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Differential output mode for a multi-mode power converter

  • US 9,595,868 B2
  • Filed: 02/03/2015
  • Issued: 03/14/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A switching power stage for producing an output voltage to a load, comprising:

  • a power converter comprising a power inductor and plurality of switches arranged to sequentially operate in a plurality of switch configurations; and

    a controller configured to;

    sequentially select selected operational modes of the power converter from a plurality of operational modes, the plurality of operational modes comprising at least a differential buck mode in which the controller sequentially applies the plurality of switch configurations to selectively activate or deactivate each of the plurality of switches in order to operate the power converter as a differential output buck converter, such that;

    during a charging phase of the power converter, the power inductor is coupled between (i) one of a first terminal of a power source and a second terminal of the power source and (ii) one of a first terminal of an output load and a second terminal of the output load;

    during a transfer phase of the power converter, at least one of the plurality of switches is activated in order to couple the power inductor between the first terminal of the output load and the second terminal of the output load and decouple both of the first terminal of the output load and the second terminal of the output load from both of the first terminal of the power source and the second terminal of the power source, such that during the transfer phase, an amount of charge is transferred from one of the first terminal of the output load and the second terminal of the output load is substantially equal to an amount of charge transferred to the other of the first terminal of the output load and the second terminal of the output load; and

    the output voltage comprises a differential voltage between the first terminal and the second terminal; and

    for each particular mode of the plurality of operational modes, selectively activate or deactivate each of the plurality of switches so as to generate a current of the power inductor based on an output signal of a modulator and the particular mode, in order to, for each of the plurality of operational modes, cause the power converter to convert the output signal of the modulator to the output voltage.

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