Abstract: An apparatus for a power system with a power input at an upstream end and power outputs connected to loads in a downstream end, the power system comprising a plurality of devices interconnected in a tree topology. The apparatus communicatively coupled to each of the devices and configured to identify each of the devices, cause a change of an operation state or parameter of each of the devices at a time. The apparatus further configured to determine, for each of the devices having an operation state or parameter thereof changed, which of the other devices having a related change of an operation state or parameter thereof, and identify how the devices are connected in the tree topology based on said determined other devices having a related change of an operation state or parameter thereof, for each of said devices having an operation state or parameter thereof changed.

Abstract: A system and method of determining a value of a feedback parameter of a feedback loop of a power converter. In one embodiment, the method includes shifting an open-loop performance characteristic and a closed-loop performance characteristic of the feedback loop so that values thereof are greater than or equal to respective constants. The method also includes normalizing the open-loop performance characteristic and the closed-loop performance characteristic to a common scale to provide a normalized open-loop performance characteristic and a normalized closed-loop performance characteristic. The method also includes combining the normalized open-loop performance characteristic with the normalized closed-loop performance characteristic to provide a combined normalized performance characteristic. The method also includes finding a value of the feedback parameter that produces an extremum of the combined normalized performance characteristic.

Abstract: An apparatus for power system with a power input at an upstream end and power outputs connected to loads in a downstream end, the power system comprising a plurality of devices interconnected in a tree topology, The apparatus communicatively coupled to each of the devices and configured to identify each of the devices, cause a change of an operation state or parameter of each of the devices at a time. The apparatus further configured to determine, for each of the devices having an operation state or parameter thereof changed, which of the other devices having a related change of an operation state or parameter thereof, and identify how the devices are connected in the tree topology based on said determined other devices having a related change of an operation state or parameter thereof, for each of said devices having an operation state or parameter thereof changed.

Abstract: A controller (500) for determining a distribution of switching phases among switching elements of a power supply system The power supply system has a plurality of voltage converters, each comprising a switching element and being arranged to convert an input voltage supplied to the voltage converters to a respective output voltage by switching the switching element at a predetermined frequency. The controller (500) comprises a receiver (510) for receiving one or more signals indicative of a respective contribution from each of the voltage converters to a ripple current component of an input current of the voltage converters, and a rank determining module (520) configured to rank the voltage converters in order of decreasing contribution to the ripple current.

Abstract: A controller for determining switching phases among switching elements of a power supply system having voltage converters, each comprising a switching element. The controller receives signals indicative of a contribution from each converter to a ripple voltage component of an input current of the converters, and ranks the converters. The controller calculates a switching phase offset that is to be applied for the switching element by: (i) calculating phase offsets of two highest ranked converters that would minimize an input voltage ripple caused by said two highest ranked converters, (ii) calculating a phase offset of a next-highest ranked converter that would minimize an input voltage ripple caused by said next-highest ranked converter and converters ranked higher than said next-highest converter; and (iii) repeating step (ii) for each converter in the ranking. The controller generates output signals defining the calculated switching phase offsets to be applied to the switching elements.

Abstract: An apparatus (200) for tuning a feedback loop that is arranged to regulate an output voltage (Vout) of a switched mode power supply, SMPS (100), in accordance with a control law defined by control law parameters. The apparatus includes a natural frequency estimator (210) arranged to determine a respective estimate of a natural frequency of each of two zeros in a transfer function that corresponds to a model of the feedback loop.

Abstract: A controller (500) for determining a distribution of switching phases among switching elements of a power supply system The power supply system has a plurality of voltage converters, each comprising a switching element and being arranged to convert an input voltage supplied to the voltage converters to a respective output voltage by switching the switching element at a predetermined frequency. The controller (500) comprises a receiver (510) for receiving one or more signals indicative of a respective contribution from each of the voltage converters to a ripple current component of an input current of the voltage converters, and a rank determining module (520) configured to rank the voltage converters in order of decreasing contribution to the ripple current.

Abstract: Method determines a configuration of capacitors in an output filter of a switched mode power supply (SMPS). Candidate configurations are generated, each associated with a respective cost function value calculated based on number of capacitors of each kind in the candidate configuration and cost assigned to each kind of capacitor. The candidate configurations are ordered based on their cost function values. A binary search through the ordered candidate configurations determines a capacitor configuration associated with a lowest cost function value to allow a defined load transient response requirement of the SMPS. Whether a candidate configuration allows the defined load transient response requirement of the SMPS is determined using a model of a SMPS having the candidate configuration of the output filter simulating deviation of output voltage of the SMPS in response to change in load current of the SMPS and determining whether the defined load transient response requirement is allowed.

Abstract: A controller for determining switching phases among switching elements of a power supply system having voltage converters, each comprising a switching element. The controller receives signals indicative of a contribution from each converter to a ripple voltage component of an input current of the converters, and ranks the converters. The controller calculates a switching phase offset that is to be applied for the switching element by: (i) calculating phase offsets of two highest ranked converters that would minimise an input voltage ripple caused by said two highest ranked converters, (ii) calculating a phase offset of a next-highest ranked converter that would minimise an input voltage ripple caused by said next-highest ranked converter and converters ranked higher than said next-highest converter; and (iii) repeating step (ii) for each converter in the ranking. The controller generates output signals defining the calculated switching phase offsets to be applied to the switching elements.

Abstract: Method determines a configuration of capacitors in an output filter of a switched mode power supply (SMPS). Candidate configurations are generated, each associated with a respective cost function value calculated based on number of capacitors of each kind in the candidate configuration and cost assigned to each kind of capacitor. The candidate configurations are ordered based on their cost function values. A binary search through the ordered candidate configurations determines a capacitor configuration associated with a lowest cost function value to allow a defined load transient response requirement of the SMPS. Whether a candidate configuration allows the defined load transient response requirement of the SMPS is determined using a model of a SMPS having the candidate configuration of the output filter simulating deviation of output voltage of the SMPS in response to change in load current of the SMPS and determining whether the defined load transient response requirement is allowed.

Abstract: A controller (500) for determining a distribution of switching phases among switching elements of a power supply system The power supply system has a plurality of voltage converters, each comprising a switching element and being arranged to convert an input voltage supplied to the voltage converters to a respective output voltage by switching the switching element at a predetermined frequency. The controller (500) comprises a receiver (510) for receiving one or more signals indicative of a respective contribution from each of the voltage converters to a ripple current component of an input current of the voltage converters, and a rank determining module (520) configured to rank the voltage converters in order of decreasing contribution to the ripple current.

Abstract: An apparatus (200) for tuning a feedback loop that is arranged to regulate an output voltage (Vout) of a switched mode power supply, SMPS (100), in accordance with a control law defined by control law parameters. The apparatus includes a natural frequency estimator (210) arranged to determine a respective estimate of a natural frequency of each of two zeros in a transfer function that corresponds to a model of the feedback loop.