# US 2021/0281180 A1 · Voltage generating circuit with timing skipping control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0281180 A1 - Document ID: US20210281180A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/808,334 - Filed: 2020-03-03 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-03 - Assignees: Himax Technologies Limited - Applicants: Himax Technologies Limited - Inventors: Yu-Hsuan Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210281180A1 ## CPC - H02M 3/1588: {comprising at least one synchronous rectifier element (H02M3/1582, H02M3/1584 take precedence)} - H02M 1/0043: {Converters switched with a phase shift, i.e. interleaved (non-isolated DC/DC converters H02M3/1586)} - H02M 1/009: {having two or more independently controlled outputs (for DC-DC converter with intermediate AC H02M3/33561)} - H02M 1/38: Means for preventing simultaneous conduction of switches - H02M 3/158: including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) ## Abstract A voltage generating circuit includes an input stage, a control stage, an inductor and an output stage. The input stage includes a plurality of comparators each generating a comparison result according to an input voltage and a reference voltage and a multiplexer configured to output a voltage control signal sequentially carrying the comparison results of the comparators. The control stage is configured to control conduction of a charging path between a power source and a first node in response to the voltage control signal. The inductor is coupled between the first node and a second node. The output stage includes a plurality of output switches coupled to the second node and turned on or off in response to a switch control signal. The switch control signals are generated according to the voltage control signal and rising edges and falling edges of the switch control signals are interleaved. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A voltage generating circuit, comprising: an input stage, comprising: a plurality of comparators, each being configured to receive an input voltage and a reference voltage and generate a comparison result according to the input voltage and the reference voltage; and a multiplexer, coupled to the comparators and configured to output a voltage control signal sequentially carrying the comparison results of the comparators; a control stage, configured to control conduction of a charging path between a power source and a first node in response to the voltage control signal; an inductor, coupled between the first node and a second node; and an output stage, comprising: a plurality of output switches, each being coupled to the second node and selectively turned on or off in response to a corresponding switch control signal, wherein the switch control signals are generated according to the voltage control signal, and rising edges and falling edges of the switch control signals are interleaved. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The voltage generating circuit of claim 1, wherein each output switch is further coupled to an external capacitor, and the output switch is turned on to connect the external capacitor to the second node only when the voltage control signal is set to a predetermined level in response to the comparison result of a corresponding comparator being representative of a condition that the corresponding input voltage is lower than the corresponding reference voltage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The voltage generating circuit of claim 2, wherein an output voltage generated at one terminal of the external capacitor is further applied to the corresponding comparator as the corresponding input voltage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The voltage generating circuit of claim 1, further comprising: a control signal generating circuit, configured to generate the switch control signals and comprising: a non-overlap signal generator, configured to generate a plurality of comparator control signals and a plurality of preliminary switch control signals according to a clock signal, wherein a portion of rising edges and a portion of falling edges of the comparator control signals are overlapped, and the rising edges and the falling edges of the comparator control signals and rising edges and falling edges of the preliminary switch control signals are interleaved; and a plurality of flip-flop circuits, each being configured to receive the voltage control signal, one of the comparator control signals and one of the preliminary switch control signals and generate one of the switch control signals according to the voltage control signal, said one of the comparator control signals and said one of the preliminary switch control signals. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The voltage generating circuit of claim 4, wherein each flip-flop circuit comprises a D flip-flop, the voltage control signal is applied to an input terminal of the D flip-flop, said one of the preliminary switch control signals is applied to a clock terminal of the D flip-flop and said one of the comparator control signals is applied to a reset terminal of the D flip-flop. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The voltage generating circuit of claim 4, wherein the comparator control signals are further applied to the multiplexer for controlling output of the comparison results. ### Claim 7 A voltage generating circuit, comprising: an input stage, comprising: a first comparator, configured to receive a first input voltage and a first reference voltage and generate a first comparison result according to the first input voltage and the first reference voltage; a second comparator, configured to receive a second input voltage and a second reference voltage and generate a second comparison result according to the second input voltage and the second reference voltage; and a multiplexer, coupled to the first comparator and the second comparator and configured to output a voltage control signal sequentially carrying the first comparison result and the second comparison result; a control stage, configured to control conduction of a charging path between a power source and a first node in response to the voltage control signal; an inductor, coupled between the first node and a second node; and an output stage, comprising: a first output switch, coupled to the second node and being selectively turned on or off in response to a first switch control signal; and a second output switch, coupled to the second node and being selectively turned on or off in response to a second switch control signal, wherein the first switch control signal and the second switch control signal are generated according to the voltage control signal, and rising edges and falling edges of the first switch control signals and rising edges and falling edges of the second switch control signals are interleaved. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The voltage generating circuit of claim 7, wherein the first output switch is further coupled to a first external capacitor, and the first output switch is turned on to connect the first external capacitor to the second node only when the voltage control signal is set to a predetermined level in response to the first comparison result being representative of a condition that the first input voltage is lower than the first reference voltage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The voltage generating circuit of claim 8, wherein an output voltage generated at one terminal of the first external capacitor is further applied to the first comparator as the first input voltage. