# US 12,009,745 B2 · Power supply configurations and non-linear control, switching period adjustment and current control based on error signal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,009,745 B2 - Document ID: US12009745B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/363,664 - Filed: 2021-06-30 - Published: 2023-01-05 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-06-30 - Assignees: Infineon Technologies Austria AG - Applicants: Infineon Technologies Austria AG - Inventors: Venkat Sreenivas; Bikiran Goswami; Benjamim Tang; Todd Bellefeuille; Kang Peng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009745B2 ## CPC - H02M 3/155: using semiconductor devices only - H02M 1/0025: {Arrangements for modifying reference values, feedback values or error values in the control loop of a converter} - H02M 1/084: using a control circuit common to several phases of a multi-phase system - 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 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 An apparatus includes a controller that monitors an error voltage indicating a difference between an output voltage and a setpoint voltage. Based on the monitored error voltage, the controller generates modulation adjustment signals including a frequency adjustment signal and an ON-time adjustment signal. The controller generates a pulse width modulation signal of a first power supply phase in accordance with both the frequency modulation adjustment signal and the ON-time adjustment signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a power supply controller operative to: produce an output voltage via supply of output current from at least one power supply phase of a power supply to power a load; generate a switching period adjustment signal based on an error voltage indicating a difference between the output voltage and a setpoint voltage; derive a current control signal from the error voltage; and generate a pulse width modulation signal of a first power supply phase based on the switching period adjustment signal and the current control signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the power supply controller is operative further to: generate a current adjustment signal based on the error voltage; and derive the current control signal from the error voltage and the current adjustment signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the power supply controller is further operative to generate the switching period adjustment signal and the current adjustment signal based on a magnitude of the error voltage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the power supply controller is further operative to generate the current adjustment signal and the switching period adjustment signal in response to detection of a change in the output current. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the power supply controller is further operative to generate the current adjustment signal and the switching period adjustment signal in response to the error voltage being greater than a threshold value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the power supply controller includes: a first PD (Proportional-Derivative) controller function operative to convert the error voltage into the switching period adjustment signal; and a second PD (Proportional-Derivative) controller function operative to convert the error voltage into the current adjustment signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the power supply controller includes: a first controller function operative to produce the switching period adjustment signal from the error voltage; and a second controller function operative to produce the current adjustment signal from the error voltage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus as in claim 7, wherein the power supply controller further includes: a summer operative to produce an error current signal based on a difference between the current control signal and a current consumption signal, the current consumption signal representing a magnitude of the output current supplied by the first power supply phase to power the load. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the power supply controller includes: a third controller function operative to convert the error current signal into a pulse width ON-time adjustment signal; and a pulse width modulation generator operative to produce the pulse width modulation signal based on the switching period adjustment signal and the pulse width ON-time adjustment signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus as in claim 9 further comprising: producing a nominal switching period; and applying the switching period adjustment signal to the nominal switching period to control a switching period of the pulse width modulation signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the power supply controller is further operative to generate the switching period adjustment signal and the current adjustment signal based on a slope of the error voltage. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the power supply controller is further operative to generate the current adjustment signal and the switching period adjustment signal in response to detection of a change in the output current. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the power supply controller is operative to: produce a first phase current control signal based on: i) the current control signal, and ii) a value indicating a number of power supply phases present in the power supply; produce a first error current signal based on a difference between the first phase current control signal and a first current consumption signal indicative of first output current supplied by the first power supply phase; derive a first pulse width setting from the first error current signal; and generate the pulse width modulation signal of the first power supply phase based on the first pulse width setting. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the power supply controller is operative to: produce a second phase current control signal based on the current control signal and the value indicating the number of power supply phases present in the power supply; produce a second error current signal based on a difference between the second phase current control signal and a second current consumption signal indicative of second output current supplied by the second power supply phase; derive a second pulse width setting from the second error current signal; and generate a pulse width modulation signal of the second power supply phase based on the second pulse width setting. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the power supply controller is operative to: i) produce an error current signal based on a difference between the current control signal and a current consumption signal indicative of a sum of the output current supplied by the at least one power supply phase to produce the output voltage; ii) derive a pulse width setting from the error current signal; and iii) apply the pulse width setting to the pulse width modulation signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus as in claim 15, wherein the power supply controller is further operative to: i) produce a nominal pulse width ON-time signal; ii) derive a pulse width ON-time adjustment signal from the error current signal; and iii) apply the pulse width ON-time adjustment signal to the nominal pulse width ON-time signal to control a pulse width of the pulse width modulation signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The apparatus as in claim 15, wherein the current control signal indicates a total target output current to be supplied by a combination of the first power supply phase and a second power supply phase to the load. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the power supply controller is further operative to: i) produce a nominal switching period; and ii) apply the switching period adjustment signal to the nominal switching period to control a switching period of the pulse width modulation signal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the power supply controller is configured to operate in a non-linear variable frequency control mode of generating the pulse width modulation signal based on the error voltage. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the first power supply phase supplies first output current to the load, the apparatus further comprising: a second power supply phase controlled by the power supply controller, the second power supply phase operative to supply second output current to the load; and a current monitor operative to: based on a magnitude of the first output current and the second output current, balance magnitudes of the first output current and the second output current via adjustment of a switching frequency of operating the first power supply phase and the second power supply phase. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the power supply controller is further operative to derive a pulse width ON-time adjustment signal from the current control signal; and vary the pulse width modulation signal based on the switching period adjustment signal and the pulse width ON-time adjustment signal. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the power supply controller is operative to: produce a first phase current control signal based on the current control signal and a value indicating a number of power supply phases present in the power supply; derive a first pulse width setting from the first phase current control signal; and generate a first pulse width modulation signal of the first power supply phase based on the first pulse width setting. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein generation of the pulse width modulation signal based on the current control signal is operative to reduce a magnitude of the error voltage. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The apparatus as in claim 23, wherein a magnitude of the current control signal varies as a function of the magnitude of the error voltage. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the current control signal represents a target magnitude of output current to supply to the load. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The apparatus as in claim 25, wherein the power supply controller is further operative to: receive an output current value indicating a magnitude of measured output current supplied to the load; and generate an error current signal indicating a difference between the current control signal and the output current value. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the current control signal is adjusted during transient events associated with the load to maintain a magnitude of the output voltage at the setpoint voltage. ### Claim 28 A method comprising: producing an output voltage via supply of output current from at least one power supply phase of a power supply to power a load; generating a switching period adjustment signal based on an error voltage indicating a difference between the output voltage and a setpoint voltage; deriving a current control signal from the error voltage; and generating a pulse width modulation signal of a first power supply phase based on the switching period adjustment signal and the current control signal. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method as in claim 28 further comprising: generating a current adjustment signal based on the error voltage; and deriving the current control signal from the error voltage and the current adjustment signal. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method as in claim 29 further comprising: generating the switching period adjustment signal and the current adjustment signal based on a magnitude and slope of the error voltage. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The method as in claim 29 further comprising: generating the current adjustment signal and the switching period adjustment signal in response to detection of a change in the output current supplied by the output voltage to the load. ### Claim 32 (depends on 29) The method as in claim 29 further comprising: generating the current adjustment signal and the switching period adjustment signal in response to the error voltage being greater than a threshold value. ### Claim 33 (depends on 29) The method as in claim 29 further comprising: via a first PD (Proportional-Derivative) controller function, converting the error voltage into the switching period adjustment signal; and via a second PD (Proportional-Derivative) controller function, converting the error voltage into the current adjustment signal. ### Claim 34 (depends on 29) The method as in claim 29 further comprising: via a first controller function, producing the switching period adjustment signal from the error voltage; and via a second controller function, producing the current adjustment signal from the error voltage. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method as in claim 34 further comprising: producing an error current signal based on a difference between the current control signal and a current consumption signal, the current consumption signal representing a magnitude of the output current supplied by the first power supply phase to power the load. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method as in claim 35 further comprising: via a third controller function, converting the error current signal into a pulse width ON-time adjustment signal; and via a pulse width modulation generator, producing the pulse width modulation signal based on the switching period adjustment signal and the pulse width ON-time adjustment signal. ### Claim 37 (depends on 28) The method as in claim 28 further comprising: producing a first phase current control signal based on the current control signal and a value indicating a number of power supply phases present in the power supply; producing a first error current signal based on a difference between the first phase current control signal and a first current consumption signal indicative of a first output current supplied by the first power supply phase; deriving a first pulse width setting from the first error current signal; and generating the pulse width modulation signal of the first power supply phase based on the first pulse width setting. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The method as in claim 37 further comprising: producing a second phase current control signal based on the current control signal and the value indicating the number of power supply phases present in the power supply; producing a second error current signal based on a difference between the second phase current control signal and a second current consumption signal indicative of a second output current supplied by the second power supply phase; deriving a second pulse width setting from the second error current signal; and generating a pulse width modulation signal of the second power supply phase based on the second pulse width setting. ### Claim 39 (depends on 28) The method as in claim 28 further comprising: i) producing an error current signal based on a difference between the current control signal and a current consumption signal indicative of a magnitude of the output current; ii) deriving a pulse width setting from the error current signal; and iii) applying the pulse width setting to the pulse width modulation signal. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The method as in claim 39 further comprising: producing a nominal pulse width ON-time signal; deriving a pulse width ON-time adjustment signal from the error current signal; and applying the pulse width ON-time adjustment signal to the nominal pulse width ON-time signal to control a pulse width of the pulse width modulation signal. ### Claim 41 (depends on 39) The method as in claim 39, wherein the current control signal indicates a total target output current to be supplied by a combination of the first power supply phase and the second power supply phase to the load. ### Claim 42 (depends on 28) The method as in claim 28 further comprising: operating in a non-linear variable frequency control mode of generating the pulse width modulation signal based on the error voltage. ### Claim 43 (depends on 28) The method as in claim 28, wherein the first power supply phase supplies a first output current to the load, the method further comprising: via a second power supply phase, supplying a second output current to the load; based on a magnitude of the first output current and a magnitude of the second output current, balancing the magnitudes of the first output current and the second output current via adjustment of a switching frequency of operating the first power supply phase and the second power supply phase. ### Claim 44 (depends on 28) The method as in claim 28 further comprising: deriving a pulse width ON-time adjustment signal from the current control signal; and varying the pulse width modulation signal based on the switching period adjustment signal and the pulse width ON-time adjustment signal. ### Claim 45 (depends on 28) The method in claim 28 further comprising: producing a first phase current control signal based on the current control signal and a value indicating a number of power supply phases present in the power supply; deriving a first pulse width setting from the first phase current control signal; and generating a first pulse width modulation signal of the first power supply phase based on the first pulse width setting. ### Claim 46 Computer-readable storage hardware having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by computer processor hardware, cause the computer processor hardware to: produce an output voltage via supply of output current from at least one power supply phase of a power supply to power a load; generate a switching period adjustment signal based on an error voltage indicating a difference between the output voltage and a setpoint voltage; derive a current control signal from the error voltage; and generate a pulse width modulation signal of a first power supply phase based on the switching period adjustment signal and the current control signal.