System, device and method for providing voltage regulation to a microelectronic device

• US 20020171985A1
• Filed: 03/22/2002
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria Ag (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Primarion Incorporated (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Tang, Benjamim, Trivedi, Malay, Mori, Kevin, Goodfellow, Ryan, Duffy, Thomas P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,965,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/90
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/305 in the event of power-supply fluctuations

Abstract

The present invention provides a power regulation system and method with high speed signal settling capabilities for providing rapid active transient response to a microelectronic device. An active transient response system includes a power supply configured to receive external and/or internal signals indicating the occurrence of transient load conditions and to respond to the transient load conditions based on one or more of these signals. The system may further include a transient suppressor configured for early detection of transients, assisting in transient suppression, and early signaling of transient activity to the power supply.

The system provides rapid recovery to steady state operation from the active transient response mode by using a digital compensator to quickly modifying the duty cycle and provide a voltage offset proportional to the transient microprocessor load step. Recovery is further improved by current rephasing techniques.

Claims

1. An active transient response (“

ATR”

) device for providing regulated voltage to a variable load during steady state and transient load periods, the ATR device comprising;

a control IC configured to receive an early transient event detection signal, to receive a transient event detection signal, to control at least one power IC during quiescent voltage regulation, and to control at least one power IC during a transient response mode;

wherein the transient mode response is initiated upon receipt of the early transient event detection signal;

a power IC configured to detect the transient event, to provide the transient event detection signal to the control IC, and to provide a regulated voltage level to a load as driven by the control IC; and

a transient suppressor IC configured to detect the transient event, to provide an early transient event detection signal to the control IC, and configured to directly respond to the transient event by sourcing current to the load when the load increases and sinking current from the load to a ground when the load decreases.

2. The ATR device of claim 1, wherein the transient suppressor is packaged with the variable load.

3. The ATR device of claim 1, wherein the power IC comprises a window comparator configured to detect the transient event.

4. The ATR device of claim 3, wherein the window comparator is configured to send a second signal to the control IC when a sensed load voltage is higher than a reference voltage, and to send a first signal to the control IC when the sensed load voltage is lower than the reference voltage.

5. The ATR device of claim 4, wherein the window comparator is configured with a direct current reference voltage.

6. The ATR device of claim 1, wherein the transient suppressor comprises a window comparator configured to detect the transient event.

7. The ATR device of claim 4, wherein the window comparator is configured to send an fourth signal to the control IC when a sensed load voltage is higher than a reference voltage, and to send a third signal to the control IC when the sensed load voltage is lower than the reference voltage, and wherein the fourth and third signals comprise the early transient event detection signal.

8. The ATR device of claim 7 wherein the window comparator is configured with an Liz alternating current reference voltage.

9. The ATR device of claim 1 wherein the control IC comprises a digital compensator configured to modify the duty cycle for a high-side and low-side power switch of the power IC to regulate voltage levels, and wherein the digital compensator is configured as a PID.

10. The ATR device of claim 1 wherein the control IC comprises a gating logic section configured in communication with the transient suppressor IC and the power IC, wherein the gating logic section is configured to generate a unified transient event detection signal comprising the early transient event detection signal from the transient suppressor until the transient event detection signal from the power IC is received.

11. The ATR device of claim 1 wherein the control IC is further configured to align at least two power IC output phases to increase the ATR device slew rate.

12. The ATR device of claim 1 wherein the variable load is a microprocessor.

13. The ATR device of claim 1 wherein the control IC is further configured to provide protection to one or more power IC devices from over current damage.

14. The ATR device of claim 13 wherein the power IC is further configured with a thermal detection circuit for protecting the power IC device from over temperature damage.

15. The ATR device of claim 13 wherein the power IC is further configured with a current limiter circuit for protecting the power IC device from over current damage.

16. The ATR device of claim 13 wherein the ATR device is further configured to determine an ATR event rate, compare the ATR event rate to an ATR event rate threshold and shut down the ATR device if the ATR event rate is greater than ATR event rate threshold.

17. The ATR device of claim 1 wherein the control IC is further configured to selectively operate in discontinuous conduction mode and continuous conduction mode.

18. The ATR device of claim 1 wherein the power IC further comprises a zero current detect circuit for facilitating discontinuous conduction mode.

19. The ATR device of claim 9, wherein the control IC is configured to recover from the transient response mode.

20. The ATR device of claim 19 wherein the control IC is further configured to offset the output of the digital compensator by a fixed amount for each ATR event for actively positioning the digital compensator output at a second steady state load.

21. The ATR device of claim 19 wherein the control IC is further configured to offset the output of the digital compensator by an amount proportional to an ATR event duration for actively positioning the digital compensator output at a second steady state load.

22. The ATR device of claim 19 wherein the control IC is further configured to offset the output of the digital compensator by an amount proportional to the density of the ATR event for actively positioning the digital compensator output at a second steady state load.

23. The ATR device of claim 19 wherein the control IC is further configured to offset the output of the digital compensator by an amount proportional to a sensed load current for actively positioning the digital compensator output at the second steady state load.

24. The ATR device of claim 19 wherein the control IC is further configured to rephase the power IC output currents to provide rapid recovery from the active transient response mode.

25. The ATR device of claim 24 wherein the rephasing is performed by delaying the switching of at least one phase.

26. The ATR device of claim 24 wherein the rephasing is performed by switching at least one phase asynchronously to the power stage clock.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of protecting the power IC from over current and failure.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of transitioning control of the transient response from the transient suppressor early transient detection signal to the power IC transient detection signal.

30. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of suppressing the transient, wherein the suppressing step comprises the step of sourcing current to the load when the load increases and sinking current from the load to ground when the load decreases, and wherein the sourcing and sinking is performed by the transient suppressor.

31. The method of claim 27 wherein the responding step further comprises the step of aligning at least two or more power IC phases to rapidly slew current.

32. The method of claim 27 wherein the responding step further comprises the step of selectively operating in discontinuous conduction mode and continuous conduction mode.

33. The method of claim 27 wherein the responding step further comprises the step of operating in zero current detect mode to reduce time delays in responding to transient events.

34. The method of claim 27 wherein the recovering step further comprises the step of offsetting the output of a compensator by a fixed amount for each ATR event for actively positioning a compensator output at the second steady state load.

35. The method of claim 27 wherein the recovering step further comprises the step of offsetting the output of a compensator by an amount proportional to the duration of the ATR event for actively positioning a compensator output at the second steady state load.

36. The method of claim 27 wherein the recovering step further comprises the step of offsetting the output of a compensator by an amount proportional to the density of the ATR event for actively positioning a compensator output at the second steady state load.

37. The method of claim 27 wherein the recovering step further comprises the step of offsetting the output of a compensator by an amount proportional to a sensed load current for actively positioning a compensator output at the second steady state load.

38. The method of claim 27 wherein the recovering step further comprises the step of current rephasing.

39. A method of using the device of claim 1 comprising the steps of regulating voltage at a first steady state load;

detecting a transient event with a power IC device and a transient suppressor IC device;

providing an early transient detection signal from the transient suppressor to a control IC;

responding to the transient event, wherein the transient response is driven by the control IC; and

recovering to a second steady state load.

27. A method for regulating voltage to a variable load, the method comprising the steps of:

regulating voltage at a first steady state load;

detecting a transient event with a power IC device and a transient suppressor IC device;

providing an early transient detection signal from the transient suppressor to a control IC;

responding to the transient event, wherein the transient response is driven by the control IC; and

recovering to a second steady state load.

40. A power regulation system coupled to an input source voltage (Vin) and an output voltage (Vout) coupled to a load, the system comprising:

a power supply configured to receive an early transient event detection signal, to receive a transient event detection signal, to control at least one power IC during a quiescent voltage regulation mode, and to control at least one power IC during a transient response mode;

wherein the transient mode response is initiated upon receipt of the early transient event detection signal;

a power IC configured to detect the transient event, to provide the transient event detection signal to the control IC, and to provide a regulated voltage level to a load as driven by the control IC; and

a transient suppressor IC configured to detect the transient event, to provide an early transient event detection signal to the control IC, and configured to directly respond to the transient event by sourcing current to the load when the load increases and sinking current from the load to a ground when the load decreases.

41. The power regulation system of claim 40, further comprising a mode of operation.

42. The power regulation system of claim 41, wherein said mode of operation includes one of pulse width modulation, constant ON time variable frequency, constant ON or OFF time and variable frequency, simultaneous phases ON, simultaneous phases OFF, active transient response high, active transient response low, continuous conduction and discontinuous conduction.

43. An active transient response (“

ATR”

) device for voltage regulation to a variable load during steady state and transient load periods, the ATR device comprising;

a power supply configured to provide quiescent voltage regulation to a variable load, the power supply further configured to receive a transient event detection signal for initiating an active transient response mode voltage regulation, the power supply further configured to provide recovery from the active transient response mode.

44. The ATR device of claim 43, wherein the power supply further comprises a control IC configured receive the transient event detection signal, to initiate and drive the active transient response mode, and to drive recovery from the active transient response mode.

45. The ATR device of claim 43, wherein the power supply further comprises a power IC configured to detect the transient event, to provide the transient event detection signal to the control IC, and to provide a regulated voltage level to a load as driven by the control IC.

46. The ATR device of claim 43, wherein the power supply further comprises a transient suppressor IC configured to detect the transient event and to provide an early transient event detection signal to the control IC.

47. The ATR device of claim 43, wherein the power supply further comprises a transient suppressor IC configured to detect the transient event and to directly respond to the transient event by sourcing current to the load when the load increases and sinking current from the load to a ground when the load decreases.

48. The ATR device of claim 43, further wherein the power supply further comprises:

a control IC configured receive the transient event detection signal, to initiate and drive the active transient response mode, and to drive recovery from the active transient response mode;

a power IC configured to detect the transient event, to provide the transient event detection signal to the control IC, and to provide a regulated voltage level to a load as driven by the control IC;

a transient suppressor IC configured to detect the transient event, to directly respond to the transient event by sourcing current to the load when the load increases and sinking current from the load to a ground when the load decreases, and to provide an early transient event detection signal to the control IC, wherein the transient event detection signal comprises an early transient event detection signal.

49. The ATR device of claim 48, wherein the transient suppressor is located in close proximity to the microprocessor.

50. The ATR device of claim 48, wherein the power IC comprises a window comparator configured to detect the transient event.

51. The ATR device of claim 48, wherein the transient suppressor comprises a window comparator configured to detect the transient event.

52. The ATR device of claim 50, wherein the window comparator is configured to send a second signal to the control IC when a sensed load voltage is higher than a reference voltage, and to send a first signal to the control IC when the sensed load voltage is lower than the reference voltage.

53. The ATR device of claim 52, wherein the window comparator is configured with a direct current reference voltage.

54. The ATR device of claim 51, wherein the window comparator is configured to send a fourth signal to the control IC when a sensed load voltage is higher than a reference voltage, and to send a third signal to the control IC when the sensed load voltage is lower than the reference voltage, and wherein the fourth and third signals comprise the early transient event detection signal.

55. The ATR device of claim 54 wherein the window comparator is configured with an alternating current reference voltage.

56. The ATR device of claim 48, wherein the control IC comprises a digital compensator configured to modify the duty cycle for a high-side and low-side power switch of the power IC to regulate voltage levels, and wherein the digital compensator is configured as a PID.

57. The ATR device of claim 48, wherein the control IC comprises a gating logic section configured in communication with the transient suppressor IC and the power IC, wherein the gating logic section is configured to generate a unified transient event detection signal comprising the early transient event detection signal from the transient suppressor until the transient event detection signal from the power IC is received.

58. The ATR device of claim 48, wherein the control IC is further configured to align at least two power IC output phases to increase the ATR device slew rate.

59. The ATR device of claim 48, wherein the load is a microprocessor.

60. The ATR device of claim 48, wherein the control IC is further configured to provide protection to one or more power IC devices from over current damage.

61. The ATR device of claim 60, wherein the power IC is further configured with a thermal detection circuit for protecting the power IC device from over current damage.

62. The ATR device of claim 60, wherein the power IC is further configured with a current limiter circuit for protecting the power IC device from over current damage.

63. The ATR device of claim 60, wherein the ATR device is further configured to determine an ATR event rate, compare the ATR event rate to an ATR event rate threshold and shut down the ATR device if the ATR event rate is greater than ATR event rate threshold.

64. The ATR device of claim 48, wherein the control IC is further configured to selectively operate in discontinuous conduction mode and continuous conduction mode for faster transient response.

65. The ATR device of claim 48, wherein the power IC further comprises a zero current detect circuit for facilitating discontinuous conduction mode.

66. The ATR device of claim 56, wherein the control IC is configured to recover from the transient response mode.

67. The ATR device of claim 66, wherein the control IC is further configured to offset the output of the digital compensator by a fixed amount for each ATR event for actively positioning the digital compensator output at a second steady state load.

68. The ATR device of claim 66, wherein the control IC is further configured to offset the output of the digital compensator by an amount proportional to an ATR event duration for actively positioning the digital compensator output at a second steady state load.

69. The ATR device of claim 66, wherein the control IC is further configured to offset the output of the digital compensator by an amount proportional to the density of the ATR event for actively positioning the digital compensator output at a second steady state load.

70. The ATR device of claim 66, wherein the control IC is further configured to offset the output of the digital compensator by an amount proportional to a sensed load current for actively positioning the digital compensator output at the second steady state load.

71. The ATR device of claim 66, wherein the control IC is further configured to rephase the power IC output currents to provide rapid recovery from the active transient response mode.

72. The ATR device of claim 71 wherein the rephasing is performed by delaying the switching of at least one phase.

73. The ATR device of claim 71, wherein the rephasing is performed by asynchronously switching at least one phase.