Dual input, single output power supply
AssigneeLinear Technology Corporation
InventorCraig S. Varga
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Regulator circuits and regulation techniques that provide sufficient power for a given load requirement even where no single power supply in the system is adequate to satisfy the given load requirement. Circuits and techniques according to the invention use multiple switching regulators having inputs at different voltages and having a single combined output. A current-sense circuit allocates power provided to the output by the switching regulators such that each switching regulator provides a portion of the total output current, and therefore, power to the switching regulator.
Claims62
A regulator circuit for providing a regulated output, the regulator circuit comprising:
- a plurality of switching regulators, each switching regulator including a separate input, each switching regulator including an output coupled to the regulated output and each switching regulator including an independent pulse width modulator circuit;
- and
- a plurality of current-sense circuits, each current-sense circuit coupled between the regulated output and each switching regulator and that utilizes the pulse width modulator circuit in each switching regulator to allocate current provided to the regulated output from each of the switching regulators in accordance with a ratio such that more than one switching regulator provides a portion of the regulated output.
A regulator circuit for providing a regulated output, the regulator circuit comprising:
- a plurality of switching regulators, each switching regulator including a separate input, each switching regulator including an output coupled to the regulated output and each switching regulator including an independent pulse width modulator circuit;
- and
- a plurality of current-sense circuits, each current-sense circuit coupled between each input and each switching regulator and that utilizes the pulse width modulator circuit in each switching regulator to allocate current provided to the regulated output from each of the switching regulators in accordance with a ratio such that more than one switching regulator provides a portion of the regulated output.
A method of regulating an output voltage using a regulator circuit, said regulator circuit including multiple switching regulators, the method comprising:
- sensing an output current;
- allocating a portion of said output current provided by each of said switching regulators by independently controlling a duty cycle of each switching regulator, said allocating being based on a ratio;
- and
- using a separate supply input for each of the switching regulators.
A method of regulating an output voltage using a regulator circuit, said regulator circuit including multiple switching regulators, the method comprising:
- sensing the output voltage;
- independently controlling a duty cycle of each switching regulator based on an input voltage and the output voltage;
- further controlling each of the duty cycles in order to maintain a ratio between output currents provided by each of the switching regulators;
- and
- using a separate supply input for each of the switching regulators.
A regulator circuit for providing a regulated output, the regulator circuit comprising:
- a plurality of switching regulators, each switching regulator including a separate input, each switching regulator including an output coupled to the regulated output and each switching regulator including an independent pulse width modulator circuit;
- a feedback circuit coupled between the regulated output and each switching regulator that sets the total current provided by the regulator circuit;
- and
- a plurality of current-sense circuits, each current-sense circuit coupled between the regulated output and each switching regulator and that utilizes the pulse width modulator circuit in each switching regulator to allocate current provided to the regulated output from each of the switching regulators in accordance with a ratio such that more than one switching regulator provides a portion of the regulated output.
A regulator circuit for providing a regulated output, the regulator circuit comprising:
- a plurality of switching regulators, each switching regulator including a separate input, each switching regulator including an output coupled to the regulated output and each switching regulator including an independent pulse width modulator circuit;
- a feedback circuit coupled between the regulated output and each switching regulator that sets the total current provided by the regulator circuit;
- and
- a plurality of current-sense circuits, each current-sense circuit coupled between each input and each switching regulator and that utilizes the pulse width modulator circuit in each switching regulator to allocate current provided to the regulated output from each of the switching regulators in accordance with a ratio such that more than one switching regulator provides a portion of the regulated output.
A regulator circuit comprising:
- a regulated output;
- and
- a plurality of switching regulators, each switching regulator comprising:
- a separate input;
- an output coupled to the regulated output;
- an independent pulse width modulator circuit;
- and
- a current-sense circuit coupled to the regulated output and the pulse-width modulator circuit, and that utilizes the pulse width modulator circuit to allocate current provided to the regulated output from the switching regulator in accordance with a ratio such that the switching regulator provides a portion of the regulated output.
A regulator circuit for providing a regulated output, the regulator circuit comprising:
- a regulated output;
- and
- a plurality of switching regulators, each switching regulator comprising:
- a separate input;
- an output coupled to the regulated output;
- an independent pulse width modulator circuit;
- and
- a current-sense circuit coupled to the input and the pulse width modulator circuit, that utilizes the pulse width modulator circuit to allocate current provided to the regulated output from the switching regulator in accordance with a ratio wherein the switching regulator provides a portion of the regulated output.
A regulator circuit for providing a regulated output, the regulator circuit comprising:
- a plurality of switching regulators, each switching regulator comprising:
- a separate input;
- an output coupled to the regulated output;
- an independent pulse width modulator circuit;
- and
- a current-sense circuit coupled to the regulated output and the pulse width modulator circuit that utilizes the pulse width modulator circuit to allocate current provided to the regulated output from the switching regulator in accordance with a ratio such that the switching regulator provides a portion of the regulated output;
- and
- a feedback circuit coupled between the regulated output and each switching regulator that sets the total current provided by the regulator circuit.
A regulator circuit for providing a regulated output, the regulator circuit comprising:
- a plurality of switching regulators, each switching regulator comprising:
- a separate input;
- an output coupled to the regulated output;
- an independent pulse width modulator circuit;
- and
- a current-sense circuit coupled to the input and to the pulse width modulator circuit that utilizes the pulse width modulator circuit to allocate current provided to the regulated output from the switching regulator in accordance with a ratio such that the switching regulator provides a portion of the regulated output;
- and
- a feedback circuit coupled between the regulated output and each switching regulator that sets the total current provided by the regulator circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.