Multiphase switching converter with stackable controllers
AssigneeMonolithic Power Systems, Inc.
InventorsDaocheng Huang, Fangyu Zhang, Ming Chen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A controller for a multiphase switching converter has a logic circuit, to provide a plurality of switching control signals to control the plurality of switching circuits. When as a master controller, the controller provides a first total current signal based on a sum of a plurality of currents flowing through the plurality of switching circuits. When as a slave controller, the controller receives the first total current signal, provides a second total current signal based on the sum of the plurality of currents flowing through the plurality of switching circuits, and turns on the plurality of switching circuits in sequence based on the first total current signal and the second total current signal.
Claims20
A controller for a multiphase switching converter, wherein the multiphase switching converter has a plurality of switching circuits coupled in parallel to provide an output voltage, the controller comprising:
- a logic circuit, configured to provide a plurality of switching control signals to control the plurality of switching circuits;
- wherein
- when the controller is configured as a master controller, the master controller is configured to provide a first total current signal based on a sum of a plurality of currents flowing through the plurality of switching circuits, and the master controller is configured to turn on the plurality of switching circuits in sequence via the plurality of switching control signals based on the output voltage;
- and wherein
- when the controller is configured as a slave controller, the slave controller is coupled to the master controller to receive the first total current signal, the slave controller is configured to provide a second total current signal based on the sum of the plurality of currents flowing through the plurality of switching circuits, and is configured to turn on the plurality of switching circuits in sequence via the plurality of switching control signals based on the first total current signal and the second total current signal.
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:
- providing a plurality of switching control signals to control the plurality of switching circuits;
- when the controller is a master controller, providing a first total current signal based on a sum of a plurality of currents flowing through the plurality of switching circuits, and turning on the plurality of switching circuits in sequence via the plurality of switching control signals based on the output voltage;
- and
- when the controller is a slave controller, receiving the first total current signal from the master controller, providing a second total current signal based on the sum of the plurality of currents flowing through the plurality of switching circuits, and turning on the plurality of switching circuits in sequence via the plurality of switching control signals based on the first total current signal and the second total current 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, configured to provide a first total current signal based on a sum of a plurality of currents flowing through the first plurality of switching circuits, and provide a first plurality of switching control signals based on the output voltage to control the first plurality of switching circuits;
- and
- a slave controller, coupled to the master controller to receive the first total current signal, the slave controller is configured to provide a second total current signal based on a sum of a plurality of currents flowing through the second plurality of switching circuits, and is configured to provide a second plurality of switching control signals based on the first total current signal and the second total current signal to control the second plurality of switching circuits.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.