US 11,906,555 B2 · Hybrid inductor current monitoring for power switch

Abstract

Methods and systems for emulating high side current of a power switch including low and high side switches. The method includes generating, with a low side current sensor, a low side current signal for the low side switch when the power switch is in a low state. The method also includes generating, with a first transconductance amplifier, an emulated current signal based on an input voltage of the power switch. The method further includes generating, with a buffer, a fixed reference voltage by sampling the low side current signal when the power switch changes from the low state to a high state. The method also includes generating, with a capacitor, an emulated voltage based on the emulated current signal and the fixed reference voltage. The method further includes, generating, with a second transconductance amplifier, a high side current signal for the high side switch based on the emulated voltage.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for emulating a high side current of a power switch including a low side switch and a high side switch, the method comprising:

generating, with a low side current sensor, a low side current signal for the low side switch when the power switch is in a low state;
generating, with a first transconductance amplifier, an emulated current signal based on an input voltage of the power switch;
generating, with a buffer, a fixed reference voltage by sampling the low side current signal when the power switch changes from the low state to a high state;
generating, with an emulator capacitor, an emulated voltage based on the emulated current signal and the fixed reference voltage;
and
generating, with a second transconductance amplifier, a high side current signal for the high side switch based on the emulated voltage.

3 more elements

A system for emulating a high side current of a power switch including a low side switch and a high side switch, the system comprising:

a low side current sensor configured to generate a low side current signal for the low side switch when the power switch is in a low state;
and
a high side current emulator including:
a first transconductance amplifier configured to generate an emulated current signal based on an input voltage of the power switch,
a buffer configured to generate a fixed reference voltage by sampling the low side current signal when the power switch changes from the low state to a high state,
an emulator capacitor configured to generate an emulated voltage based on the emulated current signal and the fixed reference voltage, and
a second transconductance amplifier configured to generate a high side current signal for the high side switch based on the emulated voltage.

4 more elements

A power switch, comprising:

a low side switch;
a high side switch;
a low side current sensor configured to generate a low side current signal for the low side switch when the power switch is in a low state;
and
a high side current emulator configured to:
generate an emulated current signal based on an input voltage of the power switch,
generate a fixed reference voltage by sampling the low side current signal when the power switch changes from the low state to a high state,
generate an emulated voltage based on the emulated current signal and the fixed reference voltage, and
generate a high side current signal for the high side switch based on the emulated voltage.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Hybrid inductor current monitoring for power switch

Life of this patent

Hybrid inductor current monitoring for power switch

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20