Multiphase switching converter with stackable controllers

A control method for a controller of a multiphase switching converter, wherein the multiphase switching converter has a plurality of switching circuits coupled in parallel to provide an output voltage, the control method comprising:

• receiving a feedback signal representative of the output voltage;
• providing a plurality of switching control signals based on the feedback signal to control the plurality of switching circuits;
• when the controller is configured as a master controller, providing a reference output signal based on a plurality of currents flowing through the plurality of switching circuits;
• and
• when the controller is configured as a slave controller, receiving the reference output signal from the master controller, and adjusting a sum of the plurality of currents flowing through the plurality of switching circuits controlled by the slave controller based on the reference output signal.

A multiphase switching converter, comprising:

• a first plurality of switching circuits and a second plurality of switching circuits, each of the first and the second plurality of switching circuits is coupled in parallel to provide an output voltage;
• a master controller, having a first feedback pin, a reference pin and a first plurality of switching control pins, the first feedback pin is configured to receive a feedback signal representative of the output voltage, the reference pin is configured to provide a reference output signal based on a plurality of currents flowing through the plurality of switching circuits, and the first plurality of switching control pins are configured to provide a first plurality of switching control signals based on the feedback signal to control the first plurality of switching circuits;
• and
• a slave controller, having a second feedback pin, a third feedback pin and a second plurality of switching control pins, the second feedback pin is configured to receive the feedback signal, the third feedback pin is configured to receive the reference output signal from the master controller, and the second plurality of switching control pins are configured to provide a second plurality of switching control signals to control the second plurality of switching circuits based on the feedback signal, the reference output signal, and a plurality of currents flowing through the second plurality of switching circuits.