US 2021/0281171 A1 · Dual Regulation-Loop Ramp-Controlled DC-DC Converter

Abstract

A DC-DC converter including voltage and slope regulation and a method of operating the same are provided. Generally, the converter includes a voltage source to supply an output, a switching-circuit coupled to the voltage sources to control a voltage on the output, and a slope-detector coupled to the switching-circuit and the output to detect a slope of a voltage transition between a first and a second voltage. When the detected slope exceeds a predetermined maximum the slope-detector sends a digital signal to the switching-circuit to intermittently pause the voltage transition to limit the slope to less than the maximum. In one embodiment, the voltage source is a charge-pump, and the switching-circuit includes a logic-gate coupled to the slope-detector to turn the charge-pump ON when the detected slope is less than the maximum, and to turn OFF the charge-pump for a time when the slope exceeds the maximum.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a number of voltage sources to supply one or more voltages to a capacitive load coupled to an output of the system;
a switching-circuit coupled to the number of voltage sources to control a voltage on the output;
and
a slope-regulation-loop including a slope-detector coupled between the output and the switching-circuit to detect a slope of a voltage transition between a first voltage on the output and a second voltage,
wherein the slope-detector is configured to generate a signal to the switching-circuit when a detected slope of the voltage transition exceeds a predetermined maximum slope to intermittently interrupt the voltage transition to limit the slope of the voltage transition to less than or equal to the predetermined maximum slope.

2 more elements

A method of operating a direct current to direct current converter (DC-DC converter), the method comprising:

providing a first voltage on an output of the DC-DC converter connected to a capacitive load;
coupling a second voltage from one of a number of voltage sources to the output using a switching-circuit in the DC-DC converter;
detecting on the output a slope of a voltage transition between the first voltage and the second voltage;
generating and coupling a signal to the switching-circuit when a detected slope of the voltage transition exceeds a predetermined maximum slope;
and
intermittently interrupting the voltage transition using the switching-circuit to limit the slope of the voltage transition to less than or equal to the predetermined maximum slope.

3 more elements

A system comprising:

an embedded non-volatile memory (eNVM);
and
a direct current to direct current converter (DC-DC converter) to supply one or more voltages to enable different modes of operation of the eNVM, the DC-DC converter comprising:
a number of voltage sources to supply one or more voltages to an output of the DC-DC converter;
a switching-circuit coupled to the number of voltage sources to control a voltage on the output;
and
a slope-regulation-loop including a slope-detector coupled between the output and the switching-circuit to detect a slope of a voltage transition between a first voltage on the output and a second voltage,
wherein the slope-detector is configured to generate a signal to the switching-circuit when a detected slope of the voltage transition exceeds a predetermined maximum slope to intermittently interrupt the voltage transition to limit the slope of the voltage transition to less than or equal to the predetermined maximum slope.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dual Regulation-Loop Ramp-Controlled DC-DC Converter

Life of this patent

Dual Regulation-Loop Ramp-Controlled DC-DC Converter

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20