US 6,806,689 B2 · Multi-phase buck converter

Abstract

A buck converter for providing an output voltage to a load, including a plurality of output switch arrangements having respective output inductors coupled to an output capacitor, the switch arrangements being controllable to provide phase output currents to the output capacitor; a plurality of phase output arrangements respectively coupled to the output switch arrangements, the phase output arrangements being controllable to set the respective phase output currents supplied by the output switch arrangements; a phase control bus communicatively coupled to each of the phase output arrangements; and a phase control arrangement communicatively coupled to the phase control bus, the phase control arrangement being configured to control the phase output arrangements to set the respective phase output currents so that the output voltage approximates the desired voltage; wherein the phase control arrangement and the phase output arrangements are provided as respective integrated circuits.

Claims40

Dependent claims

A buck converter for providing an output voltage to a load, the output voltage being produced from an input voltage in accordance with a desired voltage, comprising:

an output capacitor, the output voltage being provided by the output capacitor;
a plurality of output switch arrangements having respective output inductors coupled to the output capacitor, the switch arrangements being controllable to provide respective phase output currents to the output capacitor through the respective output inductors;
a plurality of phase output arrangements respectively coupled to the output switch arrangements, the phase output arrangements being controllable to set the respective phase output currents supplied by the output switch arrangements;
a phase control bus communicatively coupled to each of the phase output arrangements;
and
a phase control arrangement communicatively coupled to the phase control bus, the phase control arrangement being configured to control the phase output arrangements to set the respective phase output currents supplied by the output switch arrangements so that the output voltage approximates the desired voltage;
wherein the phase control arrangement and the phase output arrangements are provided as respective integrated circuits, and the phase control arrangement is configured to control the phase output arrangements via the phase control bus.

4 more elements

A phase output arrangement of a buck converter, the phase output arrangement being electrically coupleable to an output switch arrangement having an output inductor, a high-side switch, and a low-side switch, the buck converter providing an output voltage to a load via an output capacitor electrically coupled to the output inductor, the output voltage being produced from an input voltage in accordance with a desired voltage, the phase output arrangement comprising:

a start-time arrangement configured to switch on the high-side switch of the output switch arrangement in accordance with a phase timing signal;
and
a charge-on duration arrangement configured to switch off the high-side switch of the output switch arrangement in accordance with a PWM control signal;
wherein the phase output arrangement is implemented as a separate integrated circuit, and the phase output arrangement is configured to be communicatively coupled with a phase control arrangement via a phase control bus, the phase timing signal and the PWM control signal being communicated by the phase control arrangement via the phase control bus.

1 more element

A phase control arrangement of a buck converter, the phase control arrangement being electrically coupleable to a phase control bus for controlling at least one phase output arrangement, the buck converter providing an output voltage to a load via an output capacitor, the output voltage being produced from an input voltage in accordance with a desired voltage, the phase control arrangement comprising:

a phase timing arrangement;
and
a PWM arrangement;
wherein the phase timing arrangement is configured to communicate a phase timing signal to the phase output arrangement via the phase control bus, the PWM arrangement is configured to communicate a PWM control signal to the phase output arrangement via the phase control bus, and the phase control arrangement is implemented as a separate integrated circuit.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-phase buck converter

Life of this patent

Multi-phase buck converter

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims40