MAGNETIC SENSING SCHEME FOR VOLTAGE REGULATOR CIRCUIT
First Claim
1. A voltage regulator circuit comprising:
- a pull-up transistor coupled between an intermediate node and a supply rail that is to receive an input voltage;
a pull-down transistor coupled between the intermediate node and a ground terminal;
a first inductor coupled between the intermediate node and an output node to provide a regulated output voltage at the output node;
a second inductor having a first terminal coupled to the first inductor at a tap point between terminals of the first inductor, wherein the second inductor is magnetically coupled to the first inductor, and wherein the second inductor is to provide a sense voltage at a second terminal of the second inductor; and
a control circuit to receive the sense voltage and to control the pull-up transistor and the pull-down transistor based on the sense voltage.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments provide a magnetic sensing scheme for a voltage regulator circuit. The voltage regulator circuit may include a first inductor (also referred to as an output inductor) coupled between a drive circuit and an output node. The voltage regulator circuit may further include a second inductor (also referred to as a sense inductor) having a first terminal coupled to the first inductor at a tap point between terminals of the first inductor. The second inductor may provide a sense voltage at a second terminal of the second inductor. A control circuit may control a state of the voltage regulator circuit based on the sense voltage to provide a regulated output voltage at the output node. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A voltage regulator circuit comprising:
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a pull-up transistor coupled between an intermediate node and a supply rail that is to receive an input voltage; a pull-down transistor coupled between the intermediate node and a ground terminal; a first inductor coupled between the intermediate node and an output node to provide a regulated output voltage at the output node; a second inductor having a first terminal coupled to the first inductor at a tap point between terminals of the first inductor, wherein the second inductor is magnetically coupled to the first inductor, and wherein the second inductor is to provide a sense voltage at a second terminal of the second inductor; and a control circuit to receive the sense voltage and to control the pull-up transistor and the pull-down transistor based on the sense voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A circuit comprising:
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an output stage to receive an input voltage and provide a regulated output voltage at an output node, the output stage including an inductor; a feedback circuit to provide a feedback signal based on an inductor current through the inductor, an input voltage, and the regulated output voltage; and a control circuit to control operation of the output stage based on the feedback signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computing system comprising:
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a motherboard; and an integrated circuit die mounted to the motherboard, the integrated circuit die comprising; a circuit block; and a voltage regulator to provide a regulated output voltage to the circuit block at an output node, wherein the voltage regulator is operable in a charge mode and a discharge mode, and wherein the voltage regulator includes; a first inductor coupled to the output node; a second inductor having a first terminal coupled to the first inductor at a tap point between terminals of the first inductor, wherein the second inductor is magnetically coupled to the first inductor, and wherein the second inductor is to provide a sense voltage at a second terminal of the second inductor; and a control circuit to receive the sense voltage and to switch the voltage regulator between the charge mode and the discharge mode based on the sense voltage. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification