Control circuit and method for maintaining high efficiency over broad current ranges in a switching regulator circuit
DCFirst Claim
1. A circuit for controlling a switching voltage regulator having a switch and an output adapted to supply current at a regulated voltage to a load including an output capacitor, the switch coupled between an input voltage and an output voltage and including one or more switching transistors, the circuit comprising:
- a first circuit for monitoring an output to generate a first feedback signal;
a second circuit for generating a first control signal during a first state of circuit operation, the second circuit including a one-shot circuit that generates the first control signal to switch the one or more switching transistors "on" or "off" over a first period of time to maintain the output at the regulated voltage, the one-shot circuit being triggered responsive to the first feedback signal, the first period of time being responsive to at least one of the input voltage and the output voltage.
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Abstract
A circuit and method for controlling a switching voltage regulator having (1) a switch including one or more switching transistors and (2) an output adapted to supply current at a regulated voltage to a load including an output capacitor. The circuit and method generates a control signal to turn said one or more switching transistors OFF under operating conditions when the voltage at the output is capable of being maintained substantially at the regulated voltage by the charge on the output capacitor. Such a circuit and method increases the efficiency of the regulator circuit particularly at low average current levels.
390 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A circuit for controlling a switching voltage regulator having a switch and an output adapted to supply current at a regulated voltage to a load including an output capacitor, the switch coupled between an input voltage and an output voltage and including one or more switching transistors, the circuit comprising:
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a first circuit for monitoring an output to generate a first feedback signal; a second circuit for generating a first control signal during a first state of circuit operation, the second circuit including a one-shot circuit that generates the first control signal to switch the one or more switching transistors "on" or "off" over a first period of time to maintain the output at the regulated voltage, the one-shot circuit being triggered responsive to the first feedback signal, the first period of time being responsive to at least one of the input voltage and the output voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A switching voltage regulator that generates an output at an output node from an input at an input node, the output node coupled to an output capacitor, the regulator comprising:
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a switching transistor having a first terminal coupled to the input node, a second terminal, and a third terminal; a driver circuit having a first terminal, and a second terminal coupled to the second terminal of the switching transistor; an inductor having a first terminal coupled to the third terminal of the switching transistor, and a second terminal coupled to the output node; a feedback circuit having a first terminal coupled to the output node, and a second terminal, the feedback circuit producing a feedback signal at the second terminal of the feedback circuit; a feedback control circuit having a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the feedback circuit, and a second terminal, the feedback control circuit producing a trigger signal at the second terminal of the feedback control circuit, said trigger signal being produced responsive to the feedback signal; an off-time control circuit having a first terminal and a second terminal, the off-time control circuit producing an off-time control signal at the first terminal of the off-time control circuit, the second terminal of the off-time control circuit being coupled to one of the input node or the output node; a one-shot generator having a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the feedback control circuit, a second terminal coupled to the first terminal of the off-time control circuit, and a third terminal coupled to the first terminal of the driver circuit, the one-shot generator generating a switch signal on the third terminal to cause the driver to place the switching transistor in an off state starting upon receipt of the trigger signal, and continuing for a first period of time determined by the off-time control signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34)
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32. A circuit for controlling a switching voltage regulator having a switch and an output adapted to supply current at a regulated voltage to a load including an output capacitor, the switch coupled between an input voltage and an output voltage and including one or more switching transistors, the circuit comprising:
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means for generating a current feedback signal; means for generating a voltage feedback signal; means for generating a trigger signal responsive to the current feedback signal and the voltage feedback signal; means for generating an off-time control signal responsive to at least one of the input voltage and the output voltage; and one-shot means for placing the switch into an off state responsive to the trigger signal, the switch remaining-in the off state for a period of time responsive to the off-time control signal.
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35. A switching voltage regulator having an output node and an input node, the output node coupled to an output capacitor, the regulator comprising:
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a switching transistor having a first terminal coupled to the input node, a second terminal, and a third terminal; a driver circuit having a first terminal, and a second terminal coupled to the second terminal of the switching transistor; an inductor having a first terminal coupled to the third terminal of the switching transistor, and a second terminal coupled to the output node; a feedback circuit having a first terminal coupled to the output node, and a second terminal; a feedback control circuit having a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the feedback circuit, and a second terminal; a one-shot generator having a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the feedback control circuit, a second terminal, and a third terminal coupled to the first terminal of the driver circuit, the one-shot generator including a control capacitor coupled between the second terminal of the one-shot generator and ground; an off-time control circuit having a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the one-shot generator, and a second terminal coupled to one of the input node or the output node, the off-time control circuit including a variable current source that controls the discharging rate of the control capacitor. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification