Supply generator and associated control methods
AssigneeMurata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
InventorsDavid J. Perreault, James Garrett, Sri Harsh Pakala, Brendan Metzner, Ivan Duzevik, John R. Hoversten, Yevgeniy A. Tkachenko
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described are concepts, circuits, systems and techniques directed toward N-phase control techniques useful in the design and control of supply generators configured for use in a wide variety of power management applications including, but not limited to mobile applications.
Claims31
A method for controlling a magnetic regulation stage in a specified operating mode having a first operating phase and a final operating phase, the method comprising:
- turning on a first group of switches of the magnetic regulation stage to implement the first operating phase of the specified operating mode;
- and
- in response to one or more conditions for transition from the first operating phase of the specified operating mode to the final operating phase of the specified operating mode not being met, automatically entering an intermediate operating phase between the first operating phase and the final operating phase by turning on at least a selected second, different group of switches, wherein the intermediate operating phase is automatically entered within a switching cycle of the magnetic regulation stage.
An intermediate-phase control method for a magnetic stage, the method comprising:
- (a) at a start of a cycle, turning on switches for initiation of one of:
- a buck mode of operation and a boost mode of operation;
- (b) in response to a condition not being met within a specified time or within a specified duty ratio, automatically entering one of:
- (b1) an intermediate-phase buck+buck-boost phase mode and in which switch configurations are changed to provide boosting capability;
- and
- (b2) an intermediate-phase boost+buck-boost phase mode in which the switch configurations are changed to provide buck capability,
- wherein the intermediate-phase buck+buck-boost phase or the intermediate-phase boost+buck-boost phase is automatically entered within a switching cycle of the magnetic stage.
A tri-phase control method for a magnetic stage, the method comprising:
- (a) at a start of a cycle for a first phase, turning on a first set of switches in the magnetic stage to implement a buck-mode during the first phase;
- (b) observing a current iL though an inductor in the magnetic stage;
- (c) comparing the observed inductor current iL to at least one of:
- a reference peak current ip or the reference peak current ip minus a compensating ramp;
- (d) in response to the observed inductor current iL reaching one of the reference peak current ip or the reference peak current ip minus the compensating ramp before reaching an on-time duration DumT, turning on a second set of switches to enter a final phase of the cycle;
- (e) in response to the on-time duration DumT of the first phase exceeding a specified value before the observed inductor current iL reaches one of the reference peak current ip or the reference peak current ip minus the compensating ramp, ending the first phase and automatically turning on a third set of switches to enter an intermediate-phase buck+buck-boost phase, wherein the intermediate-phase buck+buck-boost phase is automatically entered within a switching cycle of the magnetic stage;
- and
- (f) in response to the observed inductor current iL reaching one of the reference peak current ip or the reference peak current ip minus the compensating ramp while in the intermediate-phase buck+buck-boost phase, turning on the second set of switches to enter the final phase of the cycle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.