Voltage regulation system, regulator chip and voltage regulation control method

• US 10,505,441 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2018
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuvoton Technology Corporation (Winbond Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuvoton Technology Corporation (Winbond Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Hsieh, Chung-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Finch, III, Fred E
• Application Number:
  US16/179,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20190267897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0032 Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0045 Converters combining the concepts of switch-mode regulation and linear regulation, e.g. linear pre-regulator to switching converter, linear and switching converter in parallel, same converter or same transistor operating either in linear or switching mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0048 Circuits or arrangements for reducing losses using snubbers H02M1/34
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/009 having two or more independently controlled outputs for DC-DC converter with intermediate AC H02M3/33561
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1588 comprising at least one synchronous rectifier element H02M3/1582, H02M3/1584 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A voltage regulation system, a regulator chip and a voltage regulation control method thereof are provided. The voltage regulation control method includes the steps of disabling a first regulator, and electrically connecting an input terminal of a second regulator to a power supply terminal; setting a voltage on a second terminal of a first transistor of the first regulator to a ground voltage for a predetermined period; next, turning off the first transistor and the second transistor of the first regulator; next, activating the second regulator, and detecting the voltage on the second terminal of the first transistor; when the voltage on the second terminal of the first transistor is equal to the voltage on the power supply terminal, determining that an inductor electrically connected between the first regulator and the second regulator; otherwise, determining that first regulator and the second regulator are not electrically connected to each other.

Claims

1. A voltage regulation control method applicable to a voltage regulation system, wherein the voltage regulation system comprises a first regulator and a second regulator, and the first regulator comprises a first transistor and a second transistor, and the first transistor comprises a first terminal electrically connected to a power supply terminal, and a second terminal electrically connected to a first terminal of the second transistor, and a second terminal of the second transistor is grounded, and the second regulator comprises an input terminal, and an output terminal serving as an output terminal of the voltage regulation system, and the voltage regulation control method comprises:

disabling the first regulator, and electrically connecting the input terminal of the second regulator to the power supply terminal;

setting a voltage on the second terminal of the first transistor to a ground voltage for a predetermined period;

setting the first transistor and the second transistor to the turn-off state;

activating the second regulator, and detecting the voltage on the second terminal of the first transistor;

determining that an inductor component is electrically connected between the second terminal of the first transistor and the input terminal of the second regulator, when the voltage on the second terminal of the first transistor is equal to a voltage on the power supply terminal; and

determining that an open-circuit is formed between the second terminal of the first transistor and the input terminal of the second regulator, when the voltage on the second terminal of the first transistor is equal to the ground voltage.

2. The voltage regulation control method according to claim 1, wherein, after the step of determining that the open-circuit is formed between the second terminal of the first transistor and the input terminal of the second regulator, the voltage regulation control method further comprises:

disabling the first regulator and only enabling the second regulator for operation of the voltage regulation system.

3. The voltage regulation control method according to claim 1, wherein, after the step of determining that the inductor component is electrically connected between the second terminal of the first transistor and the input terminal of the second regulator, the voltage regulation control method further comprises:

enabling the first regulator and the second regulator for operation of the voltage regulation system, wherein the output voltage of the first regulator is provided to be the input voltage of the second regulator.

4. A voltage regulation system, comprising:

a first regulator comprising a first transistor and a second transistor, wherein the first transistor comprises a first terminal electrically connected to a power supply terminal, and a second terminal electrically connected to a first terminal of the second transistor, and a second terminal of the second transistor is grounded;

a second regulator comprising an input terminal, and an output terminal serving as an output terminal of the voltage regulation system;

a start-up and logic control circuit configured to disable the first regulator, in a detection mode, electrically connect the input terminal of the second regulator to the power supply terminal, and set a voltage on the second terminal of the first transistor to a ground voltage for a predetermined period, and wherein the start-up and logic control circuit then sets the first transistor and the second transistor to the turn-off state, and activates the second regulator, and detects the voltage on the second terminal of the first transistor; and

a comparator configured to determine, according to the voltage on the second terminal of the first transistor, whether an inductor component is electrically connected between the second terminal of the first transistor and the input terminal of the second regulator.

5. The voltage regulation system according to claim 4, wherein when the comparator determines that no inductor component is electrically connected between the second terminal of the first transistor and the input terminal of the second regulator, the start-up and logic control circuit disables the first regulator and only enables the second regulator for operation of the voltage regulation system.

6. The voltage regulation system according to claim 4, wherein when the comparator determines that the inductor component is electrically connected between the second terminal of the first transistor and the input terminal of the second regulator, the start-up and logic control circuit enables the first regulator and the second regulator for operation of the voltage regulation system, wherein the output voltage of the first regulator is provided to be the input voltage of the second regulator.

7. The voltage regulation system according to claim 4, wherein the first regulator is a single inductor and multiple output (SIMO) regulator.

8. The voltage regulation system according to claim 4, comprising a plurality of the second regulators.

9. The voltage regulation system according to claim 8, further comprising a switch controller, a plurality of first switches, and a plurality of second switches, wherein the plurality of first switches are electrically connected between the input terminals of the plurality of second regulators and the output terminal of the first regulator, respectively;

wherein the plurality of second switches are electrically connected between the input terminals of the plurality of second regulators and the power supply terminal, respectively;

wherein the switch controller is configured to turn on or off the plurality of first switches and the plurality of second switches, respectively.

10. A regulator chip, comprising:

a first regulator comprising a first transistor, wherein the first transistor comprises a first terminal electrically connected to a power supply terminal, and a second terminal serving as an output terminal of the first regulator;

a second regulator comprising an input terminal and an output terminal, wherein the input terminal of the second regulator is electrically connected to the power supply terminal or to the output terminal of the first regulator through an external inductor component selectively, and the output terminal of the second regulator serves as a power output terminal of the regulator chip;

a start-up and logic control circuit, wherein the start-up and logic control circuit disables the first regulator in a detection mode, electrically connects the input terminal of the second regulator to the power supply terminal, and sets and maintains the voltage on the output terminal of the first regulator at a ground voltage for a predetermined period, and the start-up and logic control circuit then activates the second regulator; and

a comparator configured to determine that an external inductor component is electrically connected between the second terminal of the first transistor and the input terminal of the second regulator when the comparator detects that the voltage on the output terminal of the first regulator is equal to the voltage of the power supply terminal, and in an operation mode, the start-up and logic control circuit uses the output voltage of the first regulator to provide the input voltage of the second regulator through the external inductor component;

wherein when the comparator detects that the voltage on the output terminal of the first regulator is not equal to the voltage on the power supply terminal, the comparator determines that an open-circuit is formed between the second terminal of the first transistor and the input terminal of the second regulator, and in the operation mode, the start-up and logic control circuit uses the output voltage of the power supply terminal to provide the input voltage of the second regulator.