Patent Application
20060025104
The present invention relates to integrated circuits, and more specifically relates to employing dynamic trim to mitigate transients in an electrical circuit.
Portable electronic devices continue to become increasingly complex. For example, mobile telephones are no longer limited to providing telephone functionality, but are also implementing multimedia and other functions. The increased complexity of portable devices imposes a tremendous burden on power consumption and battery lifetime. Despite the additional features being implemented in various devices, the manufacturers of these devices and their customers typically require substantially the same or even improved battery lifetime. Various types of power control systems have been developed that dynamically control the output voltage of a power supply.
One approach employs a power control system to operate a DC-DC buck converter for supplying the voltage to the core circuitry of the electronic device.
In view of the increased requirements of portable electronic devices, it is desirable to provide power supplies and converters that can mitigate transients.
The present invention relates to systems and methods operative to mitigate a transient condition in electrical energy that is supplied to a load. By mitigating transient conditions in the electrical energy, battery lifetime can be increased.
One aspect of the present invention relates to a power supply system includes a converter that supplies regulated electrical energy (e.g., voltage or current) to an associated load. A feedback network provides a reference signal based on the regulated electrical energy being supplied to the load, the regulator controlling the regulated electrical energy based on the reference signal. The feedback network is modified to adjust the reference signal so as to mitigate a transient condition in the regulated electrical energy.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a power supply system that includes a converter comprising a high-side switch, a low-side switch and an inductor coupled to a node between the high-side switch and the low-side switch and to an output node. A feedback network provides a reference signal based on a regulated electrical energy that is supplied to the load. A control system controls the high-side switch and the low-side switch to provide regulated electrical energy at the output node based on the reference signal relative to a predetermined oscillating input signal. The control system dynamically trims the feedback network to adjust the reference signal based on the reference signal being outside an expected range of the oscillating input signal, such as corresponds to detecting a transient condition at the output node.
Still another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for mitigating transient electrical characteristics in electrical energy supplied to an associated load. The method includes providing regulated electrical energy to the load based on a feedback signal indicative of the regulated electrical energy that is supplied to the load. The feedback signal is trimmed to mitigate a difference between the feedback signal and a range of a predetermined oscillating input signal in response to detecting a potential transient condition in the regulated electrical energy that is being provided to the load.
The system 50 includes a feedback network 54 coupled to receive an indication of the OUT signal. The feedback network 54 in turn provides a feedback signal to a control system 56. The control system 56 employs the feedback signal to provide a corresponding control signal to an associated switch network 58. The control system 56 and the switch network 58 define a regulator, in which the switch network 58 is coupled to provide the regulated OUT signal based on the control signal.
For example, the switch network 58 can include a combination of one or more switch devices (e.g., transistors) that provide the OUT signal to the load 52 as a regulated voltage as a fractional part of the available voltage provided by a battery, indicated at VIN. The power supply system 50 further can be operative to supply the OUT signal to the load 52 at a plurality of programmable levels. Thus, the system 50 can provide the OUT signal at a selected voltage level by controlling current from the switch network 58 according to an operating mode of the system (e.g., a sleep mode or normal mode) or based on step changes in the load resistance.
The feedback network 54 includes a trim component 60 that is operative to adjust the feedback signal provided to the control system 56 according to an aspect of the present invention. For example, the trim component may be a variable impedance element, such as a variable resistance network, a switched capacitor network and the like. In the example of
As an example, the control system 56 can compare the feedback signal relative to an oscillating ramp signal. The control system 56 employs the comparison to control the switch network 58. In response to detecting that the feedback signal is outside an expected, normal operating range (e.g., corresponding to a step change in the load resistance or other transient condition in the OUT signal), the detector 62 can dynamically trim the trim component 60 of the feedback network 54. The dynamic trimming of the trim component 60 can apply a DC offset that causes the feedback signal to return more quickly to a level that is within the normal operating range of the ramp signal. The DC offset thus operates to mitigate a difference between the feedback signal and a range of the ramp signal. As a result of bringing the feedback signal to within the range of the ramp signal, the control system 56 can, in turn, drive the switch network 58 to stabilize the OUT signal, and thereby mitigate undershoot or overshoot in an output voltage at OUT. Those skilled in the art will understand and appreciated that the power supply 50 thus is capable of stabilizing and returning the OUT signal to a steady state condition when transient conditions occur in the OUT, such as in response to load changes, more quickly than many existing power supply system and regulators. By reducing the time that is required to stabilize the OUT signal, the power supply system affords an increase in the battery life for devices incorporating the power supply system 50.
By way of example, the control system 106 includes a modulation block 108 that is operative to drive a pair of switch devices 110 and 112 of the converter 102. In the example of
A feedback network 120 is coupled between VOUT and an input of a comparator 122 to provide a reference voltage VREF to the comparator input. The feedback network 120 provides VREF as a function of VOUT. The comparator 122 compares VREF relative to an oscillating ramp voltage VRAMP that is provided by an oscillator 124. The comparator 122 provides a comparator output signal to the control system 106 based on the relative levels of the VREF and VRAMP.
The control system 106 further includes a transient detector 126 that is operative to detect a transient condition in VOUT (e.g., corresponding to overshoot or undershoot) based on the comparator output signal. A transient condition may occur, for example, in response to load changes (step voltage change) or other transient conditions that might occur at VOUT. The transient detector 126 provides a control signal (TRIM) to the feedback network 120 for adjusting VREF in a direction that mitigates the detected transient in VOUT. For instance, the TRIM control signal can cause the feedback network 120 to adjust VREF to a level that is within the normal operating range of VRAMP. By forcing VREF to within the normal operating range of VRAMP more quickly, the modulation block 108 can control the switch devices 110 and 112 to implement earlier switching (e.g., pulse-width modulation). The earlier switching of the devices 110 and 112 results in ramping the current IL through the inductor 114 (e.g., up or down) to facilitate stabilization of VOUT.
Turning to the contents of the feedback network 120, VREF is generated by tapping a voltage from a node of a voltage divider network. The voltage divider network is formed of resistors 128, 130 and 132 coupled in series between VOUT and electrical ground. A capacitor 134 is coupled in parallel with the series combination of resistors 128 and 130 (between VOUT and VREF) to provide DC stability for the feedback network 120. According to an aspect of the present invention, the resistor 132 provides a variable resistance based on the TRIM control signal. The transient detector provides the TRIM control signal to increase or decrease VREF accordingly. That is, if the transient detector 126 provides the TRIM control signal to the variable resistor 132 to increase its resistance, VREF will increase accordingly. Alternatively, the transient detector 126 can provide the TRIM control signal to decrease the resistance of the resistor 132, which results in a corresponding decrease in VREF.
In order to enable the power supply system 100 to provide a programmable regulated output voltage VOUT, the resistor 130 can also be programmable. To establish a desired output voltage, for example, a user can set the resistor 130 to a desired resistance based on a program (PROG) signal. The resistance values of the network 128, 130 and 132 are selected so that VREF should remain within the range of VRAMP during normal operation to establish a desired VOUT. Those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate other ways in which VOUT can be made programmable, such as by varying the amplitude of VRAMP.
As an example, assuming that the load resistance changes such that VOUT exhibits a transient increase in voltage. VREF from the feedback network 120 results in a corresponding increase in voltage that is provided to the comparator. Assuming that the transient increase in VOUT renders VREF outside the normal operating range of the comparator (e.g., VREF is substantially greater than VRAMP), the output of the comparator 122 will remain in a given state (HIGH or LOW voltage) over a plurality of consecutive clock cycles so long as VREF is outside the range of VRAMP. In response to the comparator output signal no longer transitioning between states, as usually occurs during normal operation, the modulation block 108 controls the high side switch device 110 (e.g., in an OFF condition) to decrease or stop supplying the current IL to the load 104 in an effort to reduce VOUT and stabilize it to its desired regulated level. The transient detector 126, in response to detecting the absence of a state change in the comparator output signal over a plurality of clock signals, trims the variable resistor 132 so that VREF decreases and thereby more quickly returns to a level within the normal operating range of VRAMP. By causing VREF to a level that is within the normal operating range of VRAMP, the modulation control block 108 will re-activate the high side switch device 110 more quickly and result in earlier energizing of the inductor 114. By energizing the inductor 114 more quickly, undershoot in VOUT can be mitigated. Those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that a similar advantage in operation can be implemented to mitigate overshoot in VOUT.
By way of comparison, in the absence of implementing the dynamic trim in the power supply system 100, there would be an additional delay associated with increasing the current IL through the inductor 114. This delay would further result in a corresponding undershoot in VOUT since the switch device 110 would not be reactivated until the VREF signal has settled to within the range of the VRAMP signal provided to the comparator 122. In contrast, the dynamic trimming implemented by the resistor 132 based on the TRIM control signal enables VREF to settle to within the range of VRAMP more quickly, which affords an early turn of the high-side switch device and reduced transients in VOUT.
A trim control 158 can provide a multi-bit output system for controlling each of the respective resistors 154 and 156. For instance, switch devices (e.g., transistors) 160 and 162 can be coupled in parallel with the respective resistors 154 and 156. Thus, the trim control 158 can provide a multi-bit control signal to short out one or more resistor by activating a given one or both of the switch devices 160 and 162. Each of the resistors 154 and 156 may have different resistance values to provide additional flexibility for implementing different amounts of VTRIM. The different resistor values enable the system 150 to provide different trim depending on, for example, the desired output voltage of the programmable converter in which the system 150 is being implemented. For instance, for a programmed output voltage of a converter that is above a predetermined value, a smaller one of the resistors (e.g., resistor 154) may be shorted and for programmed output voltages that are less than this predetermined value, a larger resistance (e.g., the resistor 156) can be shorted by the trim control 158.
A comparator 164 compares a reference voltage VREF relative to a ramp signal VRAMP. VREF varies based on VTRIM, such as by VTRIM providing a DC offset to the level of VREF. The amount of trimming implemented by the control 158 can be selected to ensure that the VTRIM does not exceed the peak-to-peak voltage of a ramp signal VRAMP during normal operation. The comparator 164 provides the comparator output signal to the trim control 158 based upon a comparison of VREF relative to VRAMP.
The comparator 164 can provide the comparator output signal in three general modes. In a first mode, corresponding to a condition to where VREF is too high, the comparator output signal can provide a steady state (e.g., HIGH) output signal. This steady state comparator output signal indicates a transient condition in which VREF exceeds the high peak voltage of VRAMP. In response to detecting steady state (e.g., HIGH) output signal for a plurality of clock signals, a state transition detection block 166 of the trim control 158 provides the trim control signal to implement suitable trimming of one or more of the resistors 154 and (e.g., providing a negative DC offset) 156. This trimming results in a reduced VREF being provided back to the comparator since VREF is functionally related to the VTRIM.
In a second, normal operating mode, VREF is within a normal range of VRAMP, such that the comparator output signal changes states between high and low voltages, such as every N clock cycles, where N is a positive integer (e.g., N≧1, typically N=1) denoting the rate of transitions in the comparator output signal. Thus, when the state transition detection block 166 detects that state changes in the comparator output signal occur within expected operating parameters, the trim control 158 does not activate the switch devices 160 and 162 to implement trimming of the variable resistor 152. As a result, stabilization of a corresponding output voltage is implemented by controlling modulation of an associated switch device, which can have variable pulse widths based on the comparator output signal, such as described herein.
In a third operating mode of the comparator 164, VREF is too low relative to Vramp. In this third operating mode, the comparator 164 provides the comparator output signal as a steady state (e.g., LOW) signal for a plurality of clock cycles. This steady state comparator output signal indicates a transient condition in which VREF is below the low peak voltage of VRAMP. In response to detecting such a steady state (e.g., LOW) output voltage for a plurality of clock cycles, a state transition detection block 166 of the trim control 158 provides the trim (e.g., a positive DC offset) can implement additional trimming of one or more of the resistors 154 and 156 so that VREF more quickly settles to within the peak-to-peak range of VRAMP
By way of further comparison,
The power supply system 252 is coupled to a battery 254 for converting an input voltage from the battery to a desired regulated voltage level. The power supply system 252 provides regulated power (e.g., regulated voltage or current) to associated core circuitry 256. The regulated power can vary based on the input impedance of the core circuitry of the apparatus 250. The core circuitry 256 can include analog or digital components configured and/or programmed to implement the functionality of the particular type of apparatus 250 being implemented. In the example of
By way of example, the apparatus 250 can operate in a plurality of operating modes, including at least a low power sleep mode and an active (or normal) mode. The power supply system 252 is configured to mitigate transients that might occur during a change in the resistance or other step change in the output voltage provided to the core circuitry 256. As described herein, the power supply system 252 includes a feedback network that provides an indication of the regulated power (e.g., voltage or current) being supplied to the core circuitry 256. The feedback network includes a trim system operative to modify the feedback network to adjust a reference signal that is utilized (e.g., by a controller) to adjust the regulated power. The feedback network is modified to bring the reference signal within a normal operating range of a comparator so that the output voltage provided to the core circuitry 256 can be stabilized more quickly. As a result, transients in the electrical characteristics in the electrical power supplied to the core circuitry 256 can be mitigated.
The method of
For purposes of simplicity of explanation, the methodology of
At 330, a determination is made as to whether the reference signal is within expected operating parameters. This determination, for example, can be made by comparing a reference voltage signal relative to a predetermined ramp voltage signal. The expected operating parameters can correspond to being within the normal operating range of the ramp voltage. Thus, if the reference voltage is outside the normal operating range of the ramp voltage (NO), the method can proceed to 340, corresponding to the detection of a transient condition. At 340, the feedback (e.g., a variable resistor) thereof can be trimmed to mitigate a transient condition associated with the output voltage detected at 330. The trimming, for example, can be utilized to help adjust the reference voltage (e.g., by applying a fixed DC offset) to be within the normal operating range of the ramp voltage. From 340, the methodology returns to 320 to continue.
When the feedback is trimmed at 340, power switching devices can be controlled to operate more quickly and, in turn, ramp current up (or down) that is being provided to the load. The early activation of the power switching devices resulting from trimming the feedback helps stabilize the output voltage to the desired regulated voltage. In situations when the feedback is within expected operating parameters (YES), the method returns from 330 to 320 and the regulated voltage can be provided utilizing standard regulation techniques (e.g., pulse width modulation).
What have been described above are examples of the present invention. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the present invention, but one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the present invention are possible. For example, the systems and methods described herein can be applied to various types of electrical and electromechanical systems, such as including control of motors (e.g., servo motors, stepper motors, linear motors) by mitigating overshoot and/or undershoot in target voltage or current levels being supplied to drive such motors. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
