US 2020/0395845 A1 · ON-PACKAGE HIGH-BANDWIDTH RESONANT SWITCHED CAPACITOR VOLTAGE REGULATOR

Abstract

Disclosed is an N:1 (where N is an integer such as 3 or higher) resonant star topology converter to generate an input supply (e.g., 1.8V) for a processor (e.g., a system-on-chip (SOC)) from a higher power supply source (e.g., 12.6V) such as a battery or other source. The resonant star topology based regulator can be realized by a combination of on-die and on-package components as opposed to voltage regulators on motherboard with discrete inductor and capacitors. In one example, capacitors of the N:1 resonant star topology are implemented as multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC). The architecture of the N:1 resonant star topology based regulator results in high bandwidth. For example, compared to traditional step-down voltage regulators, the N:1 resonant star topology based regulator exhibits ten times higher bandwidth.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus comprising:

a chain of at least four circuitries coupled in series, wherein each circuitries of the chain comprises:
first and second inverters coupled in parallel between a first power supply rail and a second power supply rail, wherein the first inverter is to receive a first clock, wherein the second inverter is to receive a second clock which is an inverse of the first clock, wherein the first and second clocks are to toggle between voltages of the first and second power supply rails;
and
a capacitor coupled to the first and second power supply rails;
a receiver circuitry coupled to a last circuitry of the chain, wherein the receiver circuitry comprises:
first and second inverters coupled in parallel between the second power supply of a last circuitry of the chain and ground;
and
a capacitor coupled to the second power supply of the last circuitry of the chain and ground;
and
a level-shifter coupled to the chain, wherein the level-shifter is to receive an input clock and to generate the first and second clocks from the input clock.

7 more elements

A system comprising:

a battery or a power supply;
a first voltage regulator comprising:
a chain of at least four circuitries coupled in series, wherein each circuitries of the chain comprises:
first and second inverters coupled in parallel between a first power supply rail and a second power supply rail, wherein the first inverter is to receive a first clock, wherein the second inverter is to receive a second clock which is an inverse of the first clock, wherein the first and second clocks are to toggle between voltages of the first and second power supply rails;
and
a capacitor coupled to the first and second power supply rails;
a first set of inverters coupled between the second power supply of a last circuitry of the chain and ground, wherein each inverter of the first set of inverters is coupled to a corresponding first inverter of a circuitry of the chain via a first capacitor;
and
a second set of inverters coupled between the second power supply of a last circuitry of the chain and ground, wherein each inverter of the second set of inverters is coupled to the second inverter of corresponding a circuitry of the chain via a second capacitor;
a processor coupled to an output of the first voltage regulator, wherein the first voltage regulator is to provide a regulated input power supply to the processor;
and
a memory coupled to the processor.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

On-package high-bandwidth resonant switched capacitor voltage regulator

Life of this patent

On-package high-bandwidth resonant switched capacitor voltage regulator

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20