Synchronized power-up for multiple voltage system
First Claim
1. A power-up control circuit for controlling the initial application of power to a system having multiple loads and multiple voltage supply voltage signals, comprising:
- a feedback regulator associated with each load, connected between the load and its voltage supply signal, operable to control the voltage delivered to the associated load by limiting the voltage to the level of a setpoint signal;
a voltage finder operable to determine the setpoint signal by finding the minimum of the voltages from the feedback regulators, and to deliver the setpoint signal to each feedback regulator circuit; and
a cutout circuit connected to the output of each feedback regulator, operable to compare the associated feedback regulator output to a reference endpoint representing the voltage required by the associated load, and to cut out the associated feedback regulator output from the voltage finder when the voltage delivered to the associated load reaches the reference endpoint.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A power-up control circuit controls the initial application of power to a system having multiple loads and multiple voltage supply levels. The control circuit causes the power to each load to rise equally, and limits the voltage levels to all loads to the lowest voltage being controlled by the control circuit. As each load reaches its target voltage, its voltage no longer limits the control circuit. The voltages to the remaining loads continue to rise, and loads whose target voltages are reached continue to drop out of the control circuit, until each load is receiving its target voltage.
32 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A power-up control circuit for controlling the initial application of power to a system having multiple loads and multiple voltage supply voltage signals, comprising:
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a feedback regulator associated with each load, connected between the load and its voltage supply signal, operable to control the voltage delivered to the associated load by limiting the voltage to the level of a setpoint signal;
a voltage finder operable to determine the setpoint signal by finding the minimum of the voltages from the feedback regulators, and to deliver the setpoint signal to each feedback regulator circuit; and
a cutout circuit connected to the output of each feedback regulator, operable to compare the associated feedback regulator output to a reference endpoint representing the voltage required by the associated load, and to cut out the associated feedback regulator output from the voltage finder when the voltage delivered to the associated load reaches the reference endpoint. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of powering-up a system having multiple loads and multiple voltage supply lines, which provide at least two different input voltages, comprising the steps of:
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connecting a feedback regulator between each load and its input voltage supply;
applying power to the voltage supplies;
generating a setpoint signal by finding the minimum of a set of feedback regulator outputs;
delivering the setpoint signal to each feedback regulator;
limiting the voltage delivered to each load, by using the setpoint signal to limit the output of the feedback regulators;
determining when any feedback regulator is delivering a voltage equal to an endpoint voltage for the associated load;
removing, from the set of feedback regulator outputs being used to find the setpoint, the feedback regulator output of any load receiving its endpoint voltage; and
repeating the generating, delivering, limiting, determining, and removing steps until each load is receiving its endpoint voltage. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification