Current balancing, current sensor, and phase balancing apparatus and method for a voltage regulator
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- an input supply node;
a high-side switch coupled to the input supply node;
a low-side switch coupled in series with the high-side switch such that there is a common node coupled to the low-side switch and the high-side switch, wherein the common node is to be coupled to an inductor; and
a current sensor coupled with the high-side switch and also coupled to the common node, wherein the current sensor is to sense current through the high-side switch,wherein the current sensor is to turn off in accordance with a voltage condition associated with the common node.
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Abstract
Described are apparatuses and methods of current balancing, current sensing and phase balancing, offset cancellation, digital to analog current converter with monotonic output using binary coded input (without binary to thermometer decoder), compensator for a voltage regulator (VR), etc. In one example, apparatus comprises: a plurality of inductors coupled to a capacitor and a load; a plurality of bridges, each of which is coupled to a corresponding inductor from the plurality of inductors; and a plurality of current sensors, each of which is coupled to a bridge to sense current through a transistor of the bridge.
28 Citations
32 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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an input supply node; a high-side switch coupled to the input supply node; a low-side switch coupled in series with the high-side switch such that there is a common node coupled to the low-side switch and the high-side switch, wherein the common node is to be coupled to an inductor; and a current sensor coupled with the high-side switch and also coupled to the common node, wherein the current sensor is to sense current through the high-side switch, wherein the current sensor is to turn off in accordance with a voltage condition associated with the common node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus comprising:
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an input supply node; a high-side switch coupled to the input supply node; a low-side switch coupled in series with the high-side switch such that there is a common node coupled to the low-side switch and the high-side switch, wherein the common node is to be coupled to an inductor; a current sensor coupled with the high-side switch and also coupled to the common node, wherein the current sensor is to sense current through the high-side switch; and a voltage indication circuit coupled to the common node to turn off the current sensor according to a voltage condition associated with the common node. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. An apparatus comprising:
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a first DC-DC converter coupled to a load, wherein the first DC-DC converter comprises; an input supply node; a high-side switch coupled to the input supply node; a low-side switch coupled in series with the high-side switch such that there is a common node coupled to the low-side switch and the high-side switch, wherein the common node is to be coupled to an inductor; and a current sensor coupled with the high-side switch and also coupled to the common node, wherein the current sensor is to sense current through the high-side switch, wherein the current sensor is to turn off in accordance with a voltage condition associated with the common node; and a second DC-DC converter coupled to the load, wherein the second DC-DC converter comprises; an input supply node; a high-side switch coupled to the input supply node; a low-side switch coupled in series with the high-side switch such that there is a common node coupled to the low-side switch and the high-side switch, wherein the common node is to be coupled to the inductor; and a current sensor coupled with the high-side switch and also coupled to the common node, wherein the current sensor is to sense current through the high-side switch, wherein the current sensor of the second DC-DC converter is to turn off in accordance with a voltage condition associated with the common node. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus comprising:
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a first DC-DC converter coupled to a load, wherein the first DC-DC converter comprises; an input supply node; a high-side switch coupled to the input supply node; a low-side switch coupled in series with the high-side switch such that there is a common node coupled to the low-side switch and the high-side switch, wherein the common node is coupled to a first inductor; and a current sensor coupled with the high-side switch and also coupled to the common node, wherein the current sensor is to sense current through the high-side switch, wherein the current sensor is to turn off in accordance with a voltage condition associated with the common node; a second DC-DC converter coupled to the load, wherein the second DC-DC converter comprises; an input supply node; a high-side switch coupled to the input supply node; a low-side switch coupled in series with the high-side switch such that there is a common node coupled to the low-side switch and the high-side switch, wherein the common node is coupled to a second inductor; and a current sensor coupled with the high-side switch and also coupled to the common node, wherein the current sensor is to sense current through the high-side switch, wherein the current sensor of the second DC-DC converter is to turn off in accordance with a voltage condition associated with the common node. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. An apparatus comprising:
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an input supply node; a high-side switch coupled to the input supply node; a low-side switch coupled in series with the high-side switch such that there is a common node coupled to the low-side switch and the high-side switch, wherein the common node is to be coupled to an inductor; and a current sensor coupled with the high-side switch and also coupled to the common node, wherein the current sensor is to sense current through the high-side switch, wherein the current sensor is to turn off in accordance with a current condition associated with the common node. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A system comprising:
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a memory; a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor include a voltage regulator comprising; an inductor; a capacitor; an input supply node; a high-side switch coupled to the input supply node; a low-side switch coupled in series with the high-side switch such that there is a common node coupled to the low-side switch and the high-side switch, wherein the common node is to be coupled to the inductor; and a current sensor coupled with the high-side switch and also coupled to the common node, wherein the current sensor is to sense current through the high-side switch, wherein the current sensor is to turn off in accordance with a voltage condition associated with the common node; and a wireless interface to allow the processor to communicate with another device. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A method comprising:
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sensing current through a high-side switch; and turning off the current sensor according to a voltage condition associated with a common node coupled to the high-side switch. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. An apparatus comprising:
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means for sensing current through a high-side switch; and means for turning off the current sensor according to a voltage condition associated with a common node coupled to the high-side switch. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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Specification