INTEGRATED CIRCUIT WITH CONFIGURABLE CONTROL AND POWER SWITCHES

• US 20160190926A1
• Filed: 12/21/2015
• Published: 06/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Pauletti, Timothy P., Ni, Chuan
• Granted Patent: US 9,871,444 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/56 using semiconductor devices in series with the load as final control devices G05F1/461 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0025 Arrangements for modifying reference values, feedback values or error values in the control loop of a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load

Abstract

Disclosed examples include integrated circuits configurable according to sensed circuit conditions to provide configurable power converter topologies with externally connected circuitry to implement buck, boost, buck-boost, low dropout and/or hot-swap power converters. The ICs include one or more sets of series connected high and low side transistors connected with corresponding IC pads to allow connection to external circuitry to form a particular power converter configuration. The IC includes a control circuit and a configuration circuit to sense a circuit condition of the IC and to configure the control circuit to provide switching control signals to the transistors to implement one of a plurality of power converter topologies.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit (IC), comprising:

a switch circuit, including;

a first transistor with a first terminal connected to a first pad of the IC, a second terminal connected to a second pad of the IC, and a control terminal to receive a first switch control signal, and

a second transistor with a first terminal connected to the second pad, a second terminal connected to a third pad of the IC, and a control terminal to receive a second switch control signal;

a control circuit configurable according to a mode control signal to operate in one of a plurality of modes to provide the first and second switch control signals to implement a power converter using an external circuit connected to at least one of the first, second, and third pads; and

a configuration circuit to sense a circuit condition of the IC, and to provide the mode control signal to configure the control circuit according to the sensed circuit condition.

2. The IC of claim 1,

wherein the configuration circuit includes a logic circuit to selectively provide the mode control signal to set the control circuit in a test mode while the configuration circuit senses the circuit condition of the IC;

and

wherein the logic circuit is operative according to the sensed circuit condition to provide the mode control signal to selectively set the control circuit in either a first control mode to configure the control circuit to implement a low dropout or hot-swap power converter to provide the first switch control signal in a generally continuous fashion, or a second control mode to configure the control circuit to implement a switching power converter to provide the first switch control signal using pulse width modulation.

3. The IC of claim 2, wherein the logic circuit is operative according to the sensed circuit condition to:

set the control circuit in the first control mode to implement a low dropout power converter to provide the first switch control signal in a generally continuous fashion according to a feedback signal and a reference signal, or

set the control circuit in a third control mode to implement a hot-swap power converter to provide the first switch control signal in a generally continuous fashion according to a sensed current signal.

4. The IC of claim 2, comprising a comparator circuit, including a first input to sense an output voltage of the power converter, a second input to sense an input voltage of the power converter, and an output to provide a comparator signal to the logic circuit;

wherein the logic circuit is operative according to the comparator signal to selectively set the control circuit in the second control mode to configure the control circuit to provide the first switch control signal and the second switch control signal using pulse width modulation to implement a buck converter or a boost converter.

5. The IC of claim 4, wherein the logic circuit is operative, when the comparator signal indicates that the output voltage of the power converter is less than the input voltage, to set the control circuit in the second control mode to provide the first switch control signal as a high side control signal, and to provide the second switch control signal as a low side control signal to implement a buck converter.

6. The IC of claim 4, wherein the logic circuit is operative, when the comparator signal indicates that the output voltage of the power converter is greater than the input voltage, to set the control circuit in the second control mode to provide the first switch control signal as a low side control signal, and to provide the second switch control signal as a high side control signal to implement a boost converter.

7. The IC of claim 1, comprising:

a second switch circuit, including;

a third transistor with a first terminal connected to a fourth pad of the IC, a second terminal connected to a fifth pad of the IC, and a control terminal to receive a third switch control signal, and

a fourth transistor with a first terminal connected to the fifth pad, a second terminal connected to a sixth pad of the IC, and a control terminal to receive a fourth switch control signal; and

wherein the control circuit is configurable according to the mode control signal to operate in one of the plurality of modes to provide the third and fourth switch control signals to implement at least one power converter using a second external circuit connected to at least one of the fourth, fifth, and sixth pads.

8. The IC of claim 7,

wherein the configuration circuit includes a logic circuit to selectively provide the mode control signal to set the control circuit in a test mode while the configuration circuit senses the circuit condition of the IC;

and

wherein the logic circuit is operative according to the sensed circuit condition to provide the mode control signal to selectively set the control circuit in either a first control mode to configure the control circuit to implement at least one low dropout or hot-swap power converter to provide at least one of the switch control signals in a generally continuous fashion, or a second control mode to configure the control circuit to implement at least one switching power converter to provide the at least one of the switch control signals using pulse width modulation.

9. The IC of claim 8, wherein the logic circuit is operative according to the sensed circuit condition to:

set the control circuit in the first control mode to implement a low dropout power converter to provide the at least one of the switch control signals in a generally continuous fashion according to a feedback signal and a reference signal, or

set the control circuit in a third control mode to implement a hot-swap power converter to provide the at least one of the switch control signals in a generally continuous fashion according to a sensed current signal.

10. The IC of claim 8, comprising a comparator circuit, including a first input to sense an output voltage of the power converter, a second input to sense an input voltage of the power converter, and an output to provide a comparator signal to the logic circuit;

wherein the logic circuit is operative according to the comparator signal to selectively set the control circuit in the second control mode to configure the control circuit to provide the at least one of the switch control signals using pulse width modulation to implement a buck converter or a boost converter.

11. The IC of claim 10, wherein the logic circuit is operative, when the comparator signal indicates that the output voltage of the power converter is less than the input voltage, to set the control circuit in the second control mode to provide at least one of the first and third switch control signals as a high side control signal, and to provide at least one of the second and fourth switch control signals as a low side control signal to implement a buck converter.

12. The IC of claim 10, wherein the logic circuit is operative, when the comparator signal indicates that the output voltage of the power converter is greater than the input voltage, to set the control circuit in the second control mode to provide at least one of the first and third switch control signals as a low side control signal, and to provide at least one of the second and fourth switch control signals as a high side control signal to implement a boost converter.

13. The IC of claim 7,

wherein the logic circuit is operative according to the sensed circuit condition to provide at least one of the first and second switch control signals using pulse width modulation to implement one of a first buck converter and a first boost converter;

and

wherein the logic circuit is operative according to the sensed circuit condition to provide at least one of the third and fourth switch control signals using pulse width modulation to implement one of a second buck converter and a second boost converter.

14. The IC of claim 7, wherein the logic circuit is operative according to the sensed circuit condition to set the control circuit in the second control mode to provide at least two of the switch control signals using pulse width modulation to implement a buck-boost converter.

15. The IC of claim 1, wherein the configuration circuit includes:

a logic circuit to provide the mode control signal to set the control circuit in a test mode to cause the control circuit to provide the first switch control signal to turn on the first transistor to provide a test pulse to the external circuit; and

at least one comparator circuit to sense the circuit condition of the IC when the control circuit is in the test mode, and to provide at least one comparator test signal to the logic circuit when the control circuit is in the test mode;

wherein the logic circuit is operative according to the at least one comparator test signal to provide the mode control signal to selectively set the control circuit in either a first control mode to configure the control circuit to implement a low dropout or hot-swap power converter to provide the first switch control signal in a generally continuous fashion, or a second control mode to configure the control circuit to implement a switching power converter to provide the first switch control signal using pulse width modulation.

16. The IC of claim 1, wherein the configuration circuit is operative to sense a voltage of a configuration pad of the IC and to provide the mode control signal to configure the control circuit according to the sensed circuit condition.

17. An integrated circuit (IC), comprising:

a first transistor connected between a first pad and a second pad of the IC;

a second transistor connected between the second pad and a third pad of the IC;

a third transistor connected between a fourth pad and a fifth pad of the IC;

a fourth transistor connected between the fifth pad and a sixth pad of the IC; and

a control circuit selectively operative in one of a plurality of modes to provide switching control signals to at least one of the transistors in a generally continuous fashion to implement a low dropout or hot-swap power converter, or to provide the switching control signals using pulse width modulation to implement a switching power converter.

18. The IC of claim 17, wherein the control circuit is configured to one of the plurality of modes by connection of at least one configuration pad of the IC to a predetermined voltage level or a ground connection.

19. An integrated circuit (IC), comprising:

first, second, and third pads to electrically coupled corresponding first, second, and third internal nodes with an external circuit;

a set of high and low side transistors connected in series with one another between the first and third internal nodes, wherein the second internal node joins the high and low side transistors;

a configurable control circuit selectively operative in one of a plurality of modes according to a sensed circuit condition of the IC to operate the high and low side transistors with an external circuit to implement one of a buck converter, a boost converter, or a low dropout power converter.

20. The IC of claim 19, wherein the control circuit is selectively operative in another one of the plurality of modes according to the sensed circuit condition of the IC to operate one of the high and low side transistors with the external circuit to implement a hot-swap power converter.