Back to results
US 8,476,884 B2Granted
Method for controlling a multiphase interleaving converter and corresponding controller
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsAlessandro Zafarana, Osvaldo Zambetti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is provided for controlling a converter of the multiphase interleaving type. According to the method, there is detected when a change of the load applied to an output terminal of the converter occurs. All the phases of the converter are simultaneously turned off, and a driving interleaving phase shift is recovered so as to restart a normal operation of the converter. A controller for carrying out such a method is also provided.
Claims16
A method for controlling a converter of the multiphase interleaving type, the converter including a plurality of phases, the method comprising the steps of:
- detecting when a change of a load applied to an output terminal of the converter occurs;
- in response to detecting a change of the load applied to the output terminal of the converter, simultaneously turning off all of the phases of the converter;
- and
- recovering a driving interleaving phase shift so as to restart a normal operation of the converter,
- wherein the simultaneously turning off step comprises generating a turn-off control signal that is applied to the phases by comparing one of a control voltage signal of the phases and an inner voltage signal of the converter with a control signal, the control signal being brought to a determined voltage value in correspondence with a detection impulse signal, and
- the detecting step comprises providing a controller, the controller including:
- at least one input terminal of the controller, the input terminal of the controller being connected to the output terminal of the converter;
- a voltage generator generating an inner voltage reference;
- an input amplifier having a first input terminal coupled to the inner voltage reference, a second input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the converter, and an output terminal;
- and
- an output amplifier having a first input terminal connected to the output terminal of the input amplifier, the voltage generator being directly connected to a second input terminal of the output amplifier and being connected through a first resistive element to the first input terminal of the input amplifier,
- wherein the first input terminal of the input amplifier is connected to the inner voltage reference, and
- the second input terminal of the input amplifier is connected to the input terminal of the controller.
10 more elements
A controller for a converter of the multiphase interleaving type, the converter including a plurality of phases, the controller comprising:
- at least one input terminal connected to an output terminal of the converter;
- at least one output terminal connected to all of the phases of the converter;
- at least one load change detector detecting when a change of a load applied to the output terminal of the converter;
- an output comparator having at least one input terminal receiving an inner signal of the converter, and an output terminal connected to the output terminal of the controller for generating a turn-off control signal for the phases of the converter, the turn-off control signal forcing the turn-off of the phases of the converter;
- a voltage generator generating an inner voltage reference;
- and
- a regulation circuit connected to the detector, the regulation circuit including an inverter, and a delay element,
- wherein the delay element is inserted between the output terminal of the detector and the inverter,
- the detector comprises:
- an input amplifier having a first input terminal coupled to the inner voltage reference, a second input terminal coupled to the input terminal of the controller, and an output terminal;
- and
- an output amplifier having a first input terminal connected to the output terminal of the input amplifier,
- the voltage generator is directly connected to a second input terminal of the output amplifier and is connected through a first resistive element to the first input terminal of the input amplifier,
- the first input terminal of the input amplifier is connected to the inner voltage reference, and
- the second input terminal of the input amplifier is connected to the input terminal of the controller.
12 more elements
A controller for a converter of the multiphase interleaving type, the converter including a plurality of phases, the controller comprising:
- at least one input terminal connected to an output terminal of the converter;
- at least one output terminal connected to all of the phases of the converter;
- at least one load change detector detecting when a change of a load applied to the output terminal of the converter;
- an output comparator having at least one input terminal receiving an inner signal of the converter, and an output terminal connected to the output terminal of the controller for generating a turn-off control signal for the phases of the converter, the turn-off control signal forcing the turn-off of the phases of the converter;
- and
- a voltage generator generating an inner voltage reference,
- wherein the detector comprises:
- an input amplifier having a first input terminal coupled to the inner voltage reference, a second input terminal coupled to the input terminal of the controller, and an output terminal;
- and
- an output amplifier having a first input terminal connected to the output terminal of the input amplifier,
- the voltage generator is directly connected to a second input terminal of the output amplifier and is connected through a first resistive element to the first input terminal of the input amplifier, and
- the second input terminal of the output amplifier receives a voltage value equal to the sum of the inner voltage reference and a triggering voltage of the output amplifier.
9 more elements
A controller for a converter of the multiphase interleaving type, the converter including a plurality of phases, the controller comprising:
- at least one input terminal connected to an output terminal of the converter;
- at least one output terminal connected to all of the phases of the converter;
- at least one load change detector detecting when a change of a load applied to the output terminal of the converter;
- an output comparator having at least one input terminal receiving an inner signal of the converter, and an output terminal connected to the output terminal of the controller for generating a turn-off control signal for the phases of the converter, the turn-off control signal forcing the turn-off of the phases of the converter;
- and
- a voltage generator generating an inner voltage reference,
- wherein the detector comprises:
- an input amplifier having a first input terminal coupled to the inner voltage reference, a second input terminal coupled to the input terminal of the controller, and an output terminal;
- and
- an output amplifier having a first input terminal connected to the output terminal of the input amplifier,
- the voltage generator is directly connected to a second input terminal of the output amplifier and is connected through a first resistive element to the first input terminal of the input amplifier, and
- the generator is further connected to an input terminal of a flip-flop, the flip-flop having another input terminal connected to an output terminal of the output amplifier.
9 more elements
A controller for a converter of the multiphase interleaving type, the converter including a plurality of phases, the controller comprising:
- at least one input terminal connected to an output terminal of the converter;
- at least one output terminal connected to all of the phases of the converter;
- at least one load change detector detecting when a change of a load applied to the output terminal of the converter;
- an output comparator having at least one input terminal receiving an inner signal of the converter, and an output terminal connected to the output terminal of the controller for generating a turn-off control signal for the phases of the converter, the turn-off control signal forcing the turn-off of the phases of the converter;
- and
- a voltage generator generating an inner voltage reference,
- wherein the detector comprises:
- an input amplifier having a first input terminal coupled to the inner voltage reference, a second input terminal coupled to the input terminal of the controller, and an output terminal;
- and
- an output amplifier having a first input terminal connected to the output terminal of the input amplifier,
- the voltage generator is directly connected to a second input terminal of the output amplifier and is connected through a first resistive element to the first input terminal of the input amplifier,
- the first input terminal of the input amplifier is connected to the inner voltage reference, and
- the second input terminal of the input amplifier is connected to the input terminal of the controller.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.