System and method for stabilizing an automotive alternator voltage regulator with load response control
First Claim
1. A voltage regulator circuit for controlling the voltage of level of an electrical system, the voltage regulator comprising:
- a reference counter for producing a binary output stream;
a reference generator coupled to said reference counter, said reference generator converting said binary stream to a reference signal;
a comparator having a sampled signal input for monitoring the voltage level of the electrical system, a second input for receiving said reference signal, and an output, said comparator producing a pulse width modulated signal having a first duty cycle period;
a pulse width timer circuit for transmitting a termination signal at a predefined termination time; and
a load response control circuit having a signal input coupled to said comparator, a control input coupled to said pulse width timer, and a signal output, said load response control circuit receiving said pulse width modulated signal and said termination signal, wherein if said termination signal is received before the conclusion of said first duty cycle period, said load response control circuit truncates said first duty cycle period to end at said termination time, wherein said pulse width timer has greater digital resolution than said reference generator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A voltage regulator having improved noise immunity includes a reference counter, a digital reference generator coupled to the reference generator, a comparator coupled to the digital reference generator, a load response control circuit coupled to the comparator output, a digital pulse width memory circuit coupled the load response control output, and a digital pulse width timer circuit coupled to the pulse width memory output and to the load response control circuit, wherein the digital pulse width timer circuit and the digital pulse width memory circuit each have greater digital resolution than the digital reference generator.
44 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A voltage regulator circuit for controlling the voltage of level of an electrical system, the voltage regulator comprising:
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a reference counter for producing a binary output stream; a reference generator coupled to said reference counter, said reference generator converting said binary stream to a reference signal; a comparator having a sampled signal input for monitoring the voltage level of the electrical system, a second input for receiving said reference signal, and an output, said comparator producing a pulse width modulated signal having a first duty cycle period; a pulse width timer circuit for transmitting a termination signal at a predefined termination time; and a load response control circuit having a signal input coupled to said comparator, a control input coupled to said pulse width timer, and a signal output, said load response control circuit receiving said pulse width modulated signal and said termination signal, wherein if said termination signal is received before the conclusion of said first duty cycle period, said load response control circuit truncates said first duty cycle period to end at said termination time, wherein said pulse width timer has greater digital resolution than said reference generator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 12, 13)
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6. In a voltage regulator circuit, a method for reducing the effects of noise occurring on a sampled signal input, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a digital stream; converting at a first sampling rate, using a digital to analog converter, said digital stream to a reference signal; comparing said reference signal with said sampled signal; generating a pulse width modulated signal in response to said comparison, said pulse width modulated signal having a duty cycle period; sampling said duty cycle period at a second sampling rate to produce an output signal, wherein said second sampling rate is higher than said first sampling rate. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A voltage regulator circuit for controlling the voltage of level of an electrical system, the voltage regulator comprising:
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a first clock source; a reference signal generator having an input coupled to said first clock source, and a signal output, said reference signal generator providing a reference signal a comparator having a sampled signal input for monitoring the voltage level of the electrical system, a second input for receiving said reference signal, and an output, said comparator producing a pulse width modulated signal having a first duty cycle period; a second clock source operating at a higher frequency than said first clock source; and a sampling circuit having a first input for receiving said pulse width modulated signal, a signal output and a clock signal input coupled to said second clock source, said sampling circuit modulating said first duty cycle period of said pulse width modulated signal at said higher frequency using said second clock source. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification