Abstract: An embodiment of a power-supply controller includes a control circuit and a detection circuit. The control circuit has a signal characteristic, and is operable in response to a regulated output signal and a reference signal to cause at least one power-supply phase to generate the regulated output signal. The detection circuit is operable to detect a change in the regulated output signal, and to alter the signal characteristic of the control circuit in response to the detected change.

Abstract: A control circuit for generating a control signal to add phases to a multiphase voltage regulator. The control circuit includes an input for receiving an error correction voltage from an error amplifier of the multiphase voltage regulator and at least one output for providing a PWM control signal. Control circuitry generates at least one PWM control signal to add a phase to the multiphase voltage regulator responsive to a determination that the error correction voltage has exceeded a threshold level.

Abstract: A method and system control the adding or dropping of phases in a multiphase voltage regulator. The regulator has an efficiency and this efficiency of the regulator is calculated for a given number of phases being activated from an output voltage, input voltage, output current, and duty cycle of the regulator. The efficiency of the regulator is also calculated if a phase is added using the derivative of the duty cycle as a function of the output current. The efficiency of the regulator is further calculated if a phase is dropped using the derivative of the duty cycle as a function of the output current. From these operations of calculating, a phase is either added, dropped, or the phase is maintained at its current value to thereby optimize the efficiency of the regulator.