VOLTAGE REGULATOR FEEDBACK PROTECTION METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20090167275A1
• Filed: 03/05/2009
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Sehat Sutardja
• Inventors: Sutardja, Sehat
• Granted Patent: US 7,960,958 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/285
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/613 using semiconductor devices in parallel with the load as final control devices G05F1/461 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/08 Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters

Abstract

An integrated circuit includes an output terminal. A plurality of feedback terminals receives a feedback signal. A voltage regulator has a feedback input in communication with the plurality of feedback terminals to receive the feedback signal. The voltage regulator has a power output in communication with the output terminal. The voltage regulator is responsive to the feedback signal to generate the power output.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit comprising;

an output terminal;

a plurality of feedback terminals to each receive a feedback signal; and

a voltage regulator that has a feedback input in communication with the plurality of two feedback terminals to receive the feedback signal and that has a power output in communication with the output terminal,

wherein the voltage regulator generates the power output in response to the feedback signal.

2. A power distribution system comprising:

the integrated circuit of claim 1; and

external filter components that are coupled the output terminal and that comprise;

an output inductor; and

an output capacitor to filter the power output to generate a regulated output voltage.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the voltage regulator is selected from a group consisting of a switching regulator and a linear regulator, wherein the output terminal is selected from a group consisting of a pin, a ball grid array, and a connector, and wherein the plurality of feedback terminals are selected from a group consisting of pins, ball grid arrays, and connector.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 1 further comprising an interconnection circuit to interconnect each of the plurality of two feedback terminals to the feedback input of the voltage regulator.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 1 further comprising:

a filter to generate a regulated output voltage from the power output,

wherein the feedback signal is derived from the regulated output voltage.

6. A power distribution system comprising:

the integrated circuit of claim 1;

a filter to generate a regulated output voltage in response to the power output; and

redundant feedback lines coupled between the regulated output voltage and the plurality of feedback terminals of the integrated circuit to conduct the feedback signal.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 1 further comprising:

a voltage generator to generate a pull-up voltage having an amplitude greater than a DC voltage amplitude of the power output, wherein the pull-up voltage is derived separately from the power output; and

a pull-up resistor in communication between the pull-up voltage and the feedback input of the voltage regulator.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 7 wherein the pull-up voltage is approximately 120% of the DC voltage amplitude of the power output, wherein the pull-up resistor has an impedance in a range of approximately 100 ohms to 1,000,000 ohms, and wherein the voltage generator is a source type selected from a group consisting of an AC source and a DC source.

9. An integrated circuit comprising;

an output terminal;

a feedback terminal to receive a feedback signal;

a voltage regulator that includes a feedback input to receive the feedback signal from the feedback terminal and a power output in communication with the output terminal, wherein the voltage regulator generates the power output and is responsive to the feedback signal; and

a signal generator having an output impedance at least ten times greater than an output impedance of the feedback terminal, wherein the signal generator generates a pull-up signal in communication with the feedback input.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein the signal generator is selected from a group consisting of a current source, and a voltage source with an output resistor.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 9 further comprising:

a filter to generate a regulated output voltage from the power output,

wherein the feedback signal is derived from the regulated output voltage.

12. A power distribution system comprising:

the integrated circuit of claim 11; and

a feedback line to conduct the feedback signal from the regulated output voltage to the feedback terminal.

13. A power distribution system comprising:

the integrated circuit of claim 9;

external filter components that are coupled to the output terminal and that comprise an output inductor and an output capacitor to filter the power output to generate a regulated output voltage,

wherein the feedback signal is derived from the regulated output voltage.

14. The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein the voltage regulator is selected from a group consisting of a switching regulator and a linear regulator, wherein the output terminal is selected from a group consisting of a pin, a ball grid array, and a connector, and wherein the feedback terminal is selected from a group consisting of a pin, a ball grid array, and a connector.

15. The integrated circuit of claim 12 further comprising a feedback monitor to detect an electrically degraded connection between the feedback terminal and the regulated output voltage.

16. The integrated circuit of claim 15 wherein the power output has an amplitude;

and

wherein the electrically degraded connection is defined as having an increased impedance that causes the feedback signal to be of insufficient quality for the voltage regulator to control the amplitude of the power output.

17. The integrated circuit of claim 15 wherein the electrically degraded connection is selected from a group consisting of a cold solder joint, the feedback line being partially disconnected from the regulated output voltage, and the feedback line being completely disconnected from the regulated output voltage.

18. The integrated circuit of claim 15 wherein the feedback monitor compares a voltage of the feedback terminal to a reference voltage to detect the electrically degraded connection.

19. The integrated circuit of claim 9 further comprising at a plurality of feedback terminals to each receive the feedback signal.

20. A power distribution system comprising:

the integrated circuit of claim 19;

a filter to generate a regulated output voltage from the power output; and

redundant feedback lines coupled between the regulated output voltage and the plurality of feedback terminals of the integrated circuit to conduct the feedback signal.

21. The integrated circuit of claim 19 further comprising an interconnection circuit to interconnect the plurality of feedback terminals.