Power supply device, method for controlling the power supply device, and electronic apparatus

• US 9,450,418 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2012
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LAPIS Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (ROHM Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: LAPIS Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (ROHM Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yotsuji, Tetsuaki, Kashu, Yasuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Bauer, Scott
• Application Number:
  US13/691,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20130147271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: 307/28
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc

Abstract

Provided are a power supply device capable of producing a highly-accurate supply voltage at low power consumption, a method for controlling the power supply device, and an electronic apparatus in which the power supply device is incorporated. The power supply device includes a first power supplying part and a second power supplying part which has less output current capacity than the first power supplying part does. The power supply device is configured to control the voltage value of the second voltage produced in the second power supplying part in order to make the first voltage produced in the first power supplying part equal to the second voltage produced in the second power supplying part.

Claims

1. A power supply device, comprising:

a first power supplying part which produces a first voltage;

a second power supplying part which produces a second voltage, the second power supplying part having an output current capacity smaller than the first power supplying part;

a comparator for comparing a magnitude of the first voltage and a magnitude of the second voltage with each other; and

voltage control signal generation means for generating a voltage control signal on the basis of the comparison, wherein

the second power supplying part controls a voltage value of the second voltage so as to bring the voltage value of the second voltage closer to a voltage value of the first voltage in response to the voltage control signal.

2. The power supply device according to claim 1, wherein

the voltage control signal generation means produces the voltage control signal on the basis of either a difference in voltage value between the first voltage and the second voltage, or a result of a magnitude comparison between the first voltage and the second voltage.

3. The power supply device according to claim 1, wherein

the first power supplying part comprises

a first reference voltage generation circuit for producing a first reference voltage, and

a first output amplifier for producing, as a first supply voltage, such a voltage as to have a same voltage value as that of the first reference voltage, and then feeding the first supply voltage to a first power supply line;

the second power supplying part comprises

a second reference voltage generation circuit for producing a second reference voltage, and

a second output amplifier for producing, as a second supply voltage, such a voltage as to have a same voltage value as that of the second reference voltage, and then feeding the second supply voltage to a second power supply line;

the first voltage is the first reference voltage or the first supply voltage, while the second voltage is the second reference voltage or the second supply voltage; and

the second reference voltage generation circuit controls a voltage value of the second reference voltage in response to the voltage control signal.

4. The power supply device according to claim 3, wherein

the first reference voltage generation circuit comprises a negative feedback amplification circuit and supplies, as the first reference voltage, an output voltage of the negative feedback amplification circuit to the first output amplifier;

and

the second reference voltage generation circuit comprises a plurality of transistors connected in series between an output line and a ground line and a current source for feeding current to the plurality of transistors through the output line, and supplies a voltage on the output line to the second output amplifier as the second reference voltage.

5. The power supply device according to claim 3, further comprising a switch which connects or interrupts connection between the first power supply line and the second power supply line, and wherein

the first power supplying part is switchable to either one of states including an activated state in which the first supply voltage is produced in response to an activation signal and a non-activated state in which the first supply voltage is stopped from being produced.

6. The power supply device according to claim 3, further comprising a hold circuit for holding the voltage control signal, and wherein

the second reference voltage generation circuit controls the voltage value of the second voltage in response to the voltage control signal held by the hold circuit.

7. The power supply device according to claim 6, wherein the hold circuit is brought into a driven state when supplied with the second supply voltage.

8. The power supply device according to claim 3, wherein the first voltage is the first supply voltage, and the second voltage is the second reference voltage.

9. The power supply device according to claim 3, wherein the first voltage is the first reference voltage, and the second voltage is the second supply voltage.

10. The power supply device according to claim 3, wherein

the voltage control signal generation means produces the voltage control signal on the basis of either a difference between the first reference voltage and an offset added voltage obtained by adding an offset occurring in the second output amplifier to the second reference voltage, or a result of a magnitude comparison between the first reference voltage and the offset added voltage.

11. The power supply device according to claim 3, wherein

the voltage control signal generation means produces the voltage control signal on the basis of either a difference between the second reference voltage and an offset added voltage obtained by adding an offset occurring in the first output amplifier to the first reference voltage, or a result of a magnitude comparison between the second reference voltage and the offset added voltage.

12. A method for controlling a power supply device, the power supply device including a first power supplying part for producing a first voltage, and a second power supplying part for producing a second voltage and having an output current capacity smaller than the first power supplying part, the method comprising:

comparing a magnitude of the first voltage and a magnitude of the second voltage with each other; and

providing control so that a voltage value of the second voltage is brought closer to a voltage value of the first voltage.

13. The method for controlling a power supply device according to claim 12, wherein

the first power supplying part supplies power to a first load, and functions to produce the first voltage while maintaining an activated state during an active mode in which the first load is in an operating state, and maintain stoppage of generation of the first voltage during a sleep mode in which the first load is in a stopped state.

14. The method for controlling a power supply device according to claim 13, wherein the voltage value of the second voltage is controlled during the active mode.

15. The method for controlling a power supply device according to claim 13, wherein control is provided to the voltage value of the second voltage after the first power supplying part is activated and immediately before the active mode.

16. The method for controlling a power supply device according to claim 13, wherein

in the active mode, a radio signal is transmitted or received, and a setting of the transmission or reception is made;

in the sleep mode, the transmission or reception is stopped; and

control is provided to the voltage value of the second voltage when the first power supplying part is in the activated state so as to avoid a period in which the transmission or reception is performed.

17. An electronic apparatus including an active mode in which a first load is in an operating state and a sleep mode in which the first load is at a stopped state, the electronic apparatus comprising:

a first power supplying part which produces a first voltage and supplies power to the first load while maintaining an activated state during the active mode, and stops producing the first voltage during the sleep mode and stopping supplying power to the first load;

a second power supplying part which produces a second voltage and supplies power to a second load, the second power supplying part having an output current capacity smaller than the first power supplying part;

a comparator for comparing a magnitude of the first voltage and a magnitude of the second voltage with each other; and

voltage control signal generation means for generating a voltage control signal on the basis of a result of the comparison, wherein

the second power supplying part controls a voltage value of the second voltage so as to bring the voltage value of the second voltage closer to a voltage value of the first voltage in response to the voltage control signal.

18. The electronic apparatus according to claim 17, comprising a transmit/receive part for providing control of transmission or reception of a radio signal during the active mode, and wherein

the first power supplying part comprising

a first reference voltage generation circuit for producing a first reference voltage, and

a first output amplifier for producing a first supply voltage having a same voltage value as that of the first reference voltage, and then supplying the first supply voltage through a first power supply line to the transmit/receive part;

the second power supplying part comprising

a second reference voltage generation circuit for producing a second reference voltage, and

a second output amplifier for producing a second supply voltage having a same voltage value as that of the second reference voltage, and then feeding the second supply voltage through a second power supply line to the second load; and

the first voltage is the first reference voltage or the first supply voltage, while the second voltage is the second reference voltage.