Adaptive control for inducer based buck-boost voltage regulators
First Claim
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1. A voltage regulator having an input and output, comprising:
- a switching circuit having an inductive element and switches configured to switch the inductive element to the input and output of the voltage regulator; and
a control circuit configured to operate the switches in a buck, boost, or buck-boost mode,wherein the control circuit is responsive to a signal indicating whether the voltage regulator is in the buck, boost or buck-boost mode to determine timing of the switches in accordance with current in the inductive element, andthe control circuit is further configured to set the switches into predetermined states so as to place the voltage regulator into a sleep mode in response to a rise in the output voltage of the voltage regulator beyond a threshold voltage.
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Abstract
Voltage regulators and methods for regulating voltages are disclosed. A switching circuit with an inductor and a plurality of switches may be used to produce a regulated voltage from an unregulated voltage source. A control circuit may be used to monitor the voltages at the input and output of the voltage regulator, and operate the switches in either a buck, boost, or buck-boost mode depending on the relationship between the voltages at the input and output of the voltage regulator.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A voltage regulator having an input and output, comprising:
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a switching circuit having an inductive element and switches configured to switch the inductive element to the input and output of the voltage regulator; and a control circuit configured to operate the switches in a buck, boost, or buck-boost mode, wherein the control circuit is responsive to a signal indicating whether the voltage regulator is in the buck, boost or buck-boost mode to determine timing of the switches in accordance with current in the inductive element, and the control circuit is further configured to set the switches into predetermined states so as to place the voltage regulator into a sleep mode in response to a rise in the output voltage of the voltage regulator beyond a threshold voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of operating a voltage regulator to produce a regulated voltage at its output from a voltage source, the voltage regulator having an inductive element, the method comprising:
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transferring energy from the voltage source to the output of the voltage regulator using an inductive element and switches in a buck, boost or buck-boost mode; in response to determining whether the energy is transferred in the buck, boost or buck-boost mode, determining timing of the switches in accordance with current in the inductive element; detecting a rise in the output voltage of the voltage regulator beyond a threshold voltage; and setting the switches into predetermined states so as to force the voltage regulator into a sleep mode only in response to the detected rise in the output voltage of the voltage regulator beyond the threshold voltage. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A voltage regulator having an input and output, comprising:
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a switching circuit having an inductive element and switches configured to switch the inductive element to the input and output of the voltage regulator; and a control circuit comprising means for operating the switches in buck, boost, or buck-boost mode, wherein the control circuit is responsive to a signal indicating whether the voltage regulator is in the buck, boost or buck-boost mode to determine timing of the switches in accordance with current in the inductive element, and the control circuit is further configured to set the switches into predetermined states so as to place the voltage regulator into a sleep mode in response to a rise in the output voltage of the voltage regulator beyond a threshold voltage.
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28. A voltage regulator having an input and output, comprising:
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a switching circuit having an inductive element, and switches including a first switch between the input of the voltage regulator and one end of the inductive element, a second switch between the one end of the inductive element and a voltage return line, a third switch between the other end of the inductive element and the voltage return line, and a fourth switch between the other end of the inductive element and the output of the voltage regulator; and a control circuit having a mode controller configured to operate the switches in buck, boost, or buck-boost mode, wherein the control circuit is responsive to the mode controller indicating whether the voltage regulator is in the buck, boost or buck-boost mode to determine timing of the switches in accordance with current in the inductive element, and the control circuit is further configured to set the switches into predetermined states so as to place the voltage regulator into a sleep mode in response to a rise in the output voltage of the voltage regulator beyond a threshold voltage. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A voltage regulator having an input and output, comprising:
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a switching circuit having an inductive element and switches configured to switch the inductive element to the input and output of the voltage regulator; and a control circuit configured to operate the switches in a buck-boost mode, wherein the control circuit is responsive to a signal indicating that the voltage regulator is in the buck-boost mode to determine timing of the switches in accordance with current in the inductive element, and the control circuit is further configured to set the switches into predetermined states so as to place the voltage regulator into a sleep mode in response to a rise in the output voltage of the voltage regulator beyond a threshold voltage. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification