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US 12,174,650 B2Granted
Fault communication in voltage regulator systems
AssigneeMaxLinear, Inc.
InventorsOmeshwar Lawange, Vinit Jayaraj
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system may include a voltage regulator controller and a driver. The voltage regulator controller may be configured to maintain a phase voltage. The driver may be associated with the phase voltage. The driver may include a first signal line that may be communicatively coupled to the voltage regulator controller. The driver may be configured to transmit a multiplexed signal on the first signal line to the voltage regulator controller.
Claims17
A system, comprising:
- a voltage regulator controller configured to maintain a phase voltage;
- a driver associated with the phase voltage, the driver including a first signal line communicatively coupled to the voltage regulator controller, wherein the driver is configured to transmit a multiplexed signal on the first signal line to the voltage regulator controller, wherein a first ring oscillator configured to be the voltage regulator controller clock input and a second ring oscillator configured to be a driver clock input, the first ring oscillator and the second ring oscillator configured to provide asynchronous timing to the voltage regulator controller and the driver.
A system, comprising:
- a voltage regulator controller configured to maintain a plurality of phase voltages;
- and
- a plurality of drivers each associated with a phase voltage of the plurality of phase voltages, the plurality of drivers each including a first signal line of a plurality of first signal lines shorted together and communicatively coupled to the voltage regulator controller, wherein the plurality of drivers are configured to individually transmit a multiplexed signal on the first signal line to the voltage regulator controller,
- wherein the first signal line is configured to support transmissions that include a transmission frame, the transmission frame including at least one of:
- a driver address element, a temperature data element, a fault data element, parity check data for error correction, or one or more second fault data elements.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- transmitting a driver address on a signal line, the driver address configured to identify a first driver of a plurality of drivers;
- receiving an acknowledgement signal, temperature data, and fault data from the first driver on the signal line;
- providing a first window on the signal line before receiving the temperature data, the first window configured to permit a transmission from any driver of the plurality of drivers;
- providing a second window on the signal line after receiving the temperature data, the second window configured to permit a transmission from any driver of the plurality of drivers;
- providing a third window on the signal line after receiving an end identifier, the second window configured to permit a transmission from any driver of the plurality of drivers;
- and
- receiving a second fault signal from the first driver during any of the first window, the second window, or the third window.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.