Patent Application
20240079955
This application claims priority to commonly owned Indian Patent Application No. 202211050276 filed on Sep. 2, 2022, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.
The present disclosure relates to voltage regulation for electronic devices and, more particularly, to a switched capacitor Direct Current (DC)-DC voltage converter.
DC-DC voltage converters are utilized in many electronic applications to provide a regulated voltage supply to circuits in an electronic system.
In order to achieve high efficiency, a DC-DC converter may utilize an inductor. In an inductor-based DC-DC converter, the inductor may be located on-chip, integrated with the DC-DC converter circuitry, or may be located off chip. However, in some examples, it may not be possible to incorporate inductors on a same die as the rest of the converter, due to size, cost or technology limitations. In these examples, the inductor may be located off-chip and thus the DC-DC converter may need extra pins to interface with the inductor, thus adding to cost.
In some examples, a DC-DC converter may be implemented with capacitors, requiring no inductors. However, these examples suffer from poor efficiency.
There is a need for a DC-DC converter that can achieve high efficiency without the use of an inductor.
The examples herein enable a system for a DC-DC converter which may achieve high efficiency without the use of an inductor and with a minimal amount of analog circuit blocks which may increase input power supply current and reduce efficiency.
According to one aspect, a switched-capacitor DC-DC converter device includes a switch array circuit to receive an input voltage, a plurality of clock phase signals and a plurality of control settings. The switch array circuit includes a plurality of switches coupled to a plurality of capacitors. A voltage divider to sense the output voltage may be coupled to the output of the switch array circuit. A first comparator may include a non-inverting input coupled to the output of the voltage divider and an inverting input coupled to a reference voltage. A divider circuit may include a first input coupled to the output of the first comparator and a second input coupled to an oscillator. A counter circuit may include an input coupled to the output of the divider circuit and the counter circuit may integrate the output of the divider circuit. A digital control logic circuit may be coupled to the output of the counter circuit. A gain selection circuit may be coupled to the output of the digital control logic circuit, the gain selection circuit may output a gain setting based on the output of the digital control logic circuit and based on the plurality of capacitors. A phase generator circuit may generate the plurality of clock phase signals and control settings based on the output of an AND gate and the output of the gain selection circuit. The AND gate may include a first input coupled to the oscillator and a second input coupled to the output of the comparator.
According to one aspect, a method includes the operations of: driving a comparator with a target voltage derived from an internal reference and a divided version of an output voltage, dividing the output of the comparator with an oscillator signal to generate a divider output, integrating the divider output with a counter circuit to generate a counter output, converting the counter circuit output to a gain setting, generating clock phase signals and control settings based on the gain setting, an oscillator signal and the output of the comparator, and driving a switch array circuit with the clock phase signals and control settings to generate the output voltage.
As such the system control is digital, the only analog control blocks being the comparator and the capacitor and switch array.
DC-DC converter device 100 may include switch array circuit 120. Switch array circuit 120 may include capacitor array 130. In the example illustrated in
Switch array circuit 120 may receive one or more input signals from phase generator circuit 141. The output of phase generator circuit 141 may include switch signals to control switches within switch array circuit 120. Switch signals from phase generator circuit 141 may set switch positions within switch array circuit 120 to produce a desired voltage at output voltage 150. Switch signals from phase generator circuit 141 may include clock phase signals and control settings to control switches within switch array circuit 120. Control settings may comprise one or more output digital control words.
Output voltage 150 may be coupled to a series connection of first resistor 151 and second resistor 152. A first node of second resistor 152 may be coupled to output reference voltage 153. A second node of second resistor 152 may be coupled to common potential node 190, which common potential may be ground. First resistor 151 and second resistor 152 may operate as a resistive voltage divider, to divide down output voltage 150 to produce output reference voltage 153. The example of
Output reference voltage 153 may be input to the non-inverting input of comparator 146. The inverting input of comparator 146 may be coupled to target reference voltage 148. Target reference voltage 148 may be provided by a bandgap circuit, or may be provided by another circuit capable to produce a reference voltage.
The output of comparator 146 may be input to frequency divider circuit 145. The output of comparator 146 may be input to a first input of AND gate 165.
Oscillator 160 may be coupled to a second input of AND gate 165. Oscillator 160 may be coupled to a clock input of frequency divider circuit 145. Oscillator 160 may be a voltage-controlled oscillator, a current-controlled oscillator, a crystal oscillator or another type of oscillator not specifically mentioned.
The output of frequency divider circuit 145 may be coupled to counter circuit 144. The output of counter circuit 144 may increment or decrement based on the output of comparator 146 and corresponding output of frequency divider circuit 145. The output of counter circuit 144 may be coupled to digital control logic circuit 143. Digital control logic circuit 143 may utilize the increment/decrement output sequence of counter circuit 144 to provide input to gain selection circuit 142. Counter circuit 144 may function as an integrator in the digital domain.
In operation, digital control logic circuit 143 may detect two successive increments or decrements, respectively, in the output of counter circuit 144 and may provide output to gain selection circuit 142 to set switch array 120 to select capacitors in capacitor array 130 to produce, respectively, a higher or lower voltage gain. A continuous sequence of a single counter increment followed by a single decrement from counter circuit 144 may not be detected by digital control logic circuit 143 and may result in gain selection circuit 142 making no adjustment to switch array 120 which may produce no change in the voltage gain. In this way, capacitor array 130 may be configured by gain selection circuit 142 and switch array 120 such that output voltage 150 may attain a desired output level.
The output of gain selection circuit 142 may select a specific set of capacitors in capacitor array 130 based on the output of digital control logic circuit 143. Digital control logic circuit 143 and gain selection circuit 142 may select higher or lower voltage gain in capacitor array 130 by controlling switches in switch array 120 such that output reference voltage 153 may move closer to target reference voltage 148.
The output of gain selection circuit 142 may be input to phase generator circuit 141. Phase generator circuit 141 may select a voltage gain configuration in switch array 120 based on the output of gain selection circuit 142. Phase generator circuit 141 may also generate one or more clock phase signals from the output of AND gate 165 to control switching of switch array 120. The combination of the selected voltage gain configurations output from gain selection circuit 142 and the clock phase signals output from AND gate 165 may control capacitor array 130 to generate a specific voltage at output 150.
The circuits enclosed in 170 may be termed a control circuit.
In operation, two successive increments or decrements in the output of counter circuit 144 may result in gain selection circuit 142 setting switch array 120 to select capacitors in capacitor array 130 to produce a higher or lower voltage gain. A continuous sequence of a single counter increment followed by a single decrement from counter circuit 144 may result in gain selection circuit 142 making no adjustment to switch array 120 which may produce no change in the voltage gain. In this way the capacitor array 130 may be configured by gain selection circuit 142 and switch array 120 such that output voltage 150 may attain a desired output level.
In operation, at an input value of zero, illustrated at 208, and at an input value of one, illustrated at 201, counter circuit 144 may instruct gain selection circuit 142 to select capacitors to produce a ⅓ gain level. Inputs equal to or below level 210 may produce a ⅓ gain level. As counter circuit 144 continues to increment, at an input value of two, illustrated at 202, and at an input value of three, illustrated at 203, counter circuit 144 may instruct gain selection circuit 142 to select capacitors to produce a ½ gain level. Inputs equal to or below level 220 and above level 210 may produce a ½ gain level. As counter circuit 144 continues to increment, at an input value of four, illustrated at 204, and at an input value of five, illustrated at 205, counter circuit 144 may instruct gain selection circuit 142 to select capacitors to produce a ⅔ gain level. Inputs equal to or below level 230 and above level 220 may produce a ⅔ gain level. As counter circuit 144 continues to increment, at an input value of six, illustrated at 206, and at an input value of seven, illustrated at 207, counter circuit 144 may instruct gain selection circuit 142 to select capacitors to produce a 3/2 gain level. Inputs equal to or below level 240 and above level 230 may produce a 3/2 gain level.
Circuit 305 may comprise a combination of switch array circuit 120 and capacitor array 130 as described in reference to
Input voltage 320 may be input to the DC-DC converter device 300. Output node 399 may be coupled to load resistor 310 and to load capacitor 320, which load resistor 310 and load capacitor 320 are coupled in parallel between output node 399 and the common potential 358.
Reference voltage 341 may be input to an inverting input of first comparator 340. Output node 399 may be coupled to voltage divider 357. The output of voltage divider 357 may be input to a non-inverting input of first comparator 340.
Output node 399 may be coupled to a non-inverting input of second comparator 350. Target voltage 370 may represent a desired output voltage at output node 399. Target voltage 370 may be input to an inverting input of second comparator 350.
DC-DC converter device 300 may include capacitors 301, 302, 303, 304 and 305. DC-DC converter device 300 may include a set of first phase switches 381 and 382. First phase switches 381 and 382 may be driven by a first phase clock signal, denoted ϕ1. DC-DC converter device 300 may include a set of second phase switches 390, 391, 392, 393 and 394. Second phase switches 390, 391, 392, 393 and 394 may be driven by a second phase clock signal, denoted ϕ2.
AND gate 321 may drive switch 383. AND gate 322 may drive switch 384. AND gate 323 may drive switch 385. OR gate 324 may drive switch 395. OR gate 325 may drive switch 396. OR gate 326 may drive switch 397.
Logic circuit 342 may illustrate one of various examples of control circuit 170, as described in reference to
Non-overlapping clock generator 356 may generate first phase clock signal ϕ1 and second phase clock signal ϕ2. Non-overlapping clock generator 356 may be integrated into logic circuit 342, or may be a separate component. Memory circuit 355 may be coupled to non-overlapping clock generator 356. In the example illustrated in
In operation, when second comparator 350 outputs a logic low level, memory circuit 355 may be set to a logic high level because the output of second comparator 350 is coupled to the set input of memory circuit 355, which is an active low input. When first oscillator 360, which is coupled to the reset input of memory circuit 355, outputs a logic high level, memory circuit 355 may be set to a logic low level. Memory circuit 355 is illustrated as a Set-Reset memory circuit, implemented as a D-Latch, or Flip-Flop circuit, with the clock input and D input coupled to the common potential 358, but this is not intended to be limiting. Memory circuit 355 may be a latch or may be another type of memory circuit not specifically mentioned.
When output node 399 drops below target voltage 370, memory circuit 355 may be set by the output of second comparator 350. Capacitors in DC-DC converter device 300 may be set to the charging phase, defined as first phase clock signal ϕ1 asserted. When output node 399 rises above target voltage 370, the capacitors in DC-DC converter device 300 may be set to the discharging phase, defined as second phase clock signal ϕ2 asserted. When first oscillator 360 is de-asserted, output node 399 may droop due to load resistor 310. The set input of memory circuit 355 may be dominant over the reset input of memory circuit 355.
In operation, DC-DC converter device 300 may convert input voltage 320 to output voltage Vout at output node 399, and may operate to drive to output voltage Vout towards target voltage 370. Second comparator 350 may generate an output based on the relationship between output voltage Vout at output node 399 and target voltage 370. The output of second comparator 350 may drive a set input of memory circuit 355. Memory circuit 355 may output a signal at the Q-output of memory circuit 355. The Q-output of memory circuit 355 may be input to non-overlapping clock generator 356. Non-overlapping clock generator 356 may output first phase clock signal ϕ1 and the second phase clock signal ϕ2. First phase clock signal ϕ1 may drive AND gates 321, 322, and 323, and may drive switches 381 and 382. Second phase clock signal may drive OR gates 324, 325 and 326, and may drive switches 390, 391, 392, 393 and 394. First comparator 340 may generate an output based on the relationship between reference voltage 341 and output voltage Vout at output node 399. Logic circuit 342 may generate first output digital control word CTRL1<2:0> and second output digital control word CTRL2<2:0> based on the output of first comparator 340 and second oscillator 365. First output digital control word CTRL1<2:0>, second output digital control word CTRL2<2:0>, first phase clock signal ϕ1 and the second phase clock signal ϕ2 may produce a particular switch configuration to produce a particular output voltage Vout at output node 399. In this manner, DC-DC converter circuit 300 may drive output voltage Vout at output node 399 towards target voltage 370.
Other examples of DC-DC converter device 300 may include a different number of capacitors, switches AND gates and OR gates than illustrated in
Switch configuration 415 may illustrate switch array circuit 300 with the first phase clock signal ϕ1 asserted, or may represent another switch array circuit with the first phase clock signal ϕ1 asserted.
First phase clock signal ϕ1 and second phase clock signal ϕ2 may be generated by a non-overlapping clock generator, such that no more than one of first phase clock signal ϕ1 and second phase clock signal ϕ2 may be asserted at any time.
Input voltage 401 may be input in switch configuration 415 to first capacitor 402. For the case illustrated in
Switch configuration 415 is illustrated with first capacitor 402 and second capacitor 404, but this is not intended to be limiting. When the first phase clock signal ϕ1 is asserted, more capacitors (as illustrated and described in
Switch configuration 435 may illustrate switch array circuit 300 with the second phase clock signal ϕ2 asserted and first phase clock signal ϕ1 de-asserted. Switch configuration 435 may illustrate switch array circuit 300 with the second phase clock signal ϕ2 asserted or may represent another switch array circuit with the second phase clock signal ϕ2 asserted.
For the example illustrated in
Switch configuration 435 is illustrated with first capacitor 402 and second capacitor 404, but this is not intended to be limiting. When the second phase clock signal ϕ2 is asserted, more capacitors (as illustrated and described in
Switch configuration 470 may illustrate the combination of switch configuration 415 and switch configuration 435 for the example illustrated in
At operation 510, a comparator may be driven with a desired voltage and a divided output voltage. The divided output voltage may be generated by a resistive voltage divider, or by another frequency divider circuit.
At operation 520, the comparator output may be divided by an oscillator signal.
At operation 530, the divider output may be integrated. In one of various examples, the integration may be performed by a counter circuit.
At operation 540, the counter circuit output may be converted to a gain selection.
At operation 550, circuits may generate clock phase signals and control settings. The clock phase signals may comprise a first phase clock signal ϕ1 and a second phase clock signal ϕ2 The control settings may comprise output digital control words.
At operation 560, clock phase signal and control settings may drive a switch array, the switch array to select one or more capacitors to produce a desired voltage gain at an output.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 202211050276 | Sep 2022 | IN | national |
