Switching regulator and method for operating the same
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorJustin Shi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A switching regulator includes a high side driver electrically coupled with a power line that is configured to provide a supply voltage. A low side driver is electrically coupled between the high side driver and ground. A regulator control circuit is electrically coupled with a gate of the high side driver and a gate of the low side driver. The regulator control circuit is configured to pre-charge a first node between the regulator control circuit and the gate of the high side driver to a first voltage level and to boost the first node to a second voltage level that is higher than the first voltage level to turn on the high side driver.
Claims20
A switching regulator comprising:
- a high side driver electrically coupled with a power line that is configured to provide a supply voltage;
- a low side driver electrically coupled between the high side driver and ground;
- and
- a regulator control circuit electrically coupled with a gate of the high side driver and a gate of the low side driver, the regulator control circuit comprising a capacitor, the capacitor being electrically coupled to the gate of the high side driver at a first terminal of the capacitor regardless of the high side driver being turned on or off, wherein
- the regulator control circuit is configured to:
- pre-charge the first terminal of the capacitor to a first voltage level during a pre-charge period;
- and
- boost the first terminal of the capacitor to a second voltage level that is higher than the first voltage level to turn on the high side driver during a boost period.
A switching regulator comprising:
- a high side driver electrically coupled with a power line that is configured to provide a supply voltage;
- a low side driver electrically coupled between the high side driver and ground;
- a capacitor electrically coupled with a gate of the high side driver at a first terminal of the capacitor regardless of the high side driver being turned on or off;
- a diode electrically coupled with a first node between the capacitor and the gate of the high side driver;
- a pre-charge circuit electrically coupled between the diode and the power line;
- and
- a driver circuit electrically coupled with the capacitor.
A method of operating a switching regulator, the method comprising:
- pre-charging a first terminal of a capacitor to a first voltage level, the first terminal of the capacitor being electrically coupled to a gate of a high side driver of a switching regulator regardless of the high side driver being turned on or off;
- and
- boosting the first terminal of the capacitor to a second voltage level that is higher than the first voltage level to turn on the high side driver.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.