Inductor shorting switch for a switching voltage regulator
AssigneeVolterra Semiconductor Corporation
InventorsAnthony J. Stratakos, Marco A. Zuniga
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A switching regulator has first, second, third and fourth terminals. The switching regulator includes a power switch, a rectifier switch, a filter, a shorting switch and a controller operable in a plurality of modes to open and close the switches. The power switch is disposed between the first terminal and a first node, and the rectifier switch is disposed between the first node and a second node coupling the second and fourth terminals. An inductor is disposed between the first node and the third terminal. One or more shorting switches can be connected in parallel with the inductor.
Claims31
A switching cell having first, second, third and fourth terminals, the switching cell comprising:
- an inductor disposed between a first node and the third terminal;
- a power switch disposed between the first terminal and the first node;
- a rectifier switch disposed between the first node and a second node, the second node coupling the second and fourth terminals;
- and
- a bi-directional shorting switch connected in parallel with the inductor and disposed between the first node and the third terminal.
A switching regulator having first, second, third and fourth terminals, the switching regulator comprising:
- a power switch disposed between the first terminal and a first node;
- a rectifier switch disposed between the first node and a second node, the second node coupling the second and fourth terminals;
- a filter including an inductor and a capacitor, the inductor being disposed between the first node and the third terminal, and the capacitor being disposed between the third and fourth terminals;
- a bi-directional shorting switch connected in parallel with the inductor;
- and
- a controller operable in a plurality of modes to open and close the power switch, the rectifier switch and the shorting switch.
An electronic device, comprising:
- a switching cell having a power switch, a rectifier switch, a bi-directional shorting switch, an inductor and four terminals, wherein one of the four terminals is to be connected to a voltage source, another of the four terminals is to be connected to a load, and the remaining two terminals are to be connected to ground;
- a voltage source;
- a load;
- and
- a controller operable in a plurality of modes to open and close the power switch, the rectifier switch and the shorting switch.
A switching cell having first, second, third and fourth terminals, the switching cell comprising:
- an inductor disposed between a first node and the third terminal;
- a power switch disposed between the first terminal and the first node;
- a rectifier switch disposed between the first node and a second node, the second node coupling the second and fourth terminals;
- and
- a shorting switch connected in parallel with the inductor and disposed between the first node and the third terminal, wherein the shorting switch is configured to supply an on-resistance operable to optimize the resonance damping time constant of the switching cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.