Point of load regulator having a pinstrapped configuration and which performs intelligent bus monitoring

A system useable in creating a point-of-load (POL) regulator, the system comprising:

• a bus interface for interfacing to a serial bus;
• a plurality of control input pins, wherein one or more of the control input pins are configured to couple to pre-determined voltage values to configure operating characteristics of the POL regulator;
• and
• a logic circuit operable to:
• transmit outgoing status information onto the serial bus via the bus interface;
• receive, from the serial bus, incoming status information transmitted by another POL regulator;
• and
• perform one or more power regulating functions based on the incoming status information and according to the configured operating characteristics.

A point-of-load (POL) regulator comprising:

• a bus interface for interfacing to a serial bus;
• first circuitry for generating an output voltage;
• a logic circuit coupled to the bus interface and the first circuitry;
• and
• a plurality of control input pins, wherein at least one of the control input pins is configurable to couple to a static voltage value to configure operation of the logic circuit;
• wherein the logic circuit is operable to monitor first status information transmitted onto the serial bus by another POL regulator;
• and
• wherein the logic circuit is operable to control the first circuitry based on the first status information and the static voltage value.

A power control system comprising:

• a bidirectional serial data bus;
• a plurality of point-of-load (POL) regulators coupled to the bidirectional serial data bus, wherein each of the plurality of POL regulators is operable to provide respective one or more regulated output voltages, wherein each of the plurality of POL regulators comprises a plurality of pins, wherein each respective one of the plurality of POL regulators is configurable by applying at least one respective static value to at least one input pin of the respective POL regulator;
• and
• wherein each respective one of the plurality of POL regulators is operable to:
• monitor first status information transmitted onto the serial bus by another POL regulator;
• and
• control its respective one or more regulated output voltages based on the first status information and the at least one respective static value.

A power control system comprising:

• a bidirectional serial data bus;
• a plurality of point-of-load (POL) regulators coupled to the bidirectional serial data bus, wherein each of the plurality of POL regulators is operable to provide respective regulated output voltages, wherein each of the plurality of POL regulators comprises a plurality of pins, wherein each respective one of the plurality of POL regulators is configurable by applying at least one respective static value to at least one input pin of the respective POL regulator;
• and
• wherein each respective one of the plurality of POL regulators is operable to transmit over the bidirectional data bus:
• an address identifying the respective POL regulator;
• and
• status information indicating a status of the respective POL regulator.

A power control system comprising:

• a serial bus;
• and
• a point-of-load (POL) regulator coupled to the serial bus and having one or more control pins configured to be pinstrapped to set at least one operating characteristic of the POL regulator;
• wherein the POL regulator is configured to monitor status information transmitted onto the serial bus by one or more other POL regulators.

A method for managing power in a system, the method comprising:

• configuring at least one operating characteristic of at least one POL regulator by coupling at least one control input pin of the at least one POL regulator to a static voltage value;
• the at least one POL regulator monitoring first status information transmitted by at least one other POL regulator;
• and
• the at least one POL regulator providing respective one or more regulated output voltages according to the at least one operating characteristic and the first status information.

A method for managing power in a system, the method comprising:

• configuring specified operating characteristics of a plurality of POL regulators by coupling respective control input pins of the plurality of POL regulators to respective static voltage values;
• each of the plurality of POL regulators transmitting respective status information;
• and
• each of the plurality of POL regulators receiving the respective status information transmitted by other ones of the plurality of POL devices;
• each of the plurality of POL regulators providing respective regulated output voltages according to the specified operating characteristics and the received respective status information.

A method of operating a POL regulator, the method comprising:

• coupling the POL regulator to a serial bus;
• pinstrapping one or more control pins of the POL regulator in order to configure at least one operating characteristic of the POL regulator;
• the POL regulator monitoring status information transmitted onto the serial bus by one or more other POL devices;
• and
• the POL regulator performing a power regulating function in response to said monitoring and said pinstrapping.

A point-of-load (POL) regulator, the POL regulator comprising:

• a bus interface for interfacing to a serial bus;
• first circuitry for generating an output voltage;
• a plurality of control input pins, wherein at least one of the plurality of control input pins is configurable to couple to a static voltage value to configure switch timing of the POL regulator, wherein the switch timing determines timing of the POL regulator switching power from an input power bus to an output power bus;
• and
• a logic circuit coupled to the bus interface, the first circuitry, and the plurality of control input pins;
• wherein the logic circuit is operable to monitor first status information transmitted by another POL regulator on the serial bus;
• and
• wherein the logic circuit is operable to control the first circuitry based on the first status information and according to the configured switch timing.

A point-of-load (POL) regulator, the POL regulator comprising:

• a bus interface for interfacing to a serial bus;
• first circuitry for generating an output voltage;
• a plurality of control input pins, wherein at least one of the plurality of control input pins is configurable to couple to a static voltage value to configure proportional-integral-derivative (PID) coefficients of the POL regulator;
• and
• a logic circuit coupled to the bus interface, the first circuitry, and the plurality of control input pins;
• wherein the logic circuit is operable to monitor first status information transmitted by another POL regulator on the serial bus;
• and
• wherein the logic circuit is operable to control the first circuitry based on the first status information and according to the configured PID coefficients.

A point-of-load (POL) regulator, the POL regulator comprising:

• a bus interface for interfacing to a serial bus;
• first circuitry for generating an output voltage;
• a plurality of control input pins, wherein at least one of the plurality of control input pins is configurable to couple to a static voltage value to configure start delay of the POL regulator;
• and
• a logic circuit coupled to the bus interface, the first circuitry, and the plurality of control input pins;
• wherein the logic circuit is operable to monitor first status information transmitted by another POL regulator on the serial bus;
• and
• wherein the logic circuit is operable to control the first circuitry based on the first status information and according to the configured start delay.

A point-of-load (POL) regulator, the POL regulator comprising:

• a bus interface for interfacing to a serial bus;
• first circuitry for generating an output voltage;
• a plurality of control input pins, wherein at least one of the plurality of control input pins is configurable to couple to a static voltage value to configure a ramp time of the POL regulator;
• and
• a logic circuit coupled to the bus interface, the first circuitry, and the plurality of control input pins;
• wherein the logic circuit is operable to monitor first status information transmitted by another POL regulator on the serial bus;
• and
• wherein the logic circuit is operable to control the first circuitry based on the first status information and according to the configured ramp time.

A point-of-load (POL) regulator, the POL regulator comprising:

• a bus interface for interfacing to a serial bus;
• first circuitry for generating an output voltage;
• a plurality of control input pins, wherein at least one of the plurality of control input pins is configurable to couple to a static voltage value to configure tracking of the POL regulator;
• and
• a logic circuit coupled to the bus interface, the first circuitry, and the plurality of control input pins;
• wherein the logic circuit is operable to monitor first status information transmitted by another POL regulator on the serial bus;
• and
• wherein the logic circuit is operable to control the first circuitry based on the first status information and according to the configured tracking.

A point-of-load (POL) regulator, the POL regulator comprising:

• a bus interface for interfacing to a serial bus;
• first circuitry for generating an output voltage;
• a plurality of control input pins, wherein at least one of the plurality of control input pins is configurable to couple to a static voltage value to configure an output voltage of the POL regulator;
• and
• a logic circuit coupled to the bus interface, the first circuitry, and the plurality of control input pins;
• wherein the logic circuit is operable to monitor first status information transmitted by another POL regulator on the serial bus;
• and
• wherein the logic circuit is operable to control the first circuitry based on the first status information.

A point-of-load (POL) regulator, the POL regulator comprising:

• a bus interface for interfacing to a serial bus;
• first circuitry for generating an output voltage;
• a plurality of control input pins, wherein at least one of the plurality of control input pins is configurable to couple to a static voltage value to configure margining of the POL regulator;
• and
• a logic circuit coupled to the bus interface, the first circuitry, and the plurality of control input pins;
• wherein the logic circuit is operable to monitor first status information transmitted by another POL regulator on the serial bus;
• and
• wherein the logic circuit is operable to control the first circuitry based on the first status information and according to the configured margining.