Regulator control circuits, switching regulators, systems, and methods for operating switching regulators
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsJustin Shi, Alan Roth, Eric Soenen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A regulator control circuit includes a high side driver that is configured to receive a supply voltage. A capacitor is configured to store charges. A first transistor is coupled between the capacitor at a first node and a gate of a high side driver at a second node. The first node is capable of being boosted to a voltage to operate the first transistor at a saturation mode for a charge sharing between the first node and the second node so as to substantially turn on the high side driver.
Claims18
A regulator control circuit comprising:
- a high side driver being configured to receive a supply voltage;
- a capacitor configured to store charges;
- a current mirror coupled between the capacitor and the supply voltage;
- and
- a first transistor coupled between the capacitor at a first node and a gate of the high side driver at a second node, wherein the first node is capable of being boosted to a voltage above the supply voltage so as to operate the first transistor at a saturation mode for a charge sharing between the first node and the second node so as to substantially turn on the high side driver.
A switching regulator comprising:
- an inductor;
- a first capacitor coupled with the inductor;
- a high side driver coupled with the inductor, the high side driver having a gate and being configured for receiving a supply voltage;
- a second capacitor configured to store charges;
- a current mirror coupled between the second capacitor and the supply voltage;
- and
- a first transistor coupled between the second capacitor at a first node and the gate of the high side driver at a second node, wherein the first node is capable of being boosted to a voltage above the supply voltage so as to operate the first transistor at a saturation mode for a charge sharing between the first node and the second node so as to substantially turn on the high side driver.
A method of operating a regulator control circuit, the method comprising:
- charging a capacitor coupled with a transistor at a first node;
- and
- boosting, by using a current minor coupled between the capacitor and a supply voltage node, the first node to a voltage above the supply voltage so as to operate the transistor at a saturation mode for a charge sharing between the first node and a second node on which the transistor is coupled with a high side driver-to substantially turn on the high side driver.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.