System and method for managing negative voltage in a power supply overvoltage failure event
First Claim
1. An information handling system comprising:
- plural processing components operable to process information;
a power supply operable to supply DC voltage to operate the processing components;
at least one regulator interfaced between the power supply and at least one processing component, the regulator operable to interface a capacitor with the processing component and the power supply to reduce an overvoltage event;
a regulator controller interfaced with the regulator and operable to detect an overvoltage event, the regulator controller selectively interfacing the capacitor if an overvoltage event is detected; and
a negative voltage protection MOSFET driver operating on the regulator controller and operable to detect a negative voltage event following the interfacing of the capacitor, the negative voltage protection MOSFET driver further operable to remove the interface with the capacitor for a first overvoltage condition and to continue the interface with the capacitor for a second overvoltage condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A synchronous Buck voltage regulator accepts an input voltage to provide a regulated output voltage to an information handling system processing component, such as a CPU. Input voltage is regulated by a control MOSFET, a synchronous MOSFET and a regulator controller that controls the output by controlling the control and synchronous MOSFETs. The synchronous MOSFET handles overvoltage events output from the control MOSFET by interfacing an inductor-capacitor tank circuit to reduce the overvoltage. A negative voltage protection MOSFET driver associated with the regulator controller monitors for negative voltage events that result from the interfacing of the inductor-capacitor tank circuit and selectively decouples the inductor-capacitor tank circuit if the negative voltage event is associated with a predetermined condition. The negative voltage protection MOSFET driver maintains the interface of the inductor-capacitor tank circuit if the overvoltage event is associated with a failed control MOSFET.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An information handling system comprising:
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plural processing components operable to process information;
a power supply operable to supply DC voltage to operate the processing components;
at least one regulator interfaced between the power supply and at least one processing component, the regulator operable to interface a capacitor with the processing component and the power supply to reduce an overvoltage event;
a regulator controller interfaced with the regulator and operable to detect an overvoltage event, the regulator controller selectively interfacing the capacitor if an overvoltage event is detected; and
a negative voltage protection MOSFET driver operating on the regulator controller and operable to detect a negative voltage event following the interfacing of the capacitor, the negative voltage protection MOSFET driver further operable to remove the interface with the capacitor for a first overvoltage condition and to continue the interface with the capacitor for a second overvoltage condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for regulating voltage to a component, the method comprising:
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regulating output voltage through a control MOSFET;
monitoring the output voltage for an overvoltage event;
interfacing a capacitor with the output voltage in response to the overvoltage event;
monitoring the output voltage for a negative voltage event resulting from the interfacing of the capacitor; and
removing the interfacing of the capacitor if the negative voltage event is associated with a predetermined overvoltage condition. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for monitoring voltage to an electronic component, the system comprising:
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a synchronous Buck regulator having a control MOSFET operable to regulate voltage from an input voltage to an output voltage, an inductor-capacitor tank circuit interfaced with the output voltage and operable to discharge and reduce the output voltage, and a synchronous MOSFET operable to regulate the interface of the inductor-capacitor tank circuit with the output voltage;
a regulator controller interfaced with the synchronous Buck regulator and operable to detect an overvoltage event at the output voltage, the regulator controller selectively engaging the synchronous MOSFET in response to the overvoltage event to reduce the overvoltage with the inductor-capacitor tank circuit; and
a negative voltage protection MOSFET driver associated with the regulator controller and operable to detect if the overvoltage event is associated with a predetermined overvoltage condition, the negative voltage protection MOSFET driver operable to selectively enable or disable the interfacing of the inductor-capacitor tank circuit if the overvoltage event is associated with the predetermined overvoltage condition. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification