Apparatus for and method of adjusting a switching regulator output for a circuit having a pre-charge voltage
AssigneeSipex Corporation
InventorsDimitry Goder, Christopher J. Sanzo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A switching regulator target voltage is adjusted to a first value corresponding to a pre-charge voltage that is present at a regulator output terminal. The switching regulator responds to a comparison signal resulting from a comparison of the target voltage and a feedback voltage. When the switching regulator is on, the target voltage is adjusted to a second value corresponding to a nominal regulator output voltage. In one embodiment, a synchronous switch is disabled when a lockout circuit receives a disable signal. The lockout circuit is unlocked when an enable signal is provided by a switching controller.
Claims28
A circuit for controlling a switching regulator, the switching regulator comprising a switching controller and a regulator output terminal, the circuit comprising:
- an error amplifier comprising a first input terminal;
- a second input terminal;
- and an amplifier output terminal said amplifier output terminal in electrical communication with said switching controller;
- a reference terminal in electrical communication with both the first input terminal of the error amplifier and a reference voltage;
- a feedback terminal in electrical communication with both the second input terminal of the error amplifier and the regulator output terminal;
- and
- an energy storage device comprising a first storage device terminal, the first storage device terminal in electrical communication with both the first input terminal of the error amplifier and the reference terminal,
- wherein the energy storage device provides a target voltage to the first input terminal of the error amplifier,
- wherein the target voltage has a first value corresponding to a voltage that is present at the regulator output terminal when the switching regulator is off, and
- wherein the target voltage has a second value corresponding to the reference voltage when the switching regulator is on.
A method of controlling a switching regulator, the method comprising the steps of:
- when the switching regulator is off;
- setting a target voltage to a first value wherein the first value corresponds to a voltage at a regulator output terminal;
- when the switching regulator is on;
- adjusting the target voltage to a second value;
- and
- controlling the switching regulator in response to the target voltage.
A circuit for controlling a switching regulator, the switching regulator comprising a switching controller and a regulator output terminal, the circuit comprising:
- an error amplifier comprising a first amplifier input terminal, a second amplifier input terminal, and an amplifier output terminal said amplifier output terminal in electrical communication with the switching controller;
- a selector circuit comprising a first selector input terminal, a second selector input terminal, and a selector output terminal, the selector output terminal in electrical communication with the first amplifier input terminal;
- a reference terminal in electrical communication with the first selector input terminal;
- a feedback terminal in electrical communication with both the second amplifier input terminal and the regulator output terminal;
- and
- an energy storage device comprising a first storage device terminal, the first storage device terminal in electrical communication with the second selector input terminal,
- wherein the energy storage device maintains a first voltage corresponding to a voltage present at the regulator output terminal when the regulator is off, and
- wherein the selector circuit provides a target voltage, corresponding to one of the first voltage and a reference voltage present at the reference terminal, to the first amplifier input terminal.
A circuit for controlling a switching regulator the switching regulator comprising a regulator output terminal, a switching controller, the switching controller comprising a first controller input terminal and a second controller input terminal, the circuit comprising:
- an analog-to-digital converter comprising an input terminal and an output terminal, the output terminal in electrical communication with the second controller input terminal;
- a feedback terminal in electrical communication with both the input terminal of the analog-to-digital converter and the regulator output terminal;
- a counter comprising a first counter input terminal in electrical communication with the output terminal of the analog-to-digital converter, and a counter output terminal;
- a storage device comprising a storage device output terminal, wherein the storage device stores a second setpoint that corresponds to a nominal regulator output voltage;
- and
- a selector comprising a first selector input terminal in electrical communication with the storage device output terminal, a second selector input terminal in electrical communication with the counter output terminal, and a selector output terminal is in electrical communication with the first controller input terminal,
- wherein the counter generates a first setpoint in response to both a voltage present at the regulator output terminal and an elapsed time, and
- wherein the selector provides a target value in response to the first setpoint and the second setpoint.
A method of controlling a switching regulator, the method comprising the steps of:
- when the switching regulator is off;
- establishing a first setpoint value corresponding to a voltage at a regulator output terminal;
- when the switching regulator is on;
- adjusting the first setpoint value in response to an elapsed time;
- and
- controlling the switching regulator in response to the first setpoint value.
A circuit for controlling a switching regulator, the switching regulator comprising output switches comprising a first switch and a second switch, a switched node, a regulator output terminal, and a switching controller, the switching controller comprising a controller output terminal, the controller output terminal in electrical communication with the first switch, the circuit comprising:
- a lockout circuit comprising a first lockout circuit input terminal in electrical communication with the controller output terminal, and a lockout circuit output terminal, the lockout circuit output terminal in electrical communication with the second switch,
- wherein the lockout circuit prevents the second switch from connecting the switched node to ground until the switching controller generates an enable signal at the controller output terminal, and
- wherein the switching regulator increases a regulator output voltage in response to the enable signal.
A method of controlling a switching regulator comprising a synchronous rectifier, a switched node and a switching controller, the switching controller comprising a controller output terminal, the method comprising the steps of:
- disabling the synchronous rectifier in response to a disable signal, to prevent the synchronous rectifier from turning on;
- and
- enabling the synchronous rectifier in response to an enable signal that is generated by the switching controller at the controller output terminal, to allow the synchronous rectifier to turn on.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.