Power converter for a memory module

• US 8,867,295 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2011
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altera Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Enpirion, Inc. (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mera, Narciso, Lopata, Douglas Dean, Lotfi, Ashraf W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Son
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Uyen B
• Application Number:
  US13/088,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20120154013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 365/226, 365/149, 365/227, 365/130
• US Class Current: 365/226
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/4074 Power supply or voltage generation circuits, e.g. bias voltage generators, substrate voltage generators, back-up power, power control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/147 Voltage reference generators, voltage or current regulators; Internally lowered supply levels; Compensation for voltage drops G11C5/141 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/4837 Flying capacitor converters

Abstract

An apparatus including a memory module and power converter and method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a memory module, located on a circuit board, configured to operate from a first voltage and a second voltage being a multiple of the first voltage. The apparatus also includes a power converter employing a switched-capacitor power train, located on the circuit board, configured to provide the second voltage for the memory module from the first voltage.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory module, located on a circuit board, configured to operate from a first voltage and a second voltage being a multiple of said first voltage;

another memory module, located on said circuit board, configured to operate from said first voltage and said second voltage; and

a power converter employing a switched-capacitor power train, located on said circuit board, including a flying capacitor configured to be alternately switched across and in series with an output of said power converter to provide said second voltage to said memory module and said another memory module from said first voltage, wherein a path resistance from said power converter to said memory module and said another memory module is substantially balanced.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said first voltage represents an input voltage to said power converter and said second voltage represents an output voltage of said power converter.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein a voltage drop between said power converter and said memory module and said another memory module are substantially equal.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said power converter is substantially centrally located on said circuit board.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said power converter is operable in a light-load mode of operation with a switching frequency dependent on a current drain of said memory module and said another memory module at said second voltage.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein power switches of said switched-capacitor power train are alternately enabled to conduct to switch said flying capacitor across said output of said power converter to provide said second voltage as an output voltage of said power converter.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said power converter is embodied in a silicon die coupled to a leadframe through solder bumps.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said solder bumps are copper.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said multiple is about one-half.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said memory module and said another memory module are digital random-access memory modules.

11. A method, comprising:

providing a first voltage to a memory module located on a circuit board;

providing said first voltage to another memory module located on a circuit board; and

providing a second voltage being a multiple of said first voltage to said memory module and said another memory module with a power converter, located on said circuit board, from said first voltage, said power converter employing a switched capacitor power train including a flying capacitor being alternately switched across and in series with an output of said power converter to provide said second voltage, wherein a path resistance from said power converter to said memory module and said another memory module is substantially balanced.

12. The method as recited in claim 11,

wherein said first voltage represents an input voltage to said power converter and said second voltage represents an output voltage of said power converter.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein a voltage drop between said power converter and said memory module and said another memory module are substantially equal.

14. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said power converter is substantially centrally located on said circuit board.

15. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said power converter is operable in a light-load mode of operation with a switching frequency dependent on a current drain of said memory module and said another memory module at said second voltage.

16. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein power switches of said switched-capacitor power train are alternately enabled to conduct to switch said flying capacitor across said output of said power converter to provide said second voltage as an output voltage of said power converter.

17. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said power converter is embodied in a silicon die coupled to a leadframe through solder bumps.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein said solder bumps are copper.

19. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said multiple is about one-half.

20. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said memory module and said another memory module are digital random-access memory modules.