Integrated circuit for generating a plurality of direct current (DC) output voltages
US7023187B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 7, 2002 |
| Grant date | Apr 4, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 17, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S323/901
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A cascaded DC-DC converter architecture has an upstream converter stage and a downstream converter stage, which derives its input voltage from the upstream stage. Cascading the two converter stages enables functionality of control and monitoring (including soft start and overcurrent detection) circuitry of the upstream stage to be used for the downstream stage, to reduce chip area, cost, and complexity. A voltage window regulator in the downstream converter ensures that, during shutdown, its output voltage will be maintained within a prescribed window of its regulated output voltage, so that no soft start delay is needed when the second converter stage is turned back on.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.