Method and apparatus for limiting inrush current during startup of a buck converter
AssigneeInfineon Technologies Austria AG
InventorsMatthew Mascioli, Mattia Oddicini, Herbert Zojer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of regulating an output voltage of a buck converter during a startup period in which the buck converter is first enabled includes regulating the output voltage of the buck converter to a reference voltage under current-mode control during a first part of the startup period, and regulating the output voltage of the buck converter to the reference voltage under voltage-mode control during a second, later part of the startup period. The reference voltage ramps up from an initial voltage at the beginning of the startup period to a target voltage at the end of the startup period. Buck converter embodiments are also described.
Claims20
A method of regulating an output voltage of a buck converter during a startup period in which the buck converter is first enabled, the method comprising:
- regulating the output voltage of the buck converter to a reference voltage under current-mode control during a first part of the startup period;
- and
- regulating the output voltage of the buck converter to the reference voltage under voltage-mode control during a second, later part of the startup period,
- wherein the reference voltage ramps up from an initial voltage at a beginning of the startup period to a target voltage at an end of the startup period.
A buck converter, comprising:
- a power stage operable to deliver current to an output capacitance coupled to the buck converter;
- and
- a controller operable to control switching of the power stage, including during a startup period in which the buck converter is first enabled, so as to regulate an output voltage of the buck converter,
- wherein during the startup period, the controller is operable to regulate the output voltage to a reference voltage under current-mode control during a first part of the startup period and regulate the output voltage to the reference voltage under voltage-mode control during a second, later part of the startup period,
- wherein the controller is further operable to ramp up the reference voltage from an initial voltage at a beginning of the startup period to a target voltage at an end of the startup period.
A buck converter, comprising:
- a first control loop operable to regulate a first output voltage of the buck converter;
- and
- a second control loop operable to regulate a second output voltage of the buck converter independent of the first control loop,
- wherein the second control loop is operable to use the first output voltage as a reference voltage during a startup period in which the buck converter is first enabled,
- wherein during the startup period, the second control loop is operable to regulate the second output voltage to the reference voltage under current-mode control during a first part of the startup period and regulate the second output voltage to the reference voltage under voltage-mode control during a second, later part of the startup period,
- wherein the first control loop is further operable to ramp the first output voltage from an initial voltage at a beginning of the startup period to a target voltage at an end of the startup period.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.