# US 9,438,110 B2 · Systems and methods for feed-forward control of load current in DC to DC buck converters > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,438,110 B2 - Document ID: US9438110B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/274,904 - Filed: 2014-05-12 - Published: 2014-09-04 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2011-02-24 - Assignees: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. - Applicants: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. - Inventors: Mansur Kiadeh; Paul Latham - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438110B2 ## CPC - H02M 3/156: with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators - G05F 1/462: {as a function of the requirements of the load, e.g. delay, temperature, specific voltage/current characteristic} - G05F 1/565: sensing a condition of the system or its load in addition to means responsive to deviations in the output of the system, e.g. current, voltage, power factor (G05F1/563 takes precedence) - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES ## Abstract A system for controlling load current in a voltage converter includes a current normalization module that receives a first measurement corresponding to the load current, receives a second measurement corresponding to an inductor current, and matches a first gain of the first measurement corresponding to the load current to a second gain of the second measurement corresponding to the inductor current to generate a normalized load current. A feed-forward generation module receives the normalized load current from the current normalization module and generates a load current feed-forward (LCFF) signal based on the normalized load current. A duty cycle generation module generates a duty cycle used to control the voltage converter based on a commanded output voltage of the voltage converter and the LCFF signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for controlling load current in a voltage converter, the system comprising: a current normalization module that receives a first measurement corresponding to the load current, receives a second measurement corresponding to an inductor current, and matches a first gain of the first measurement corresponding to the load current to a second gain of the second measurement corresponding to the inductor current to generate a normalized load current; a feed-forward generation module that receives the normalized load current from the current normalization module and generates a load current feed-forward (LCFF) signal based on the normalized load current; and a duty cycle generation module that generates a duty cycle used to control the voltage converter based on a commanded output voltage of the voltage converter and the LCFF signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the current normalization module receives the first measurement via a printed circuit board trace. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the second measurement corresponds to a direct-current resistance measurement of the inductor current. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the LCFF signal corresponds to one of an inductor volt-second demanded by the load current, an approximate duty cycle demanded by the load current, and an ideal duty cycle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein, to generate the normalized load current, the current normalization module determines an error between (i) the second measurement corresponding to the inductor current and (ii) a corrected load current. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein, to generate the normalized load current, the current normalization module determines a product of (i) the first measurement corresponding to the load current and (ii) a correction factor associated with the second measurement corresponding to the inductor current. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein, to generate the normalized load current, the current normalization module determines a product of (i) the second measurement corresponding to the inductor current and (ii) a correction factor associated with the first measurement corresponding to the load current. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the feed-forward generation module generates the LCFF signal based on an error between the normalized load current and the second measurement corresponding to the inductor current. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the feed-forward generation module generates the LCFF signal based on a product of the second measurement corresponding to the inductor current, and a difference between the normalized load current and the second measurement corresponding to the inductor current. ### Claim 10 A method for controlling load current in a voltage converter, the method comprising: receiving a first measurement corresponding to the load current; receiving a second measurement corresponding to an inductor current; matching a first gain of the first measurement corresponding to the load current to a second gain of the second measurement corresponding to the inductor current to generate a normalized load current; generating a load current feed-forward (LCFF) signal based on the normalized load current; and generating a duty cycle used to control the voltage converter based on a commanded output voltage of the voltage converter and the LCFF signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein receiving the first measurement includes receiving the first measurement via a printed circuit board trace. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the second measurement corresponds to a direct-current resistance measurement of the inductor current. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the LCFF signal corresponds to one of an inductor volt-second demanded by the load current, an approximate duty cycle demanded by the load current, and an ideal duty cycle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein generating the normalized load current includes determining an error between (i) the second measurement corresponding to the inductor current and (ii) a corrected load current. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein generating the normalized load current includes determining a product of (i) the first measurement corresponding to the load current and (ii) a correction factor associated with the second measurement corresponding to the inductor current. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein generating the normalized load current includes determining a product of (i) the second measurement corresponding to the inductor current and (ii) a correction factor associated with the first measurement corresponding to the load current. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein generating the LCFF signal includes generating the LCFF signal based on an error between the normalized load current and the second measurement corresponding to the inductor current. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein generating the LCFF signal includes generating the LCFF signal based on a product of the second measurement corresponding to the inductor current, and a difference between the normalized load current and the second measurement corresponding to the inductor current.