Abstract: A control circuit for a voltage regulator has an energy regulation circuit and a switching control circuit. The energy regulation circuit provides a regulation signal based on an output voltage, an output current, and a maximum energy reference. The maximum energy reference decreases with increasing of an ambient temperature and increases with decreasing of the ambient temperature. The switching control circuit provides a switching control signal based on the regulation signal to turn ON and turn OFF at least one switch of a plurality of switches of the voltage regulator, such that the output voltage and the output current satisfy a first relationship when the ambient temperature equals a first temperature value, and the output voltage and the output current satisfy a second relationship when the ambient temperature equals a second temperature value.

Abstract: A control circuit for a DC-DC converter has an over-current comparison circuit, an adaptive voltage position (AVP) control circuit and a switching control circuit. The over-current comparison circuit provides an over-current comparison signal by comparing an output current with a current limit value. The AVP control circuit provides a position signal based on a voltage identification code, an output voltage, an output current and the over-current comparison signal. The switching control circuit controls the DC-DC converter based on the position signal. When the output current is smaller than the current limit value, the output voltage varies along a first voltage position curve, and otherwise, the output voltage varies along a second voltage position curve.

Abstract: A control circuit for a DC-DC converter has an adaptive voltage position (AVP) control circuit and a switching control circuit. The AVP control circuit generates a position signal based on an output voltage, an output current, a voltage identification code and a set of adaptive voltage control commands. The switching control circuit generates a switching control signal based on the position signal to control the DC-DC converter. When the output current is smaller than a current threshold, the control circuit chooses one of a first voltage position curve and a second voltage position curve as a load line according to the set of adaptive voltage control commands, and when the output current is larger than the current threshold, the control circuit chooses the remaining voltage position curve as the load line according to the set of adaptive voltage control commands.

Abstract: A controller for a multiphase switching converter has a voltage control circuit, a total current control circuit, a frequency divider and a plurality of sub control circuits. The voltage control circuit provides an on-time control signal based on an output voltage. The total current control circuit provides a current control signal based on a total current flowing through the plurality of switching circuits. The frequency divider receives the on-time control signal, and provides a plurality of frequency division signals based on the on-time control signal. The plurality of sub control circuits provides a plurality of switching control signals to control the plurality of switching circuits respectively. Each of the plurality of sub control circuits receives one of the plurality of frequency division signals and the current control signal, and provides one of the plurality of switching control signals.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) control device for a multi-phase switching converter having a master phase and at least one slave phase, has a first ON-time control circuit to provide a first ON-time control signal and at least one slave ON-time control circuit. Each slave ON-time control circuit has a closed-loop gainer to provide a gain by executing proportional integral to a difference between a master phase temperature and a slave phase temperature, a multiplier to provide a current feedback signal by multiplying a slave current signal with the gain, a bias circuit to provide a bias by executing proportional integral to a difference between a master phase current and the current feedback signal, and an adder to provide a corresponding slave ON-time control signal by adding the first ON-time control signal to a bias ON-time control signal provided by a bias ON-time generator based the bias.

Abstract: A control circuit for a switching converter has a valley current limiting circuit, a peak current limiting circuit, an ON time control circuit, and a switching control circuit. The valley current limiting circuit provides a valley current comparison signal by comparing a current sense signal with a first current threshold. The current sense signal is representative of a current flowing through a switching circuit of the switching converter. The peak current limiting circuit provides a peak current comparison signal based on the valley current comparison signal, a switching control signal, and a second current threshold. The ON time control circuit provides an ON time control signal based on the switching control signal. The switching control circuit provides the switching control signal based on the voltage comparison signal, the valley current comparison signal, the peak current comparison signal, and the ON time control signal to control the switching circuit.

Abstract: A controller used in a switching converter having a switch and converting an input voltage into an output voltage having a transient profile. The controller includes a transient sensing circuit, a mode determining circuit and an on time regulating circuit. The transient sensing circuit generates a transient voltage signal indicative of the transient profile of the output voltage. The mode determining circuit receives the transient voltage signal and a first feedback voltage signal indicative of the output voltage, and generates a mode signal based on a first comparison between the first feedback voltage signal and a first threshold voltage and a second comparison between the transient voltage signal and a second threshold voltage. The on time regulating circuit generates an on time signal to regulate an on time of the switch based on the mode signal.

Abstract: A controller for a multiphase switching converter has a set generation circuit, a frequency divider, and a plurality of sub control circuits. The set generation circuit provides a set signal based on an output voltage and a total current flowing through the plurality of switching circuits. The frequency divider provides a plurality of frequency division signals based on the set signal. The plurality of sub control circuits provides a plurality of switching control signals to control the plurality of switching circuits respectively. Such that when the total current is larger than a current reference, one of the plurality of switching circuits maintains off temporarily, until the total current is less than the current reference, then the one of the plurality of switching circuits are turned on based on the output voltage and a voltage reference.

Abstract: A control circuit for a voltage regulator has an energy regulation circuit and a switching control circuit. The energy regulation circuit provides a regulation signal based on an output voltage, an output current, and a maximum energy reference. The maximum energy reference decreases with increasing of an ambient temperature and increases with decreasing of the ambient temperature. The switching control circuit provides a switching control signal based on the regulation signal to turn ON and turn OFF at least one switch of a plurality of switches of the voltage regulator, such that the output voltage and the output current satisfy a first relationship when the ambient temperature equals a first temperature value, and the output voltage and the output current satisfy a second relationship when the ambient temperature equals a second temperature value.

Abstract: A control circuit for a DC-DC converter has an adaptive voltage position (AVP) control circuit and a switching control circuit. The AVP control circuit generates a position signal based on an output voltage, an output current, a voltage identification code and a set of adaptive voltage control commands. The switching control circuit generates a switching control signal based on the position signal to control the DC-DC converter. When the output current is smaller than a current threshold, the control circuit chooses one of a first voltage position curve and a second voltage position curve as a load line according to the set of adaptive voltage control commands, and when the output current is larger than the current threshold, the control circuit chooses the remaining voltage position curve as the load line according to the set of adaptive voltage control commands.

Abstract: A control circuit for a DC-DC converter has an over-current comparison circuit, an adaptive voltage position (AVP) control circuit and a switching control circuit. The over-current comparison circuit provides an over-current comparison signal by comparing an output current with a current limit value. The AVP control circuit provides a position signal based on a voltage identification code, an output voltage, an output current and the over-current comparison signal. The switching control circuit controls the DC-DC converter based on the position signal. When the output current is smaller than the current limit value, the output voltage varies along a first voltage position curve, and otherwise, the output voltage varies along a second voltage position curve.

Abstract: A phase sequence correction circuit for a voltage converter has a blanking time calculation circuit and a control signal generation circuit. Based on a plurality of delay signals, the blanking time calculation circuit updates a blanking time period during which a immediately following switching circuit is not allowed on. If a sum of the plurality of delay signals is larger than an incremental threshold, then the blanking time signal increases by an incremental step. The control signal generation circuit receives the blanking time signal and provides a plurality of control signals to control a plurality of switching circuits of the voltage converter respectively. If a sum of the plurality of delay signals is larger than an incremental threshold, then the blanking time signal increases by an incremental step.

Abstract: A controller for a multiphase switching converter has a set generation circuit, a frequency divider, and a plurality of sub control circuits. The set generation circuit provides a set signal based on an output voltage and a total current flowing through the plurality of switching circuits. The frequency divider provides a plurality of frequency division signals based on the set signal. The plurality of sub control circuits provides a plurality of switching control signals to control the plurality of switching circuits respectively. Such that when the total current is larger than a current reference, one of the plurality of switching circuits maintains off temporarily, until the total current is less than the current reference, then the one of the plurality of switching circuits are turned on based on the output voltage and a voltage reference.

Abstract: A controller for a multiphase switching converter has a voltage control circuit, a total current control circuit, a frequency divider and a plurality of sub control circuits. The voltage control circuit provides an on-time control signal based on an output voltage. The total current control circuit provides a current control signal based on a total current flowing through the plurality of switching circuits. The frequency divider receives the on-time control signal, and provides a plurality of frequency division signals based on the on-time control signal. The plurality of sub control circuits provides a plurality of switching control signals to control the plurality of switching circuits respectively. Each of the plurality of sub control circuits receives one of the plurality of frequency division signals and the current control signal, and provides one of the plurality of switching control signals.

Abstract: A sequence assignment method used in multiphase switching converters with daisy chain configuration, wherein the multiphase switching converter includes a plurality of switching circuits coupled in parallel, and a plurality of control circuits configured in a daisy chain and sharing a phase control signal. Each control circuit generates a phase output signal, and a switch control signal for controlling a corresponding switching circuit based on a phase input signal and the phase control signal.

Abstract: A fault protection method used in a multiphase switching converter which includes a plurality of switching circuits coupled in parallel and a plurality of control circuits configured in a daisy chain. Each control circuit has a first terminal coupled to a phase control signal, a second terminal coupled to a previous control circuit in the daisy chain to receive a phase input signal, and a third terminal coupled to a latter control circuit in the daisy chain to provide a phase output signal.

Abstract: A fault detection method is sampling currents flowing through a plurality of switching circuits to generate a plurality of current sampling signals, generating a first reference signal and a second reference signal based on a predetermined reference signal and a ripple threshold signal, and generating a plurality of fault signals based on comparison results of each of the plurality of current sampling signals with the first reference signal and the second reference signal. When one of the plurality of current sampling signals is between the first reference signal and the second reference signal, a corresponding one of the plurality of fault signals changes to a first state, and when the corresponding one of the plurality of fault signals remains the first state for more than a predetermined time period, a corresponding one of control signals turns off a corresponding one of the plurality of switching circuits.

Abstract: A phase sequence correction circuit for a voltage converter has a blanking time calculation circuit and a control signal generation circuit. Based on a plurality of delay signals, the blanking time calculation circuit updates a blanking time period during which a immediately following switching circuit is not allowed on. If a sum of the plurality of delay signals is larger than an incremental threshold, then the blanking time signal increases by an incremental step. The control signal generation circuit receives the blanking time signal and provides a plurality of control signals to control a plurality of switching circuits of the voltage converter respectively. If a sum of the plurality of delay signals is larger than an incremental threshold, then the blanking time signal increases by an incremental step.

Abstract: A multiphase switching converter with automatic phase shedding control, wherein the multiphase switching converter includes a plurality of switching circuits coupled in parallel, and a plurality of control circuits configured in a daisy chain and respectively configured for driving a corresponding one of the plurality of switching circuits. Each of the control circuit generates a current threshold based on a corresponding sequence information, and compares a current indication signal indicative of a load current of the multiphase switching converter with the current threshold to determine whether to enter into a phase shedding mode.

Abstract: A fault detection method for a multi-phase converter is: sampling currents flowing through a plurality of switching circuits to generate a plurality of current sampling signals; generating a plurality of digital current signals based on a plurality of current sampling signals; generating a plurality of on-time adjustment signals based on differences between each of the plurality of digital current signals and a reference current signal; averaging the plurality of on-time adjustment signals to generate an average adjustment signal; subtracting each of the plurality of on-time adjustment signals from the average adjustment signal to generate corresponding plurality of adjustment error signals; comparing each of the plurality of adjustment error signals with a threshold signal to generate a plurality of fault signals; and adjusting control signals of the plurality of switching circuits based on the plurality of fault signals.