# US 12,181,902 B2 · Hardware scheme for dynamic adjustment of DCDC converter peak current and safe LDO disable > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,902 B2 - Document ID: US12181902B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/683,217 - Filed: 2022-02-28 - Published: 2023-06-01 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-11-13 - Assignees: Texas Instruments Incorporated - Applicants: Texas Instruments Incorporated - Inventors: Rinu Mathew; Vineet Khurana; Anand Kumar G; Aniruddha Periyapatna Nagendra; Venkatesh Kadlimatti; Torjus Lyng Kallerud - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181902B2 ## CPC - G05F 1/462: {as a function of the requirements of the load, e.g. delay, temperature, specific voltage/current characteristic} - G01R 17/04: in which the reference value is continuously or periodically swept over the range of values to be measured - H02M 1/0009: {Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter} - H02M 1/0012: {Control circuits using digital or numerical techniques (in DC/DC converters H02M3/157, H02M3/33515; in DC-AC converters H02M7/53873)} - H02M 1/0025: {Arrangements for modifying reference values, feedback values or error values in the control loop of a converter} - H02M 1/0032: {Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode} - H02M 1/0045: {Converters combining the concepts of switch-mode regulation and linear regulation, e.g. linear pre-regulator to switching converter, linear and switching converter in parallel, same converter or same transistor operating either in linear or switching mode} - H02M 1/0048: {Circuits or arrangements for reducing losses (using snubbers H02M1/34)} - H02M 3/156: with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators - 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 3/157: with digital control - Y02B 70/10: Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - 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) - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract In an example, a device includes a controller and a direct current (DC)-to-DC converter coupled to the controller and configured to provide a load current to a load. The device also includes a low-dropout (LDO) regulator coupled to the DC-to-DC converter. The controller includes digital logic, and the digital logic is configured to determine the load current. The digital logic is configured to turn on the LDO regulator if the load current is above a predetermined threshold. The digital logic is also configured to turn off the LDO regulator if the load current is below the predetermined threshold. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device, comprising: a direct current (DC)-to-DC converter configured to provide a load current to a load; a low dropout (LDO) regulator coupled to the DC-to-DC converter; and a controller configured to: determine the load current; turn on the LDO regulator if the load current is above a predetermined threshold; turn off the LDO regulator if the load current is below the predetermined threshold; count a number of charging pulses during a measurement window; determine a percentage loading of the DC-to-DC converter based on the number of charging pulses; and provide the percentage loading to a comparator. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to: compare the percentage loading to the predetermined threshold with the comparator; and responsive to the comparison, turn off the LDO regulator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising: determining the percentage loading by counting the number of charging pulses over two or more measurement windows. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to: enable the comparator after two or more measurement windows. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to: adjust a peak current setting for the DC-to-DC converter, wherein the peak current setting indicates a maximum current that the DC-to-DC converter can provide to the load. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to increase the peak current setting responsive to the percentage loading of the DC-to-DC converter being above a threshold value. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to decrease the peak current setting responsive to the percentage loading of the DC-to-DC converter being below a threshold value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises the comparator. ### Claim 9 A device, comprising: a controller including digital logic, wherein the digital logic includes: a measurement window generator configured to generate a measurement window; a pulse counter configured to provide a count of charging pulses on an inductor coupled to a direct current (DC)-to-DC converter during the measurement window; a latch configured to determine a percentage loading based on the count of charging pulses; and a comparator configured to compare the percentage loading to a load threshold, wherein the comparator is further configured to disable a low dropout (LDO) regulator based on the comparison. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein the digital logic is configured to: enable the comparator after two or more measurement windows. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, further comprising: an encoder configured to convert a value stored in a register to the load threshold. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein the digital logic also includes: peak current adaptation logic configured to receive the percentage loading and adjust a peak current for the DC-to-DC converter based on the percentage loading. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, wherein the peak current adaptation logic is configured to compare the percentage loading to a first threshold value and to a second threshold value, and further configured to adjust the peak current responsive to the comparisons. ### Claim 14 A method, comprising: providing a load current to a load with a direct current (DC)-to-DC converter; counting charging pulses during a measurement window, wherein the charging pulses produce the load current; determining a percentage loading based on a count of the charging pulses; responsive to the percentage loading being below a predetermined threshold, turning off a low dropout (LDO) regulator; enabling a comparator after two or more measurement windows; comparing the percentage loading to the predetermined threshold with the comparator; and turning the LDO regulator off responsive to an output of the comparator. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the charging pulses are pulses on an inductor coupled to the DC-to-DC converter. ### Claim 16 A method, comprising: providing a load current to a load with a direct current (DC)-to-DC converter; counting charging pulses during a measurement window, wherein the charging pulses produce the load current; determining a percentage loading based on a count of the charging pulses; responsive to the percentage loading being below a predetermined threshold, turning off a low dropout (LDO) regulator; and adjusting a peak current setting for the DC-to-DC converter, wherein the peak current setting indicates a maximum current that the DC-to-DC converter can provide to the load. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: enabling a comparator after two or more measurement windows; comparing the percentage loading to the predetermined threshold with the comparator; and turning the LDO regulator off responsive to an output of the comparator. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: increasing the peak current setting if the percentage loading of the DC-to-DC converter is above a threshold value. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: responsive to the percentage loading being above the threshold value, turning on the LDO regulator. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: decreasing the peak current setting if the percentage loading of the DC-to-DC converter is below a threshold value.