Multiphase power regulator with load adaptive phase control
US7492134B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 3, 2006 |
| Grant date | Feb 17, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 7, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02M1/0012
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Disclosed is a power regulator for providing precisely regulated power to a microelectronic device such as a microprocessor. Improved power regulation is accomplished by optimizing the power efficiency of the power regulator. In particular, in a multiphase system, the number of active phases is increased or decreased to achieve optimum power efficiency. The multiphase voltage regulator adapts the operating mode to maximize efficiency as the load current demand of the load device changes by adjusting the number of active phases to maximize efficiency. The total value of current provided by the regulator and the total number of active phases is determined, the total number of active phases is compared with the number of active phases required to provide the total value of current at maximum efficiency; and the number of active phases is adjusted to provide the total value of current at maximum efficiency.A current sense circuit senses the current at each phase, a summing circuit coupled to the output of the current sense circuit provides the total current value of all the measured phases, a circuit coupled to the output of the summing circuit provides the time averaged total current …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.