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The voltage generating circuit of claim 7, wherein the second output switch is further coupled to a second external capacitor, and the second output switch is turned onto connect the second external capacitor to the second node only when the voltage control signal is set to a predetermined level in response to the second comparison result being representative of a condition that the second input voltage is lower than the second reference voltage. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The voltage generating circuit of claim 10, wherein an output voltage generated at one terminal of the second external capacitor is further applied to the second comparator as the second input voltage. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The voltage generating circuit of claim 7, further comprising: a control signal generating circuit, configured to generate the first switch control signal and the second switch control signal, comprising: a non-overlap signal generator, configured to generate a first comparator control signal, a second comparator control signal, a first preliminary switch control signal and a second preliminary switch control signal according to a clock signal, wherein rising edges and falling edges of the first comparator control signal and rising edges and falling edges of the first preliminary switch control signal are interleaved, rising edges and falling edges of the second comparator control signal and rising edges and falling edges of the second preliminary switch control signal are interleaved, and the falling edges of the first comparator control signal and the rising edges of the second comparator control signal are aligned; a first flip-flop circuit, configured to receive the voltage control signal, the second comparator control signal and the first preliminary switch control signal and generate the first switch control signal according to the voltage control signal, the second comparator control signal and the first preliminary switch control signal; and a second flip-flop circuit, configured to receive the voltage control signal, the first comparator control signal and the second preliminary switch control signal and generate the second switch control signal according to the voltage control signal, the first comparator control signal and the second preliminary switch control signal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The voltage generating circuit of claim 12, wherein the first flip-flop circuit comprises a D flip-flop, the voltage control signal is applied to an input terminal of the D flip-flop, the first preliminary switch control signal is applied to a clock terminal of the D flip-flop and the second comparator control signal is applied to a reset terminal of the D flip-flop. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The voltage generating circuit of claim 12, wherein the second flip-flop circuit comprises a D flip-flop, the voltage control signal is applied to an input terminal of the D flip-flop, the second preliminary switch control signal is applied to a clock terminal of the D flip-flop and the first comparator control signal is applied to a reset terminal of the D flip-flop. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The voltage generating circuit of claim 12, wherein the first comparator control signal and the second comparator control signal are further applied to the multiplexer for respectively controlling output of the first comparison result and the second comparison result. ### Claim 16 A voltage generating circuit, comprising: an input stage, comprising: a predetermined number of comparators, each being configured to receive an input voltage and a reference voltage and generate a comparison result according to the input voltage and the reference voltage; and a multiplexer, coupled to the comparators and configured to receive a predetermined number of comparator control signals and output a voltage control signal sequentially carrying the comparison results of the comparators, wherein the multiplexer controls output of the comparison results in response to the comparator control signals; a control stage, configured to control conduction of a charging path between a power source and a first node in response to the voltage control signal; an inductor, coupled between the first node and a second node; and an output stage, comprising: a predetermined number of output switches, each being coupled to the second node and selectively turned on or off in response to a corresponding switch control signal, wherein the switch control signals are generated according to the voltage control signal, and rising edges and falling edges of the switch control signal applied to n-th output switch and rising edges and falling edges of n-th comparator control signal are not overlapped, and wherein n is a positive integer smaller than or equal to the predetermined number. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The voltage generating circuit of claim 16, wherein the n-th output switch is turned on to connect an external capacitor to the second node only when the voltage control signal is set to a predetermined level in response to the comparison result of n-th comparator being representative of a condition that the corresponding input voltage is lower than the corresponding reference voltage. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The voltage generating circuit of claim 17, wherein an output voltage generated at one terminal of the external capacitor is further applied to the n-th comparator as the corresponding input voltage. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The voltage generating circuit of claim 17, further comprising: a control signal generating circuit, configured to generate the switch control signals and comprising: a non-overlap signal generator, configured to generate the comparator control signals and a predetermined number of preliminary switch control signals according to a clock signal, wherein the rising edges and the falling edges of the n-th comparator control signal and rising edges and falling edges of n-th preliminary switch control signals are not overlapped; and a predetermined number of flip-flop circuits, each being configured to receive the voltage control signal, one of the comparator control signals and one of the preliminary switch control signals and generate one of the switch control signals according to the voltage control signal, said one of the comparator control signals and said one of the preliminary switch control signals. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The voltage generating circuit of claim 19, wherein each flip-flop circuit comprises a D flip-flop, the voltage control signal is applied to an input terminal of the D flip-flops, the n-th preliminary switch control signal is applied to a clock terminal of the D flip-flop of n-th flip-flop circuit, (n+1)-th comparator control signal is applied to a reset terminal of the D flip-flop of the n-th flip-flop circuit when n is smaller than the predetermined number and the first comparator control signal is applied to a reset terminal of the D flip-flop of the n-th flip-flop circuit when n is equal to the predetermined number.