iron.