Abstract: A method for controlling a load-current zero-crossing of a switching regulator having a high-side switch and a low-side switch includes detecting, by a spike detection circuit, a presence of a spike on an output voltage of the switching regulator, determining, by the spike detection circuit, in the event that a spike is present, whether the spike is a positive spike or a negative spike, and adjusting a turn-off timing of the low-side switch based on a determination result.

Abstract: A control device for a switching voltage regulator having a high-side switch and a low-side switch to supply a switching voltage to a load includes a comparator configured to compare the switching voltage with a reference voltage to provide an enable signal to the low-side switch, and a spike detection circuit configured to receive the switching voltage and output an offset control signal to execute a time shift to the enable signal.

Abstract: A control device for a switching voltage regulator having a high-side switch and a low-side switch to supply a switching voltage to a load includes a comparator configured to compare the switching voltage with a reference voltage to provide an enable signal to the low-side switch, and a spike detection circuit configured to receive the switching voltage and output an offset control signal to execute a time shift to the enable signal.

Abstract: Inrush current is a critical, undesirable behavior that results from the uncontrolled start-up or shut-down of voltage regulators. Large inrush currents lead to voltage overshoot at the output node of voltage regulators and this can damage the regulator load, in addition to peak current that can damage the packaging or the regulator itself. Embodiments of the invention introduce methods of inrush current reduction based on voltage reference generation. For example, one method is based on multiple filtered steps of the voltage reference for the voltage regulator. For example, another method is based on creating a voltage reference signal that has a continuous slope starting from zero and ending at zero. Embodiments of the invention reduce or limit the inrush current for sensitive applications.