System and method for interleaving point-of-load regulators
First Claim
1. A power supply system comprising:
- a plurality of voltage regulators, wherein each voltage regulator is operable to provide a voltage output and is associated with an address;
a master clock generator operable to generate a synchronization signal;
an interface line operable to communicatively couple the voltage regulators and carry the synchronization signal to allow the voltage regulators to receive the synchronization signal; and
a plurality of clock recovery circuits, wherein each clock recovery circuit is associated with a voltage regulator and wherein each clock recovery circuit is operable to generate a phase shifted trigger signal, wherein the phase shifted trigger signal is phase shifted with respect to the synchronization signal by a selected phase difference and synchronized to a selected frequency multiple of the synchronization signal based on the address of the associated voltage regulator such that a first switching cycle associated with a first voltage regulator may be phase displaced with respect to a second switching cycle associated with a second voltage regulator and a different frequency from the second switching cycle.
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Abstract
A system and method for providing interleaving point-of-load (POL) regulators such that each regulator'"'"'s switching cycle is phase displaced with respect to those of other POL regulators in the array is disclosed. As a result, the aggregate input and/or output reflected ripple and noise of the input, output, or both is reduced. Each regulator in the array is associated with an unique address. A serial data-line writes the phase spacing programmed to each addressable POL regulator in the array. The present invention permits phase displacement of POL regulators without limitation to the input and output voltages of each of the regulators in the array. The array of POL regulators may also operate in a phase displaced mode with only a single control line. The need for separate controllers and multiple control lines is thereby eliminated.
200 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A power supply system comprising:
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a plurality of voltage regulators, wherein each voltage regulator is operable to provide a voltage output and is associated with an address;
a master clock generator operable to generate a synchronization signal;
an interface line operable to communicatively couple the voltage regulators and carry the synchronization signal to allow the voltage regulators to receive the synchronization signal; and
a plurality of clock recovery circuits, wherein each clock recovery circuit is associated with a voltage regulator and wherein each clock recovery circuit is operable to generate a phase shifted trigger signal, wherein the phase shifted trigger signal is phase shifted with respect to the synchronization signal by a selected phase difference and synchronized to a selected frequency multiple of the synchronization signal based on the address of the associated voltage regulator such that a first switching cycle associated with a first voltage regulator may be phase displaced with respect to a second switching cycle associated with a second voltage regulator and a different frequency from the second switching cycle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for providing the interleaving of a plurality of voltage regulators, comprising the steps of:
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selecting a phase displacement for each voltage regulator;
assigning an address for each voltage regulator;
generating a synchronization signal;
generating a trigger signal that is phase displaced from the synchronization signal by the selected phase displacement and synchronized to a selected frequency multiple of the synchronization signal; and
providing a phase displaced switching frequency based on the trigger signal. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification