Apparatus, system and method for voltage regulator with an improved voltage regulation using a remote feedback loop and filter

• US 9,471,071 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dialog Semiconductors (UK) Limited
• Original Assignee: Dialog Semiconductors (UK) Limited
• Inventors: Gallina, Pietro
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MATTHEW VAN
• Application Number:
  US14/204,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20150253790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/46 wherein the variable actually regulated by the final control device is dc G05F1/625 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/575 characterised by the feedback circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method for a voltage regulator for improved voltage regulation using a remote feedback and remote feedback low pass filter. The system comprises of a power management unit, a remote load point (HOST), an inductor, a filtering capacitor, a printed circuit board (PCB) track output net, a ground connection, a remote feedback line, and a low pass filter (LPF). In this present disclosure, the electrical connection of the remote feedback low pass filter to the output filter capacitor minimizes transient ringing, reduced noise coupling, and improved system stability.

Claims

1. A voltage regulator with improved voltage regulation comprising:

a power management unit (PMU);

a remote load;

a remote feedback network electrically connected to said remote load and whose output is electrically coupled to said power management unit PMU;

a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising at least one said printed circuit board (PCB) trace electrically coupling said power management unit (PMU) and said remote load;

a filtering capacitor; and

a remote feedback loop filter electrically coupled to said filtering capacitor and to said power management unit PMU.

2. The voltage regulator of claim 1 wherein said remote feedback loop filter is an active or passive filter.

3. The voltage regulator of claim 2 wherein said remote feedback loop filter is a low pass filter.

4. The voltage regulator of claim 3 wherein said low pass filter comprises:

at least one capacitor; and

at least one resistor.

5. The voltage regulator of claim 3 wherein said low pass filter comprises:

a plurality of capacitors; and

a plurality of resistors.

6. The voltage regulator of claim 3 wherein said low pass filter with the plurality of capacitors and plurality of resistors where at least one capacitor is connected to said filter capacitor, and at least one capacitor is connected to ground.

7. The voltage regulator of claim 3 wherein said low pass filter is electrically connected to said power management unit PMU and said filtering capacitor.

19. The voltage regulator of claim 1 wherein said voltage regulator is a DC-to-DC voltage regulator.

20. The voltage regulator of claim 1 wherein said voltage regulator is a low dropout (LDO) regulator.

21. The voltage regulator of claim 19 wherein said DC-to-DC voltage regulator is a buck converter, boost converter, buck-buck converter, or buck-boost regulator.

8. A system with improved electrical stability, comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB);

a power management device;

a remote load;

at least one printed circuit board (PCB) track on said printed circuit board (PCB) electrically coupling said power management device and said remote load;

a filter capacitor electrically connected to said printed circuit board (PCB) track and electrical ground;

a remote feedback line electrically coupling said power management device and said remote load; and

a remote feedback loop filter electrically coupled to said power management device and filter capacitor to minimize non-ideal characteristics of said printed circuit board (PCB) track.

9. The system with of claim 8 wherein said remote feedback loop filter is a passive or active filter.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said remote feedback loop filter is electrically mounted on the same substrate as the power management device.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said remote feedback loop filter is mounted on said printed circuit board (PCB).

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said remote feedback loop filter is a low pass filter.

13. The system with of claim 12 wherein said low pass filter is at least one resistor, and at least one capacitor.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein said low pass filter is a plurality of resistors and plurality of capacitors.

22. The system of claim 8 wherein said power management device is a DC-to-DC voltage regulator.

23. The system of claim 8 wherein said power management device is a low dropout (LDO) regulator.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein said DC-to-DC voltage regulator is a buck converter, boost converter, buck-buck converter, or buck-boost regulator.

15. A method for improved voltage regulation using a remote feedback and remote feedback low pass filter, comprising the steps of:

providing a voltage regulator comprising of a power management unit (PMU), a host load, an inductor, a filtering capacitor, a printed circuit board (PCB) track, a remote feedback loop, and remote feedback loop low pass filter;

placing the filtering capacitor adjacent to the power management unit (PMU); and

coupling the remote feedback loop low pass filter to the filtering capacitor, and to the power management unit (PMU) for minimizing non-ideality characteristics of said printed circuit board (PCB) track.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising placing the remote feedback loop low pass filter adjacent to the filtering capacitor.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising placing the remote feedback loop low pass filter adjacent to the power management unit (PMU).

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising optimizing the remote feedback loop low pass filter components that provides optimum system stability.

25. The method of claim 15 wherein said voltage regulator is a DC-to-DC voltage regulator.

26. The method of claim 15 wherein said voltage regulator is a low dropout (LDO) regulator.

27. The voltage regulator of claim 25 wherein said DC-to-DC voltage regulator is a buck converter, boost converter, buck-buck converter, or buck-boost regulator.