Method and apparatus for sensing output current in a DC-DC converter circuit
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsMarco La Pila, Giuseppe Platania
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A switching regulator circuit has a high side (HS) transistor actuated during on time (TON) of a duty cycle. The output current of the switching regulator circuit is determined from sensing a transistor current flowing through the HS transistor during HS transistor on time (TON) and dividing the sensed transistor current by the duty cycle to generate an output signal indicative of the output current of the switching regulator circuit. The duty cycle is determined from a ratio of the on time (TON) and off time (TOFF) of the switching regulator circuit.
Claims19
A switching regulator circuit, comprising:
- a high side (HS) transistor coupled between a first node and a switching node;
- a low side (LS) transistor coupled between the switching node and a second node;
- driver circuitry for controlling actuation of the HS transistor and LS transistor in accordance with a duty cycle;
- an inductor having a first terminal coupled to the switching node and a second terminal coupled to a third node, wherein an output current flows through the inductor;
- an output current detection circuit comprising:
- a current sensing circuit configured to sense a transistor current flowing through the HS transistor during HS transistor on time (TON);
- and
- a duty cycle detect and divide circuit configured to detect said duty cycle which controls actuation of the HS transistor and LS transistor, and divide the sensed transistor current by said duty cycle to generate an output signal indicative of the output current that flows through the inductor.
A circuit for detecting output current of a switching regulator circuit having a high side (HS) transistor actuated during on time (TON) of a duty cycle, comprising:
- a current sensing circuit configured to sense a transistor current flowing through the HS transistor during HS transistor on time (TON);
- and
- a duty cycle detect and divide circuit configured to detect said duty cycle, and divide the sensed transistor current by said duty cycle to generate an output signal indicative of the output current of the switching regulator circuit.
A method for detecting output current of a switching regulator circuit having a high side (HS) transistor actuated during on time (TON) of a duty cycle, comprising:
- sensing a transistor current flowing through the HS transistor during HS transistor on time (TON);
- detecting said duty cycle;
- and
- dividing the sensed transistor current by said duty cycle to generate an output signal indicative of the output current of the switching regulator circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.