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US 7,002,266 B1Granted
Active DC output control and method for DC/DC converter
AssigneeSummit Microelectronics, Inc.
InventorsKenneth C. Adkins, Theodore Martin Myers, John Tabler, Anurag Kaplish, Thomas J. O'Obrien
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A control loop system is provided that employs an active DC output control circuit that more accurately calibrates the desire voltage at a load, e.g. 3.3 volts, by adjusting a trim pin on a DC/DC converter. In a first embodiment, an active DC output control circuit calibrates a DC/DC converter that is connected to a single load. In a second embodiment, an active DC output control circuit calibrates multiple DC/DC converters that are connected to multiple loads.
Claims32
A system for a single load, comprising:
- an active DC output control circuit;
- a DC/DC converter having a trim pin and coupled to the active DC output control circuit;
- and
- a load, coupled to the DC output control circuit and the DC/DC converter, the DC/DC converter generating a DC/DC output voltage level to the load;
- wherein the DC output control circuit comprises an input voltage sensing and signal conditioning circuit;
- wherein the input voltage sensing and signal conditioning circuit comprises a digital analog converter for scaling the DC/DC output voltage level based on a digital scaling factor without the use of analog to digital converter and a digital processor;
- wherein the active DC output control circuit drives the trim pin for calibrating the DC/DC output voltage level.
4 more elements
A system for a single load, comprising:
- an active DC output control circuit;
- a DC/DC converter having a trim pin and coupled to the active DC output control circuit;
- and
- a load, coupled to the DC output control circuit and the DC/DC converter, the DC/DC converter generating a DC/DC output voltage level to the load;
- wherein the DC output control circuit comprises an input voltage sensing and signal conditioning circuit;
- wherein the input voltage sensing and signal conditioning circuit comprises a digital analog converter;
- wherein the active DC output control circuit drives the trim pin for calibrating the DC/DC output voltage level;
- wherein the active DC output control circuit comprises a NV (non-volatile) memory;
- wherein the NV memory stores only data for maintaining the desired output voltage settings.
6 more elements
A system for multiple loads, comprising:
- an active DC output control circuit having a first of N control pins;
- a first of N DC/DC converters, connected to the active DC output control circuit;
- and
- a first of N loads, coupled to the DC output control circuit and the first of N DC/DC converters, the first of N DC/DC converters generating a DC/DC output voltage levels to the first of N loads;
- wherein the DC output control circuit comprises an input voltage sensing and signal conditioning circuit;
- wherein the input voltage sensing and signal conditioning circuit comprises a digital analog converter for scaling the DC/DC output voltage level based on a digital scaling factor without the use of analog to digital converter and a digital processor;
- wherein the active DC output control circuit drives the first of N control pins for calibrating the DC/DC output voltage level for each load generated from the first of N DC/DC converters.
4 more elements
A method for calibrating a single load, comprising:
- measuring an output voltage level from a DC/DC converter having a trim pin;
- scaling the output voltage level using a digital analog converter based on a digital scaling factor without the use of analog to digital converter and a digital processor;
- comparing the scaled output voltage level with a reference voltage;
- adjusting the input signal of the DC/DC converter trim pin for calibrating the output voltage level with respect to the reference voltage.
1 more element
A method for calibrating multiple loads, comprising:
- measuring a first output voltage level from a first of N DC/DC converters having a first of N trim pins;
- scaling the first output voltage level using a digital analog converter based on a digital scaling factor without the use of analog to digital converter and a digital processor;
- comparing the scaled first output voltage level with a reference voltage;
- adjusting the input signal of the first of N trim pins on the first of N DC/DC converters to calibrate the first output voltage level with respect to the reference voltage;
- repeating the process for each of N DC/DC converters.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.