Operating a DC-DC converter
First Claim
1. A method of operating a DC (‘
- Direct Current’
)-DC converter on a chip, the chip comprising;
a plurality of micro-power-switching phases comprising magnetic material, with each phase comprising;
a high-side switch with a control input for activating the high-side switch, a low-side switch with a control input for activating the low-side switch, and an output in contact with and extending out of the magnetic material to form, in each phase, a toroidal inductor with a single loop coil, and to form, for the plurality of phases, a directly coupled inductor, with each phase electrically and magnetically coupled;
whereinthe directly coupled inductor is coupled to a filter and a load;
each high-side switch of each micro-power-switching phase is configured, when activated, to couple a voltage source to the single loop coil extending from the output node of the micro-power-switching phase; and
each low-side switch of each micro-power-switching phase is configured, when activated, to couple a ground voltage to the single loop coil extending from the output node of the micro-power-switching phase; and
the method comprising;
for each micro-power-switching phase, alternatively activating the high-side switch and the low-side switch, wherein no two switches of any micro-power-switching phase are activated at the same time.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Operating a DC-DC converter on a chip that includes: micro-power-switching phases and magnetic material, each phase including: a high-side and low-side switch with control inputs for activating the switch, and an output node; where: the output node of each phase extrudes through the magnetic material to form, in each phase, a toroidal inductor with a single loop coil, and to form, for the plurality of phases, a directly coupled inductor; the output node of each micro-power-switching phase is coupled to a filter and a load; each high-side switch is configured, when activated, to couple a voltage source to the phase'"'"'s single loop coil; and the low-side switch of each phase is configured, when activated, to couple the phase'"'"'s single loop coil to a ground voltage and the switches are alternatively activated where no two switches of any phase are activated at the same time.
180 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A method of operating a DC (‘
- Direct Current’
)-DC converter on a chip, the chip comprising;a plurality of micro-power-switching phases comprising magnetic material, with each phase comprising;
a high-side switch with a control input for activating the high-side switch, a low-side switch with a control input for activating the low-side switch, and an output in contact with and extending out of the magnetic material to form, in each phase, a toroidal inductor with a single loop coil, and to form, for the plurality of phases, a directly coupled inductor, with each phase electrically and magnetically coupled;wherein the directly coupled inductor is coupled to a filter and a load; each high-side switch of each micro-power-switching phase is configured, when activated, to couple a voltage source to the single loop coil extending from the output node of the micro-power-switching phase; and each low-side switch of each micro-power-switching phase is configured, when activated, to couple a ground voltage to the single loop coil extending from the output node of the micro-power-switching phase; and the method comprising;
for each micro-power-switching phase, alternatively activating the high-side switch and the low-side switch, wherein no two switches of any micro-power-switching phase are activated at the same time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- Direct Current’
-
10. An apparatus on a chip, the chip comprising:
-
a plurality of micro-power-switching phases comprising magnetic material, with each phase comprising;
a high-side switch with a control input for activating the high-side switch, a low-side switch with a control input for activating the low-side switch, and an output in contact with and extending out of the magnetic material to form, in each phase, a toroidal inductor with a single loop coil, and to form, for the plurality of phases, a directly coupled inductor, with each phase electrically and magnetically coupled;wherein the directly coupled inductor is coupled to a filter and a load; each high-side switch of each micro-power-switching phase is configured, when activated, to couple a voltage source to the single loop coil extending from the output node of the micro-power-switching phase; and each low-side switch of each micro-power-switching phase is configured, when activated, to couple a ground voltage to the single loop coil extending from the output node of the micro-power-switching phase; and the apparatus further comprising a controller configured for;
for each micro-power-switching phase, alternatively activating the high-side switch and the low-side switch, wherein no two switches of any micro-power-switching phase are activated at the same time. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification