US 2022/0069713 A1 · CONTROL LOGIC PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATIONS FOR UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS POWER DELIVERY CONTROLLER

Abstract

An IC controller for USB Type-C device includes an error amplifier (EA), which includes an EA output coupled to a PWM comparator of a buck-boost converter; a first transconductance amplifier to adjust a current at the EA output, the first transconductance amplifier operating in a constant voltage mode; and a second transconductance amplifier to adjust the current at the EA output, the second transconductance amplifier operating in a constant current mode. A first set of programmable registers is to store a first set of increasingly higher transconductance values. A second set of programmable registers is to store a second set of increasingly higher transconductance values. Control logic is to: cause the first transconductance amplifier to operate while sequentially using transconductance values stored in the first set of programmable registers; and cause the second transconductance amplifier to operate while sequentially using transconductance values stored in the second set of programmable registers.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An integrated circuit (IC) controller for a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Type-C device, the IC controller comprising:

an error amplifier (EA) coupled between an output and an input of the IC controller, the EA comprising:
an EA output coupled to a pulse width modulation (PWM) comparator of a buck-boost converter;
a first transconductance amplifier to adjust a current at the EA output, wherein the first transconductance amplifier operates in a constant voltage mode;
and
a second transconductance amplifier to adjust the current at the EA output, wherein the second transconductance amplifier operates in a constant current mode;
a first set of programmable registers coupled to the first transconductance amplifier to store a first set of increasingly higher transconductance values;
a second set of programmable registers coupled to the second transconductance amplifier to store a second set of increasingly higher transconductance values;
and
control logic operatively coupled to the EA, the control logic to:
cause the first transconductance amplifier to operate while sequentially using transconductance values stored in at least two of the first set of programmable registers;
and
cause the second transconductance amplifier to operate while sequentially using transconductance values stored in at least two of the second set of programmable registers.

9 more elements

A method of operating a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Type-C controller, wherein the USB Type-C controller comprises an error amplifier that comprises an output coupled to a pulse width modulation (PWM) comparator of a buck-boost converter, an input coupled to an output of the buck-boost converter, a first transconductance amplifier that operates in a constant voltage mode, and a second transconductance amplifier that operates in a constant current mode, wherein the method of operating the USB Type-C controller comprises:

determining, by control logic operatively coupled to the error amplifier, a mode in which the buck-boost converter is operating;
in response to determining that the buck-boost converter is operating in a boost mode, setting, by the control logic, a first transconductance of the first transconductance amplifier to a first value and a second transconductance of the second transconductance amplifier to a second value, wherein the first value is higher than the second value;
and
in response to determining that the buck-boost converter is operating in a buck mode, setting, by the control logic, the first transconductance of the first transconductance amplifier to a third value and the second transconductance of the second transconductance amplifier to a fourth value, wherein the third value is higher than the first value, the second value, and the fourth value.

1 more element

A method of operating a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Type-C controller, where the USB Type-C controller comprises an error amplifier that comprises an output coupled to a pulse width modulation (PWM) comparator of a buck-boost converter, an input coupled to an output of the buck-boost converter, a first transconductance amplifier that operates in a constant voltage mode, and a second transconductance amplifier that operates in a constant current mode, wherein the method of operating the USB Type-C controller comprises:

determining, by control logic operatively coupled to the error amplifier, whether the first transconductance amplifier has a first input error that is greater than a threshold value;
causing, by the control logic, a first transconductance value of the first transconductance amplifier to be increased by a first amount that is linearly proportional to an amount that the first input error exceeds the threshold value in response to determining that the first input error is greater than the threshold value;
determining, by the control logic, whether the second transconductance amplifier has a second input error that is greater than the threshold value;
and
causing, by the control logic, a second transconductance value of the second transconductance amplifier to be increased by a second amount that is linearly proportional to an amount that the second input error exceeds the threshold value in response to determining that the second input error is greater than the threshold value.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Control logic performance optimizations for universal serial bus power delivery controller

Life of this patent

Control logic performance optimizations for universal serial bus power delivery controller

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20