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US 2023/0155504 A1Published application
Multi-Phase Power Converter with External Driver
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsDebashish Mahapatra, Vincenzo Bisogno, Francesco Griseta, Sarfraz Shaikh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power converter circuit included in a computer system that regulated a power supply voltage used by other circuits in the computer system. The power converter includes a primary control circuit that selectively activates multiple phase circuits coupled to respective driver circuits, which are coupled to a power supply node via respective inductors. Some of the driver circuits are located on a separate integrated circuit from the primary control circuit and the multiple phase circuits.
Claims20
An apparatus, comprising:
- an external phase circuit included on a first integrated circuit, wherein the external phase circuit is coupled to a regulated power supply node via a first inductor, wherein the external phase circuit is configured, in response to an activation of a first enable signal, to source a first current to the regulated power supply node using an external demand current;
- a control circuit included on a second integrated circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to:
- generate the external demand current using a voltage of the regulated power supply node and a reference voltage;
- and
- generate the first enable signal using a sensed version of the first current.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- sourcing, by an external phase circuit in response to an activation of a first enable signal and using an external demand current, a first current to a regulated power supply node via a first inductor, wherein the external phase circuit is included on a first integrated circuit;
- generating, by a control circuit, the external demand current using a voltage of the regulated power supply node and a reference voltage, wherein the control circuit is included on a second integrated circuit;
- and
- generating, by the control circuit, the first enable signal using a sensed version of the first current.
1 more element
An apparatus, comprising:
- a first external phase circuit coupled to a first regulated power supply node via a first inductor, wherein the first external phase circuit is configured, in response to an activation of a first enable signal, to source a first current to the first regulated power supply node using a first external demand current and a first input power supply node;
- a second external phase circuit coupled to the first regulated power supply node via a second inductor, wherein the second external phase circuit is configured, in response to an activation of a second enable signal, to source a second current to the first regulated power supply node using the first external demand and a second input power supply node;
- and
- a first control circuit configured to:
- generate the first external demand current using a first voltage level of the first regulated power supply node and a first reference voltage;
- and
- generate the first and second enable signals using the first current and the second current, respectively.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.