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US 6,487,093 B1Granted
Voltage regulator
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorViktor D. Vogman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A voltage regulator includes a transformer, a plurality of output stages and at least one switch. The transformer has a primary side and a secondary side, and the switch(es) are coupled to the primary side of the transformer to open and close to transfer energy to the transformer. The output stages are coupled to the secondary side of the transformer to receive energy from the transformer and provide output voltages. The output stages prevent current from flowing through the switch(es) during time intervals in which the switch(es) transition from being open to being closed.
Claims44
A voltage regulator comprising:
- a transformer having a primary side and a secondary side;
- at least one switch coupled to the primary side of the transformer to open and close to transfer energy to the transformer;
- and
- a plurality of output stages coupled to the secondary side of the transformer to receive energy from the transformer and provide output voltages, the output stages preventing current from flowing through said at least one switch during time intervals in which said at least one switch transitions from being open to being closed.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- operating a switch to communicate energy to a plurality of output stages coupled to a secondary side of a transformer to generate output voltages;
- and
- preventing energy from being communicated from the transformer to the output stages during time intervals in which the switch transitions from being open to being closed to prevent current from flowing through the switch during the time intervals.
A system comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a voltage regulator coupled to the processor to provide power to the processor, the voltage regulator comprising:
- an inductive element;
- at least one switch to open and close to energize and de-energize the inductive element;
- and
- a plurality of output stages coupled to the inductive element to receive energy from the inductive element to provide output voltages, the output stages preventing current from flowing through said at least one switch during time intervals in which said at least one switch transitions from being open to being closed.
4 more elements
A voltage regulator comprising:
- a transformer having a primary side and a secondary side;
- an output stage coupled to the secondary side of the transformer to provide a DC output voltage;
- at least one capacitor coupled to the primary side of the transformer to transfer stored energy to the transformer;
- an inductor;
- a switch coupled to the inductor, the switch opening and closing to store energy in the inductor and transfer energy from the inductor to said at least one capacitor to produce the stored energy in said at least one capacitor;
- and
- a circuit coupled to said at least one capacitor to couple said at least one capacitor across the switch to limit a voltage across the switch when the switch is open.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- opening and closing a switch to transfer energy from an input source to an inductor and transfer the energy from the inductor to at least one capacitor;
- transferring the energy from said at least one capacitor to a primary side of a transformer to produce an output voltage in an output stage coupled to a secondary side of the transformer;
- and
- when the switch is open, coupling said at least one capacitor in parallel with the switch to limit a voltage across the switch.
1 more element
A system comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a voltage regulator coupled to provide an output voltage to the processor, the voltage regulator comprising:
- an inductive element;
- an output stage coupled to the inductive element to provide the output voltage;
- at least one capacitor coupled to the inductive element to transfer energy stored in the inductive element to the output stage;
- a switch to open to energize the inductive element and close to de-energize the inductive element to transfer energy from the inductive element to said at least one capacitor;
- and
- a circuit to couple said at least one capacitor across the switch to limit a voltage across the switch when the switch is open.
6 more elements
A voltage regulator comprising:
- a transformer having a primary side and a secondary side;
- at least one switch coupled to the primary side of the transformer to open and close to transfer energy to the transformer, said at least one switch including a control terminal to receive a signal capable of indicating a state-to cause said at least one switch to close;
- and
- a plurality of output stages coupled to the secondary side of the transformer to receive energy from the transformer and provide output voltages, the output stages preventing current from flowing through said at least one switch during time intervals in which the signal indicates the state.
1 more element
A voltage regulator comprising:
- a transformer having a primary side and a secondary side;
- at least one switch coupled to the primary side of the transformer to open and close to transfer energy to the transformer;
- and
- a plurality of output stages coupled to the secondary side of the transformer to receive energy from the transformer and provide output voltages, the output stages preventing current from flowing through said at least one switch during time intervals in which said at least one switch transitions from being open to being closed and wherein at least one of the plurality of output stages comprises a current blocking circuit to block the transfer of energy from the transformer to said at least one of the plurality of output stages during the time intervals.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- operating a switch to communicate energy to a plurality of output stages coupled to a secondary side of a transformer to generate output voltages;
- and
- preventing energy from being communicated from -the transformer to the output stages during time intervals in which the switch transitions from being open to being closed to prevent current from flowing through the switch during the time intervals, wherein the preventing comprises for each output stage, blocking current from being communicated from the transformer to the output stage during the time intervals.
A system comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a voltage regulator coupled to the processor to provide power to the processor, the voltage regulator comprising:
- an inductive element;
- at least one switch to open and close to energize and de-energize the inductive element;
- and
- a plurality of output stages coupled to the inductive element to receive energy from the inductive element to provide output voltages, the output stages preventing current from flowing through said at least one switch during time intervals in which said at least one switch transitions from being open to being closed and at least one of the plurality of output stages comprises a current blocking circuit to block the transfer of energy from the transformer to said at least one of the plurality of output stages during the time intervals.
4 more elements
A voltage regulator comprising:
- a transformer having a primary side and a secondary side;
- at least one switch coupled to the primary side of the transformer to open and close to transfer energy to the transformer, said at least one switch including a control terminal to receive a signal capable of indicating a state to cause the switch to close;
- and
- a plurality of output stages coupled to the secondary side of the transformer to receive energy from the transformer and provide output voltages, the output stages preventing current from flowing through said at least one switch during time intervals in which the signal indicates the state and wherein at least one of the plurality of output stages comprises a current blocking circuit to block the transfer of energy from the transformer to said at least one of the plurality of output stages during the time intervals.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.