Non-linear control for voltage regulator
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- a first inductor for coupling to a load;
a capacitor, coupled to the first inductor, and for coupling to the load;
a first high-side switch coupled to the first inductor;
a first low-side switch coupled to the first inductor;
a bridge controller to control when to turn on and off the first high-side and first low-side switches;
a non-linear control (NLC) unit having an input coupled between the first inductor and the load to monitor an output voltage on the load, and an output to provide a trigger signal to cause the bridge controller to turn on the first high-side switch and turn off the first low-side switch when a droop on the output voltage is detected on the load, wherein the trigger signal is a pulse signal having a pulse width indicative of a time duration of the output voltage droop, wherein the NLC unit comprises;
a second comparator; and
a network of devices forming a high pass filter to couple Alternating Current (AC) output voltage on the load to input of the second comparator, wherein an output of the second comparator to control a second logic unit.
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Abstract
Described is an apparatus having a non-linear control to manage power supply droop at an output of a voltage regulator. The apparatus comprises: a first inductor for coupling to a load; a capacitor, coupled to the first inductor, and for coupling to the load; a first high-side switch couple to the first inductor; a first low-side switch coupled to the first inductor; a bridge controller to control when to turn on and off the first high-side and first low-side switches; and a non-linear control (NLC) unit to monitor output voltage on the load, and to cause the bridge controller to turn on the first high-side switch and turn off the first low-side switch when a voltage droop is detected on the load.
32 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a first inductor for coupling to a load; a capacitor, coupled to the first inductor, and for coupling to the load; a first high-side switch coupled to the first inductor; a first low-side switch coupled to the first inductor; a bridge controller to control when to turn on and off the first high-side and first low-side switches; a non-linear control (NLC) unit having an input coupled between the first inductor and the load to monitor an output voltage on the load, and an output to provide a trigger signal to cause the bridge controller to turn on the first high-side switch and turn off the first low-side switch when a droop on the output voltage is detected on the load, wherein the trigger signal is a pulse signal having a pulse width indicative of a time duration of the output voltage droop, wherein the NLC unit comprises;
a second comparator; and
a network of devices forming a high pass filter to couple Alternating Current (AC) output voltage on the load to input of the second comparator, wherein an output of the second comparator to control a second logic unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 22)
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11. An apparatus comprising:
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a first inductor for coupling to a load; a capacitor, coupled to the first inductor, and for coupling to the load; a first high-side switch coupled to the first inductor; a first low-side switch coupled to the first inductor; a bridge controller to control when to turn on and off the first high-side and first low-side switches; a non-linear control (NLC) unit having an input coupled between the first inductor and the load to monitor an output voltage on the load, and an output to provide a trigger signal to cause the bridge controller to turn on the first high-side switch and turn off the first low-side switch when a droop on the output voltage is detected on the load, wherein the trigger signal is a pulse signal having a pulse width indicative of a time duration of the output voltage droop, wherein the NLC unit comprises;
a second comparator; and
a network of devices forming a high pass filter with finite direct current (DC) gain to couple alternating current (AC) and DC output voltage on the load to input of the second comparator, wherein an output of the second comparator to control a second logic unit.
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16. An apparatus comprising:
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a bridge controller to control when to turn on and off a first high-side and a first low-side switches coupled to a load via an inductor; a non-linear control (NLC) unit having an input coupled between the inductor and the load to monitor an output voltage on the load, and an output to provide a trigger signal to cause the bridge controller to turn on the first high-side switch and turn off the first low-side switch when a droop on the output voltage is detected on the load, wherein the trigger signal is a pulse signal having a pulse width indicative of a time duration of the output voltage droop; a first comparator to compare a periodic signal relative to a reference voltage, wherein the NLC unit comprises;
a second comparator; and
a network of devices forming a high pass filter to couple Alternating Current (AC) output voltage on the load to input of the second comparator, wherein an output of the second comparator to control the logic unit. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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17. An apparatus comprising:
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a bridge controller to control when to turn on and off a first high-side and a first low-side switches coupled to a load via an inductor; a non-linear control (NLC) unit having an input coupled between the inductor and the load to monitor an output voltage on the load, and an output to provide a trigger signal to cause the bridge controller to turn on the first high-side switch and turn off the first low-side switch when a droop on the output voltage is detected on the load, wherein the trigger signal is a pulse signal having a pulse width indicative of a time duration of the output voltage droop;
a first comparator to compare a periodic signal relative to a reference voltage, wherein the NLC unit comprises;
a second comparator; and
a network of devices forming a high pass filter with finite direct current (DC) gain to couple alternating current (AC) and DC output voltage on the load to input of the second comparator, wherein an output of the second comparator to control the logic unit.
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19. A system comprising:
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a memory unit; a processor coupled to the memory unit, the processor including a voltage regulator, the voltage regulator comprising; a first inductor for coupling to a load; a capacitor, coupled to the first inductor, and for coupling to the load; a first high-side switch coupled to the first inductor; a first low-side switch coupled to the first inductor; a bridge controller to control when to turn on and off the first high-side and first low-side switches;
a non-linear control (NLC) unit having an input coupled between the first inductor and the load to monitor an output voltage on the load, and an output to provide a trigger signal to cause the bridge controller to turn on the first high-side switch and turn off the first low-side switch when a droop on the output voltage is detected on the load, wherein the trigger signal is a pulse signal having a pulse width indicative of a time duration of the output voltage droop; anda wireless interface for allowing the processor to communicate with other devices, wherein the NLC unit comprises at least one of; a network of devices forming a high pass filter to couple Alternating Current (AC) output voltage on the load to input of a second comparator, wherein an output of the second comparator to control a logic unit for controlling the bridge controller, or a network of devices forming a high pass filter with finite direct current (DC) gain to couple AC and DC output voltage on the load to input of the second comparator, wherein an output of the second comparator to control the logic unit for controlling the bridge controller. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification