Non-linear control for voltage regulator

US9696350B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Intel Corporation · US

Inventors

• Edward A. Burton · Hillsboro, US
• Gerhard Schrom · Hillsboro, US
• Michael W. Rogers · Stamps, US
• Alexander Lyakhov · Haifa, IL
• Ravi Sankar Vunnam · Hillsboro, US
• Jonathan P. Douglas · Portland, US
• Fabrice Paillet · Hillsboro, US
• J. Keith Hodgson · Hillsboro, US
• William Dawson Kesling · Davis, US
• Chiu Keung Tang · San Diego, US
• Narayanan Raghuraman · Beaverton, US
• Narayanan Natarajan · Marlboro, US
• Samie B. Samaan · Lake Oswego, US
• George L. Geannopoulos · Portland, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 31, 2013
• Grant date: Jul 4, 2017
• Expiry date: Jul 15, 2034

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H03M1/685
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Described is an apparatus having a non-linear control to manage power supply droop at an output of a voltage regulator. The apparatus comprises: a first inductor for coupling to a load; a capacitor, coupled to the first inductor, and for coupling to the load; a first high-side switch couple to the first inductor; a first low-side switch coupled to the first inductor; a bridge controller to control when to turn on and off the first high-side and first low-side switches; and a non-linear control (NLC) unit to monitor output voltage on the load, and to cause the bridge controller to turn on the first high-side switch and turn off the first low-side switch when a voltage droop is detected on the load.