Synchronization of multiphase synthetic ripple voltage regulator

• US 7,019,502 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2004
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intersil Americas LLC (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intersil Americas LLC (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Li, Xuening, Jochum, Thomas A., Walters, Michael M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Rajnikant B.
• Application Number:
  US10/853,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20050001597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 323282-288, 323/222, 323/268, 323/272, 363/72, 363/89, 363/97, 363/16, 363/98
• US Class Current: 323/282
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/102 being switching converters H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1584 with a plurality of power processing stages connected in parallel

Abstract

A multiphase synthetic ripple voltage generator for a multiphase DC-DC regulator including a master clock circuit that generates a master clock signal, sequence logic and a ripple regulator for each phase. The DC-DC regulator includes multiple switching circuits, each responsive to a corresponding PWM signal to switch input voltages via a phase node through an output inductor to develop an output voltage. The sequence logic sets each PWM signal in sequential order based on the master clock signal. Each ripple generator includes a transconductance amplifier, a ripple capacitor and a comparator. The transconductance amplifier has an input coupled to a corresponding output inductor and an output coupled to a corresponding ripple capacitor. The comparator has a first input coupled to the ripple capacitor, a second input receiving an error voltage, and an output coupled to the sequence logic for resetting a corresponding PWM signal.

Claims

1. A multiphase synthetic ripple voltage generator for a multiphase DC-DC regulator which includes a plurality of switching circuits each responsive to a corresponding one of a plurality of pulse width modulation (PWM) signals to switch at least one input voltage via a corresponding one of a plurality of phase nodes through a corresponding one of a plurality of output inductors to develop an output voltage at an output node, said multiphase synthetic ripple voltage generator comprising:

a master clock circuit that generates a master clock signal;

sequence logic that sets each of the plurality of PWM signals in sequential order based on said master clock signal; and

a plurality of ripple generators, each comprising;

a transconductance amplifier having an input for coupling to a corresponding one of the output inductors and an output;

a ripple capacitor coupled to said output of said transconductance amplifier; and

a comparator, having a first input coupled to said ripple capacitor, a second input coupled to receive an error voltage, and an output coupled to said sequence logic for resetting a corresponding one of the plurality of PWM signals.

2. The multiphase synthetic ripple voltage generator of claim 1, wherein said transconductance amplifier has a non-inverting input for coupling to a corresponding one of the plurality of phase nodes and an inverting input for coupling to the output node.

3. The multiphase synthetic ripple voltage generator of claim 1, wherein said transconductance amplifier has a non-inverting input for coupling to a corresponding one of the plurality of phase nodes and an inverting input for coupling to a reference voltage.

4. The multiphase synthetic ripple voltage generator of claim 1, wherein said ripple capacitor has a first end coupled to said output of said transconductance amplifier and a second end for coupling to the output node.

5. The multiphase synthetic ripple voltage generator of claim 1, wherein said ripple capacitor has a first end coupled to said output of said transconductance amplifier and a second end coupled to ground.

6. The multiphase synthetic ripple voltage generator of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of ripple generators further comprises a ripple resistor coupled to said ripple capacitor.

7. The multiphase synthetic ripple voltage generator of claim 6, wherein said ripple resistor has a first end coupled to said ripple capacitor and a second end for coupling to the output node.

8. The multiphase synthetic ripple voltage generator of claim 6, wherein each of said plurality of ripple generators further comprises:

a voltage source referenced to ground; and

said ripple resistor having a first end coupled to said ripple capacitor and a second end coupled to said voltage source.

9. The multiphase synthetic ripple voltage generator of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one input voltage comprises a single input voltage, and wherein said master clock circuit comprises:

a master ripple capacitor;

a master transconductance amplifier circuit having an output coupled to said master ripple capacitor and having first and second states controlled by said master clock signal, said first state for charging said master ripple capacitor based on a voltage difference between the input voltage and the output voltage and said second state for discharging said master ripple capacitor based on the output voltage; and

a hysteretic comparator circuit having an input coupled to compare the voltage of said master ripple capacitor with the error voltage and an output that provides said master clock signal.

