Resonant rectified discontinuous switching regulator
First Claim
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1. A power conversion circuit comprising:
- a first terminal;
a first solid-state switch having a pair of first switch terminals and a first control terminal, the pair of first switch terminals connected between the first terminal and a first junction;
a second solid-state switch having a pair of second switch terminals and a second control terminal, the pair of second switch terminals connected between the first junction and a second junction;
a third solid-state switch having a pair of third switch terminals and a third control terminal, the pair of third switch terminals connected between the second junction and a third junction;
a fourth solid-state switch having a pair of fourth switch terminals and a fourth control terminal, the pair of fourth switch terminals connected between the third junction and a ground;
a capacitor coupled between the first junction and the third junction, and an inductor coupled between the second junction and a load; and
a controller transmitting first, second, third and fourth control signals to control the first, second, third and fourth solid-state switches through the first, second, third and fourth control terminals, respectively, such that a voltage at the load is regulated by repetitively (1) charging the capacitor causing a current to flow in the inductor, (2) discharging the capacitor causing current to flow in the inductor and (3) one or both of (a) if there is current flowing in the inductor when the capacitor attains a charged state, redirecting the current flowing in the inductor to ground, and (b) if there is current flowing in the inductor when the capacitor attains a discharged state, redirecting the current flowing in the inductor to ground.
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Abstract
A switched-mode power regulator circuit has four solid-state switches connected in series and a capacitor and an inductor that regulate power delivered to a load. The solid-state switches are operated such that a voltage at the load is regulated by repetitively (1) charging the capacitor causing a current to flow in the inductor and (2) discharging the capacitor causing current to flow in the inductor. The power regulator circuit may be configured to operate with zero current switching at frequencies in the range of 100 MHz, enabling it to be fabricated on a unitary silicon die along with the load that it powers.
27 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A power conversion circuit comprising:
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a first terminal; a first solid-state switch having a pair of first switch terminals and a first control terminal, the pair of first switch terminals connected between the first terminal and a first junction; a second solid-state switch having a pair of second switch terminals and a second control terminal, the pair of second switch terminals connected between the first junction and a second junction; a third solid-state switch having a pair of third switch terminals and a third control terminal, the pair of third switch terminals connected between the second junction and a third junction; a fourth solid-state switch having a pair of fourth switch terminals and a fourth control terminal, the pair of fourth switch terminals connected between the third junction and a ground; a capacitor coupled between the first junction and the third junction, and an inductor coupled between the second junction and a load; and a controller transmitting first, second, third and fourth control signals to control the first, second, third and fourth solid-state switches through the first, second, third and fourth control terminals, respectively, such that a voltage at the load is regulated by repetitively (1) charging the capacitor causing a current to flow in the inductor, (2) discharging the capacitor causing current to flow in the inductor and (3) one or both of (a) if there is current flowing in the inductor when the capacitor attains a charged state, redirecting the current flowing in the inductor to ground, and (b) if there is current flowing in the inductor when the capacitor attains a discharged state, redirecting the current flowing in the inductor to ground. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An electronic power conversion component comprising:
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a substrate having a plurality of contacts for forming electrical connections to a circuit board; one or more integrated circuit dies attached to the substrate and electrically connected to the plurality of contacts; a power conversion circuit disposed on the one or more integrated circuit dies, the power conversion circuit comprising; a first terminal; a first solid-state switch having a pair of first switch terminals and a first control terminal, the pair of first switch terminals connected between the first terminal and a first junction; a second solid-state switch having a pair of second switch terminals and a second control terminal, the pair of second switch terminals connected between the first junction and a second junction; a third solid-state switch having a pair of third switch terminals and a third control terminal, the pair of third switch terminals connected between the second junction and a third junction; a fourth solid-state switch having a pair of fourth switch terminals and a fourth control terminal, the pair of fourth switch terminals connected between the third junction and a ground; a capacitor coupled between the first junction and the third junction, and an inductor coupled between the second junction and a load; and a controller configured to transmit first, second, third and fourth control signals to control the first, second, third and fourth solid-state switches through the first, second, third and fourth control terminals, respectively, such that a voltage at the load is regulated by repetitively (1) charging the capacitor causing a current to flow in the inductor, (2) discharging the capacitor causing current to flow in the inductor and (3) one or both of (a) if there is current flowing in the inductor when the capacitor attains a charged state, redirecting the current flowing in the inductor to ground, and (b) if there is current flowing in the inductor when the capacitor attains a discharged state, redirecting the current flowing in the inductor to ground. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A method of operating a power conversion circuit, the method comprising:
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supplying power to the power conversion circuit with a power supply connected to a first terminal, the power conversion circuit comprising; a first solid-state switch having a pair of first switch terminals and a first control terminal, the pair of first switch terminals connected between the first terminal and a first junction; a second solid-state switch having a pair of second switch terminals and a second control terminal, the pair of second switch terminals connected between the first junction and a second junction; a third solid-state switch having a pair of third switch terminals and a third control terminal, the pair of third switch terminals connected between the second junction and a third junction; a fourth solid-state switch having a pair of fourth switch terminals and a fourth control terminal, the pair of fourth switch terminals connected between the third junction and a ground; and a capacitor coupled between the first junction and the third junction, and an inductor coupled between the second junction and a load; changing the configuration of the first, the second, the third and the fourth solid-state switches, such that a voltage at the load is regulated by repetitively (1) charging the capacitor causing a current to flow in the inductor, (2) discharging the capacitor causing current to flow in the inductor and (3) one or both of (a) if there is current flowing in the inductor when the capacitor attains a charged state, redirecting the current flowing in the inductor to ground, and (b) if there is current flowing in the inductor when the capacitor attains a discharged state, redirecting the current flowing in the inductor to ground.
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Specification