Abstract: A controller for a power converter for providing an output voltage across a load by modulating a current through an inductive element includes a pulse width modulator stage, a droop signal generation circuit, and a first summing device. The pulse width modulator stage is configured to modulate current into the inductive element in response to an error signal. The droop signal generation circuit is configured to form an alternating current (AC) droop signal in response to controlling a current feedback signal indicative of a current through the inductive element, and to provide a droop signal in response to the AC droop signal. The first summing device is configured to provide the error signal in response to a difference between a sum of a voltage feedback signal and the droop signal, and a reference voltage.

Abstract: A multi-phase power converter includes a digital ramp pulse modulation controller, a digital constant on-time controller, and a driver stage. The digital ramp pulse modulation controller provides a trigger ramp signal in response to an error signal when the multi-phase power converter is not in a green mode, wherein at least a portion of the digital ramp pulse modulation controller is inactive in the green mode. The digital constant on-time controller provides on-time thresholds and off-time thresholds when the multi-phase power converter is in the green mode. The driver stage provides a plurality of drive signals to a corresponding plurality of power stages in response to the trigger ramp signal when the multi-phase power converter is not in the green mode and to the on-time thresholds and the off-time thresholds when the multi-phase power converter is in the green mode.

Abstract: A voltage regulator is described for use in high power delivery applications, including notebook computers, ultra-book computers, and electric vehicles. The voltage regulator is configured with multiphase current and constant on-time (COT) control. The voltage regulator can be configured with adaptive on-time control with zero undershoot in the output voltage signal, in response to a dynamic load. The multiphase current source can be configured with adjustable current share gain to provide a democratic current balance method. A method of operating the voltage regulator can be compatible with analog, digital, and hybrid implementations.

Abstract: A controller for a power converter for providing an output voltage across a load by modulating a current through an inductive element includes a pulse width modulator stage, a droop signal generation circuit, and a first summing device. The pulse width modulator stage is configured to modulate current into the inductive element in response to an error signal. The droop signal generation circuit is configured to form an alternating current (AC) droop signal in response to controlling a current feedback signal indicative of a current through the inductive element, and to provide a droop signal in response to the AC droop signal. The first summing device is configured to provide the error signal in response to a difference between a sum of a voltage feedback signal and the droop signal, and a reference voltage.

Abstract: A multi-phase power converter includes a digital ramp pulse modulation controller, a digital constant on-time controller, and a driver stage. The digital ramp pulse modulation controller provides a trigger ramp signal in response to an error signal when the multi-phase power converter is not in a green mode, wherein at least a portion of the digital ramp pulse modulation controller is inactive in the green mode. The digital constant on-time controller provides on-time thresholds and off-time thresholds when the multi-phase power converter is in the green mode. The driver stage provides a plurality of drive signals to a corresponding plurality of power stages in response to the trigger ramp signal when the multi-phase power converter is not in the green mode and to the on-time thresholds and the off-time thresholds when the multi-phase power converter is in the green mode.

Abstract: The present application relates to power converters, particularly switch mode power converters sharing a load in which the converters are operated to share stresses between them. The application provides a controller (108) in which a stress share control loop (108a, 108b) is provided to ensure the associated converter is operating at an average stress. The stress share control loop has a proportional and an integral term in its feedback path. The integral term may be enabled or disabled. In use, the integral term is enabled in all but one controller.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating capacitor current in a feed-forward control system includes a circuit that conducts a current through an output capacitor to ground and estimates a current magnitude for the current in an output current estimator. The current estimator generates a voltage that corresponds to the estimated current magnitude by creating a voltage drop across an estimator circuit capacitor that equals a voltage drop across the output capacitor, by creating a voltage drop across an output of an RC network of the estimator circuit that equals or is proportional to a voltage drop across the output capacitor due to parasitic inductance and parasitic resistance of the output capacitor. The voltage drop across the output of the RC network of the estimator circuit is proportional to current flowing through the parasitic inductance and resistance of the output capacitor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating capacitor current in a feed-forward control system includes a circuit that conducts a current through an output capacitor to ground and estimates a current magnitude for the current in an output current estimator. The current estimator generates a voltage that corresponds to the estimated current magnitude by creating a voltage drop across an estimator circuit capacitor that equals a voltage drop across the output capacitor, by creating a voltage drop across an output of an RC network of the estimator circuit that equals or is proportional to a voltage drop across the output capacitor due to parasitic inductance and parasitic resistance of the output capacitor. The voltage drop across the output of the RC network of the estimator circuit is proportional to current flowing through the parasitic inductance and resistance of the output capacitor.

Abstract: The present application relates to power converters, particularly switch mode power converters sharing a load in which the converters are operated to share stresses between them. The application provides a controller (108) in which a stress share control loop (108a, 108b) is provided to ensure the associated converter is operating at an average stress. The stress share control loop has a proportional and an integral term in its feedback path. The integral term may be enabled or disabled. In use, the integral term is enabled in all but one controller.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed generally to switch mode power supplies operating in a master-slave configuration and provides a method of synchronizing the PWM outputs from the master and slave devices to avoid problems such, for example, as the generation of beat frequencies.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed generally to switch mode power supplies operating in a master-slave configuration and provides a method of synchronizing the PWM outputs from the master and slave devices to avoid problems such, for example, as the generation of beat frequencies.