Abstract: A pulse width modulation (PWM) DC operating point of a voltage regulator is configured to be relatively independent of an input voltage and an output voltage of the regulator. A drive transistor of the regulator is periodically switched ON to couple the input voltage to an output capacitor to generate the output voltage. A ramp signal is generated by dividing a signal generated from the input voltage with another signal generated from the output voltage and using the resulting signal to charge a capacitor. The ramp signal is compared to an error voltage indicative of a level of the output voltage to determine when to switch OFF the drive transistor.

Abstract: A voltage regulator may be configured to detect variation in load current and control transient response when the load current has a high slew rate or varies at high repetition rates. A linear control circuit may be employed to control charging of an output capacitor and a load of the regulator. Upon detection of high load current step-up change at high slew rates, a non-linear control circuit may be activated. The fast load current step change may be detected by comparing an output voltage of the regulator to a feedback input of an error amplifier of the linear control circuit. The output of the error amplifier may be clamped to prevent output voltage ring-back when using the non-linear control circuit or to control load release dip. Output voltage overshoot may be controlled by turning OFF a top switch that charges the output capacitor before the inductor current becomes zero.

Abstract: A voltage regulator with current-mode, dual-edge pulse width modulation (PWM) and non-linear control. The voltage regulator may include a top switch (e.g., MOSFET) configured to couple a power supply supplying an input voltage to a load. A linear control circuit of the regulator may use a first ramp signal to control turning ON of the top switch and a second ramp signal to control turning OFF of the top switch. A non-linear control circuit may turn ON the top switch upon detection of a load current step-up change to maintain an output voltage of the regulator within its regulation band. The non-linear control circuit may turn OFF the top switch upon a load current step-down change to prevent output voltage overshoot.

Abstract: A sample and hold inductor current sense configuration senses inductor current flowing through an output inductor of a voltage regulator and generates an average of the sensed inductor current. The average of the sensed inductor current may be generated from samples of peaks and valleys of the sensed inductor current. For example, the peak of the sensed inductor current may be stored in a first capacitor and the valley of the sensed inductor current may be stored in a second capacitor. The first and second capacitors may be coupled together to generate the average of the sensed inductor current. The average of the sensed inductor current may be provided to a droop control circuit to control droop of an output voltage of the voltage regulator. An input offset voltage of a current sense amplifier sensing the inductor current may be calibrated between samplings of the sensed inductor current.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, in a DC/DC converter delivering current to load, a method is provided for rapidly responding to changes in load current. The method includes: detecting fast changes in load current; and when a fast change in load current is detected, providing non-linear control of the DC/DC converter.

Abstract: A power device controller includes a voltage mode control loop to generate an error voltage and to control a power device and a current mode control loop to generate a current control voltage and to control the power device. The current mode control loop includes a current feed-forward to reduce a load dependence of a loop gain by reducing a load current dependence of a low frequency component of a gain of the error voltage to the output voltage with a current loop closed. A multi-phase power device controller for controlling several power devices includes a shared voltage mode control loop to generate an error voltage and a shared current mode control loop to generate a current control voltage, the shared current mode control loop including a current feed-forward to reduce a load current dependence of a low frequency component of a loop gain.

Abstract: A power device controller includes a voltage mode control loop to generate an error voltage and to control a power device and a current mode control loop to generate a current control voltage and to control the power device. The current mode control loop includes a current feed-forward to reduce a load dependence of a loop gain by reducing a load current dependence of a low frequency component of a gain of the error voltage to the output voltage with a current loop closed. A multi-phase power device controller for controlling several power devices includes a shared voltage mode control loop to generate an error voltage and a shared current mode control loop to generate a current control voltage, the shared current mode control loop including a current feed-forward to reduce a load current dependence of a low frequency component of a loop gain.

Abstract: A multiple-phase power converter comprises a non-isolated, double-ended transformer having a plurality of windings, a high-side switch portion, a low-side switch portion, an output portion, and a controller. The high-side switch portion includes a first power switch connecting an input voltage source (VIN) to a virtual phase node through a first winding of the plurality of windings and a second power switch connecting the input voltage source to the virtual phase node through a second winding of the plurality of windings. The first and second windings are arranged with opposite polarity. The low-side switch portion includes a third power switch connecting the virtual phase node to ground through a third winding of the plurality of windings and a fourth power switch connecting the virtual phase node to ground through a fourth winding of the plurality of windings. The third and fourth windings are arranged with opposite polarity.