10. The multiphase synthetic ripple voltage generator of claim 9, wherein said master transconductance amplifier circuit comprises:

a first master transconductance amplifier having a first input for receiving the input voltage, a second input for receiving the output voltage and an output;

a second master transconductance amplifier having a first input coupled to ground, a second input for receiving the output voltage and an output; and

a switch circuit having a first terminal coupled to said output of said first master transconductance amplifier, a second terminal coupled to said output of said second master transconductance amplifier, a common terminal coupled to said master ripple capacitor, and a control input that receives a signal indicative of said master clock signal for coupling said common terminal to a selected one of said first and second terminals.

11. The multiphase synthetic ripple voltage generator of claim 9, wherein said hysteretic comparator circuit comprises:

a first comparator having a first input coupled to said master ripple capacitor, a second input receiving said error voltage, and an output;

a voltage source providing an offset voltage relative to said error voltage;

a second comparator having a first input receiving said offset voltage, a second input coupled to said master ripple capacitor, and an output; and

a set-reset device having a first input coupled to said output of said first comparator, a second input coupled to said output of said second comparator, and an output providing said master clock signal.

12. The multiphase synthetic ripple voltage generator of claim 1, wherein said master clock circuit comprises:

a master ripple capacitor;

a master transconductance amplifier having an input for receiving the output voltage and an output coupled to said master ripple capacitor;

a voltage source providing an offset voltage relative to said error voltage;

a comparator having a first input coupled to said master ripple capacitor, a second input receiving said offset voltage, and an output;

a one-shot device having an input coupled to said output of said comparator and an output providing said master clock signal; and

a switch having a first terminal coupled to receive said error voltage, a second terminal coupled to said master ripple capacitor, and a control input receiving said master clock signal.

13. The multiphase synthetic ripple voltage generator of claim 1, wherein said master clock circuit comprises:

a master ripple capacitor;

a master transconductance amplifier having an input receiving a reference voltage indicative and an output coupled to said master ripple capacitor;

a voltage source providing an offset voltage relative to said error voltage;

a comparator having a first input coupled to said master ripple capacitor, a second input receiving said offset voltage, and an output;

a one-shot device having an input coupled to said output of said comparator and an output providing said master clock signal; and

a switch having a first terminal coupled to receive said error voltage, a second terminal coupled to said master ripple capacitor, and a control input receiving said master clock signal.

14. A multiphase synthetic ripple regulator, comprising:

a plurality of switching circuits, each alternately coupling a corresponding one of a plurality of phase nodes to opposite polarities of a corresponding one of a plurality of input voltages based on a corresponding one of a plurality of pulse width modulation (PWM) signals;

a plurality of output inductors, each coupled between a corresponding one of said plurality of phase nodes and an output node that develops a regulated output voltage;

an error amplifier that generates an error voltage based on said regulated output voltage compared to a reference voltage;

a hysteretic comparator clock circuit, responsive to said output voltage and said error signal, that generates a master clock signal;

sequence logic that initiates each of said plurality of PWM signals in sequential order based on said master clock signal; and

a plurality of ripple generators, each comprising;

a transconductance amplifier having an input for coupling to a corresponding one of said plurality of phase nodes and an output;

a ripple capacitor coupled to said output of said transconductance amplifier; and

a comparator, having a first input coupled to said ripple capacitor, a second input receiving said error voltage, and an output coupled to said sequence logic for terminating a corresponding one of said plurality of PWM signals.

15. The multiphase synthetic ripple regulator of claim 14, wherein said transconductance amplifier has a non-inverting input coupled to a corresponding one of said plurality of phase nodes and an inverting input coupled to said output node.

