Digital current mode control for multi-phase voltage regulator circuits
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsSanjay Pant, Fabio Gozzini, Hubert Attah, Jonathan F. Bolus, Wenxun Huang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A voltage regulator circuit included in a computer system may include multiple phase circuits coupled to a regulated power supply line via corresponding one of multiple inductors. The phase circuits may modify a voltage level of the regulated power supply line using respective control signals generated by a digital control circuit that processes multiple data bits. An analog-to-digital converter circuit may compare the voltage level of the regulated power supply node to multiple reference voltage levels and sample the resultant comparisons to generate the multiple data bits.
Claims19
An apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of phase circuits coupled to a regulated power supply line via a corresponding plurality of inductors and configured to modify a voltage level of the regulated power supply line using respective ones of a plurality of control signals;
- an analog-to-digital converter circuit configured to generate a plurality of data bits based on a voltage level of the regulated power supply line;
- and
- a control circuit configured to:
- perform a comparison of the voltage level of the regulated power supply line to a threshold value;
- generate a plurality of digital control words using a result of the comparison and the plurality of data bits;
- and
- convert the plurality of digital control words to respective analog values to generate the plurality of control signals.
A method, comprising:
- generating a regulated power supply signal using a plurality of phase circuits configured to adjust a voltage level of the regulated power supply signal using a corresponding one of a plurality of control currents;
- sampling a result of a comparison of the voltage level of the regulated power supply signal to a plurality of reference voltage levels to generate a plurality of data bits;
- processing the plurality of data bits to digitally generate a plurality of control data words;
- and
- converting the plurality of control data words to respective analog values to generate the plurality of control currents.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of circuit blocks coupled to a power supply line;
- and
- a power management unit that includes a power converter circuit including a plurality of phase circuits, wherein the power converter circuit is configured to:
- generate a regulated power supply signal on the power supply line;
- generate a plurality of data bits based on the regulated power supply signal;
- perform a comparison of the regulated power supply signal to a threshold value;
- generate a plurality of digital control words using a result of the comparison and the plurality of data bits;
- and
- convert the plurality of digital control words to respective analog values to generate a plurality of control signals;
- and
- wherein the plurality of phase circuits are configured to source respective supply currents to the power supply lines based on corresponding ones of the plurality of control signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.