Pre-charge technique for a voltage regulator

US9958888B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Silicon Laboratories Inc. · US

Inventors

• Dazhi Wei · San Diego, US
• Gang Yuan · Austin, US
• Erik Pankratz · Austin, US
• Imranul Islam · San Marcos, US
• Praveen Kallam · Austin, US
• Axel Thomsen · Austin, US
• Kenneth W. Fernald · Austin, US
• Jinwen Xiao · San Diego, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 16, 2015
• Grant date: May 1, 2018
• Expiry date: Nov 26, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02B70/10
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a controller to control a voltage regulator. The controller may have a first comparator circuit to compare a first reference voltage to a feedback voltage. In turn, the first comparator circuit may include: a first comparator having a first input terminal to receive the feedback voltage and a second input terminal to receive the reference voltage and an output node to output an error signal based on the comparison; and a first pre-charge circuit coupled between the first input terminal and the output node configured to pre-charge a first portion of a compensation network to a pre-charge level. The first controller may further include a second comparator circuit coupled to the first comparator circuit compare the error signal to a ramp signal and to generate a first control output to control a power train of the voltage regulator in a first mode of operation.