Abstract: A phase controller of a multi-phase switching converter provided according to an aspect of the present disclosure provides corresponding phase control signals to multiple power stages that together operate to provide a regulated supply voltage from an input voltage. The phase controller activates a set of power stages and keeps the remaining power stages inactive. A first power stage in the set of active power stages is operated as a master stage. The phase controller changes the set of power stages when required for supporting a present load-current. When effecting such a change, if a number of stages in the set of power stages is greater than or equal to a threshold count, the phase controller selects as the master stage a power stage other than the first power stage among the changed set of power stages.

Abstract: A multi-phase switching converter includes multiple power stages and a phase controller. Each power stage is designed to drive a corresponding inductor to cause flow of a corresponding inductor-current according to a respective phase control signal, with the corresponding inductor-currents from each of the power stages together constituting a load-current of the converter. The phase controller is designed to determine a frequency of the phase control signals based on magnitudes of the inductor-currents, and generate the phase control signals with the frequency. In an embodiment, each power stage sends information on the corresponding inductor-current to the phase controller, and the phase controller determines the frequency as an optimal frequency at which the power stages operate with optimal power efficiency. However, the phase controller determines the frequency to be a maximum frequency if at least one of a higher phase-count-demand, undershoot and over-current is detected.

Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatus and methods having a node to provide a signal, and a control unit arranged to control a value of an output voltage at an output node on an output path based on a duty cycle of the signal and a value of an input voltage. The control unit can also be arranged to cause a change in a resistance on the output path in order to determine a value of a current on the output path based at least on the change in the resistance.

Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatus and methods having a node to provide a signal, and a control unit arranged to control a value of an output voltage at an output node on an output path based on a duty cycle of the signal and a value of an input voltage. The control unit can also be arranged to cause a change in a resistance on the output path in order to determine a value of a current on the output path based at least on the change in the resistance.

Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatus and methods having a node to provide a signal, and a control unit arranged to control a value of an output voltage at an output node on an output path based on a duty cycle of the signal and a value of an input voltage. The control unit can also be arranged to cause a change in a resistance on the output path in order to determine a value of a current on the output path based at least on the change in the resistance.

Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatus and methods having a node to provide a signal, and a control unit arranged to control a value of an output voltage at an output node on an output path based on a duty cycle of the signal and a value of an input voltage. The control unit can also be arranged to cause a change in a resistance on the output path in order to determine a value of a current on the output path based at least on the change in the resistance.

Abstract: Generally, this disclosure describes a system for sensing current in a power supply system. The apparatus includes controller circuitry to select a first power supply of a plurality of power supplies, determine a reference output voltage (Voutr) associated with a reference supply based, at least in part, on a duty cycle (D) and an input voltage (Vin), D and Vin related to the first power supply. The controller circuitry is further to determine an output voltage (Voutx) associated with the first power supply, determine an effective resistance (Reffx) associated with the first power supply based, at least in part, on a present temperature, and determine an output current (Ioutx) associated with the first power supply based, at least in part, on Voutr, Voutx and Reffx.

Abstract: A method and system for compressing coefficients of a digital filter is provided. In one approach, the method comprises providing a digital filter having a plurality of consecutive filter coefficients including a first filter coefficient, determining consecutive difference values between each of the consecutive filter coefficients, and storing the first filter coefficient and the consecutive difference values in a memory. The consecutive filter coefficients are generated by retrieving the first filter coefficient, and adding a first difference value to the first filter coefficient to generate a consecutive second filter coefficient. The first difference value corresponds to a difference between the first filter coefficient and the second filter coefficient. A consecutive next difference value is then added to the second filter coefficient to generate a consecutive next filter coefficient.

Abstract: A method and system for compressing coefficients of a digital filter is provided. In one approach, the method comprises providing a digital filter having a plurality of consecutive filter coefficients including a first filter coefficient, determining consecutive difference values between each of the consecutive filter coefficients, and storing the first filter coefficient and the consecutive difference values in a memory. The consecutive filter coefficients are generated by retrieving the first filter coefficient, and adding a first difference value to the first filter coefficient to generate a consecutive second filter coefficient. The first difference value corresponds to a difference between the first filter coefficient and the second filter coefficient. A consecutive next difference value is then added to the second filter coefficient to generate a consecutive next filter coefficient.