Common cascode routing bus for high-efficiency DC-to-DC conversion
First Claim
1. A method of generating a regulated voltage, comprising:
- generating the regulated voltage through controlled closing and opening of a series switch element and shunt switch element, the series switch element being connected between a first voltage supply and a common node, and the shunt switch being connected between the common node and a second supply voltage, comprising;
closing the series switch element during a first period, the series switch element comprising a plurality of series switch element[s] segments, each series switch element segment comprising a series switching transistor connected at a series switch element node with a series protection transistor, wherein the series switch element node of one or more series switch element segment is connected to the series switch element node of at least one of the other series switch element[s] segments, the closing of the series switch element comprising;
applying a switching gate voltage to gates of series switching transistors of a subset of the plurality of series switch element[s] segments of the series switch element, wherein only the series switching transistors of the subset of the plurality of series switch element[s] segments of the series switch element turn on, while series protection transistors of more than the subset of the plurality of series switch element[s] segments of the series switch element turn on; and
closing the shunt switch element during a second period.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments for at least one method and apparatus of generating a regulated voltage are disclosed. One method includes generating the regulated voltage through controlled closing and opening of a series switch element and shunt switch element. This method includes closing the series switch element during a first period, the series switch element comprising a plurality of series switch elements segments. The method includes applying a switching gate voltage to gates of series switching transistors of a subset of the plurality of series switch elements segments of the series switch element, wherein only the series switching transistors of the subset of the plurality of series switch elements segments of the series switch element turn on, while series protection transistor of more than the subset of the plurality of series switch elements segments of the series switch element turn on. The shunt switch element during is closed during a second period.
36 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method of generating a regulated voltage, comprising:
generating the regulated voltage through controlled closing and opening of a series switch element and shunt switch element, the series switch element being connected between a first voltage supply and a common node, and the shunt switch being connected between the common node and a second supply voltage, comprising; closing the series switch element during a first period, the series switch element comprising a plurality of series switch element[s] segments, each series switch element segment comprising a series switching transistor connected at a series switch element node with a series protection transistor, wherein the series switch element node of one or more series switch element segment is connected to the series switch element node of at least one of the other series switch element[s] segments, the closing of the series switch element comprising; applying a switching gate voltage to gates of series switching transistors of a subset of the plurality of series switch element[s] segments of the series switch element, wherein only the series switching transistors of the subset of the plurality of series switch element[s] segments of the series switch element turn on, while series protection transistors of more than the subset of the plurality of series switch element[s] segments of the series switch element turn on; and closing the shunt switch element during a second period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
8. A method of generating a regulated voltage, comprising:
generating the regulated voltage through controlled closing and opening of a series switch element and shunt switch element, the series switch element being connected between a first voltage supply and a common node, and the shunt switch being connected between the common node and a second supply voltage, comprising; closing the series switch element during a first period; closing the shunt switch element during a second period, wherein the shunt switch element comprises a plurality of shunt switch element[s] segments, each shunt switch element segment comprising a shunt switching transistor connected at a shunt switch element node with a shunt protection transistor, wherein the shunt switch element node of one or more shunt switch element segment is connected to the shunt switch element node of at least one of the other series switch element[s] segments; and
whereinclosing the shunt switch element during the second period comprises applying a switching gate voltage to gates of shunt switching transistors of a subset of the plurality of shunt switch element[s] segments of the shunt switch element, wherein only the shunt switching transistors of the subset of the plurality of shunt switch element[s] segments of the shunt switch element turn on, while shunt protection transistor of more than the subset of the plurality of shunt switch element[s] segments of the shunt switch element turn on. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
15. A voltage regulator, comprising:
-
a series switch element connected between a first voltage supply and a common node, the series switch element comprising a plurality of series switch element[s] segments, each series switch element segment comprising a series switching transistor connected at a series switch element node with a series protection transistor, wherein the series switch element node of one or more series switch element segment is connected to the series switch element node of at least one of the other series switch element[s] segments; a shunt switch element connected between the common node and a second voltage supply, the shunt switch element comprising a plurality of shunt switch element[s] segments, each shunt switch element segment comprising a shunt switching transistor connected at a shunt switch element node with a shunt protection transistor, wherein the shunt switch element node of one or more shunt switch element segment is connected to the shunt switch element node of at least one of the other series switch element[s] segments; and means for closing the series switch element during a first period comprising; applying a switching gate voltage to gates of series switching transistors of a subset of the plurality of series switch element[s] segments of the series switch element, wherein only the series switching transistors of the subset of the plurality of series switch element[s] segments of the series switch element turn on, while series protection transistors of more than the subset of the plurality of series switch element[s] segments of the series switch element turn on; and means for closing the shunt switch element during a second period. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification