Super N-phase switching mode power supply

• US 9,871,448 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2012
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Inventors: Yan, Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dhillon, Jagdeep
• Application Number:
  US13/731,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20140183951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,842 Days
• Field of Search: 307 38, 307 39, 307 66, 323237, 323241, 323271, 323272, 323282, 323288, 363163, 327427, 327103, 327107, 361772
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/10 Regulating voltage or current G05F1/02 takes precedence; for electric railways B60M3/02
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/40 using discharge tubes or semiconductor devices as final control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1584 with a plurality of power processing stages connected in parallel

Abstract

A power supply system. The power system includes a power supply controller for supplying a control signal. The power system also includes a plurality of MOSFET drivers controlled by the control signal. The power system also includes a plurality of power channels. Each of the power channels includes a plurality of MOSFETs that is controlled by a corresponding MOSFET driver. The plurality of power channels is configured to generate a plurality of power signals, wherein the control signal controls delivery of the plurality of power signals through each of the power channels.

Claims

1. A power system, comprising:

a power supply controller for supplying a control signal;

a plurality of MOSFET drivers controlled by said control signal; and

a plurality of power supply channels wherein each power supply channel comprises a plurality of MOSFETs and

a corresponding MOSFET driver of said plurality of MOSFET drivers and

wherein said plurality of MOSFETs are controlled by said corresponding MOSFET driver, and

wherein said plurality of power supply channels is configured to generate a plurality of power signals,

wherein each of the plurality of MOSFET drivers have a same duty cycle characteristic and

operate synchronously with remaining MOSFET drivers and

wherein said plurality of MOSFETs of each power supply channel comprises;

a high side MOSFET coupled to a positive voltage source and to a load; and

a low side MOSFET coupled to said load and a negative voltage source,

wherein said high side MOSFET and low side MOSFET are configured as a switching mode power supply.

2. The power system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of power supply channels further comprises an output circuit comprising:

an output inductor regulating a voltage of a corresponding power signal of said plurality of power signals; and

an output capacitor for providing said corresponding power signal as an output.

3. The power system of claim 1, further comprising:

an enable/disable circuit for enabling or disabling at least one of said plurality of power supply channels.

4. The power system of claim 1, further comprising:

a feedback circuit coupled to each of said plurality of power supply channels,

wherein said feedback circuit measures current and voltage information from said plurality of power signals, and

wherein said feedback circuit provides an average power supplied by each of said plurality of power supply channels and a total power supplied by said plurality of power supply channels.

5. The power system of claim 1, wherein said control signal of said power supply controller comprises a pulse width modified signal.

6. A power system, comprising:

a multi-phase power supply controller for supplying a plurality of control signals;

a plurality of MOSFET drivers,

wherein said plurality of MOSFET drivers are controlled by a corresponding control signal of said plurality of control signals;

a plurality of power channels,

wherein said plurality of power channels comprises a plurality of power supply channels each power supply channel comprising a plurality of MOSFETs and a corresponding MOSFET driver of said plurality of MOSFET drivers wherein said plurality of MOSFETs is driven by said corresponding MOSFET driver, and

wherein each of said plurality of power channels generates a corresponding plurality of power signals,

wherein each of said plurality of MOSFET drivers have a same duty cycle characteristic and operate synchronously with remaining MOSFET drivers and

wherein said plurality of MOSFETs comprises;

a high side MOSFET coupled to a positive voltage source and to a load; and

a low side MOSFET coupled to said load and a negative voltage source,

wherein said high side MOSFET and low side MOSFET are configured as a switching mode power supply.

7. The power system of claim 6, further comprising:

a first control signal supplied by said multi-phase power controller;

a first plurality of MOSFET drivers controlled by said first control signal;

a first plurality of power supply channels each comprising a plurality of MOSFETs and a corresponding MOSFET driver of said first plurality of MOSFET drivers and

wherein said plurality of MOSFETs are controlled by said corresponding MOSFET driver of said first plurality of MOSFET drivers, and

wherein said first plurality of power supply channels is configured to generate a first plurality of power signals;

a second control signal supplied by said multi-phase power controller;

a second plurality of MOSFET drivers controlled by said second control signal; and

a second plurality of power supply channels each comprising a plurality of MOSFETs and a corresponding MOSFET driver of said second plurality of MOSFET drivers and

wherein said plurality of MOSFETs are controlled by said corresponding MOSFET driver of said second plurality of MOSFET drivers for generating a second plurality of power signals.

8. The power system of claim 6, wherein each of said pluralities of power supply channels further comprises an output circuit comprising:

an output inductor regulating a voltage of a corresponding power signal; and

an output capacitor for providing said corresponding power signal as an output.

9. The power system of claim 6, further comprising:

a respective feedback circuit coupled to each of said plurality of power supply channels of each power channel,

wherein said respective feedback circuit measures current and voltage information from a corresponding power channel, and

wherein said respective feedback circuit provides an average power supplied by said corresponding power channel and a total power supplied by said corresponding power channel.

10. A method for supplying power, the method comprising:

providing a control signal;

controlling a plurality of MOSFET drivers using said control signal;

providing a plurality of power supply channels,

wherein each power supply channel comprises a plurality of MOSFETs and a corresponding MOSFET driver of said plurality of MOSFET drivers;

controlling a plurality of MOSFETs of a corresponding power supply channel by a corresponding MOSFET driver of said plurality of MOSFET drivers,

wherein each of said plurality of MOSFET drivers have a same duty cycle characteristic and operate synchronously with remaining MOSFET drivers and

wherein said plurality of MOSFETs of each power supply channel comprises;

a high side MOSFET coupled to a positive voltage source and to a load; and

a low side MOSFET coupled to said load and a negative voltage source, wherein said high side MOSFET and low side MOSFET are configured as a switching mode power supply; and

generating a plurality of power signals from said plurality of power supply channels.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

regulating a voltage of a corresponding power signal using a corresponding output inductor comprised in a corresponding power supply channel;

providing a corresponding power signal through a corresponding output capacitor coupled to said output inductor.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

disabling at least one of said power supply channels leaving at least one power channel active.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

measuring current and voltage information from said plurality of power signals.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

calculating an average power supplied by each of said plurality of power supply channels.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

calculating a total power supplied by said plurality of power supply channels.