16. The multiphase synthetic ripple regulator of claim 14, wherein said transconductance amplifier has a non-inverting input couple to a corresponding one of said plurality of phase nodes and an inverting input coupled to receive said reference voltage.

17. The multiphase synthetic ripple regulator of claim 14, wherein said ripple capacitor has a first end coupled, to said output of said transconductance amplifier and a second end coupled to said output node.

18. The multiphase synthetic ripple regulator of claim 14, wherein said ripple capacitor has a first end coupled to said output of said transconductance amplifier and a second end coupled to ground.

19. The multiphase synthetic ripple voltage generator of claim 14, wherein each of said plurality of ripple generators further comprises a ripple resistor coupled to said ripple capacitor.

20. The multiphase synthetic ripple regulator of claim 19, wherein said ripple resistor has a first end coupled to said ripple capacitor and a second end coupled to said output node.

21. The multiphase synthetic ripple regulator of claim 19, wherein each of said plurality of ripple generators further comprises:

a voltage source referenced to ground; and

said ripple resistor having a first end coupled to said ripple capacitor and a second end coupled to said voltage source.

22. The multiphase synthetic ripple regulator of claim 14, wherein said plurality of input voltages comprises a single input voltage, and wherein said hysteretic comparator clock circuit comprises:

a master ripple capacitor;

a master transconductance amplifier circuit having a first output providing a first current proportional to a voltage difference between said input voltage and said output voltage and a second output providing a second current proportional to said output voltage;

a switch circuit that couples said first output of said master transconductance amplifier circuit to charge said master ripple capacitor with said first current when said master clock signal is in a first state and that couples said second output of said master transconductance amplifier circuit to discharge said master ripple capacitor with said second current when said master clock signal is in a second state; and

a hysteretic comparator circuit having a first input coupled to said master ripple capacitor, a second input receiving said error voltage, and an output that provides said master clock signal.

23. The multiphase synthetic ripple regulator of claim 22, wherein said master transconductance amplifier circuit comprises:

a first master transconductance amplifier having a first input coupled to receive said input voltage, a second input coupled to said output node and an output providing said first current; and

a second master transconductance amplifier having an input coupled to said output node and an output providing said second current.

24. The multiphase synthetic ripple regulator of claim 22, wherein said hysteretic comparator circuit comprises:

a first comparator having a first input coupled to said master ripple capacitor, a second input receiving said error voltage, and an output;

a voltage source providing an offset voltage relative to said error voltage;

a second comparator having a first input receiving said offset voltage, a second input coupled to said master ripple capacitor, and an output; and

a set-reset device having a set input coupled to said output of said first comparator, a reset input coupled to said output of said second comparator, a first inverting output providing said master clock signal, and a second non-inverting output coupled to control said switch circuit.

25. The multiphase synthetic ripple regulator of claim 14, wherein said hysteretic comparator clock circuit comprises:

a master ripple capacitor;

a master transconductance amplifier having an input coupled to said output node and an output coupled to said master ripple capacitor;

a voltage source providing an offset voltage relative to said error voltage;

a comparator having a first input coupled to said master ripple capacitor, a second input coupled to said voltage source, and an output;

a one-shot device having an input coupled to said output of said comparator and an output providing said master clock signal; and

a switch having a first terminal coupled to receive said error voltage, a second terminal coupled to said master ripple capacitor, and a control input receiving said master clock signal.

26. The multiphase synthetic ripple regulator of claim 14, wherein said hysteretic comparator clock circuit comprises:

a master ripple capacitor;

a master transconductance amplifier having an input coupled to receive said reference voltage and an output coupled to said master ripple capacitor;

a voltage source providing an offset voltage relative to said error voltage;

a comparator having a first input coupled to said master ripple capacitor, a second input receiving said offset voltage, and an output;

a one-shot device having an input coupled to said output of said comparator and an output providing said master clock signal; and

a open switch having a first terminal coupled to receive said error voltage, a second terminal coupled to said master ripple capacitor, and a control input receiving said master clock signal.