USRE50353EActiveUtility

Circuits and methods for hybrid 3:1 voltage regulators

62
Assignee: LION SEMICONDUCTOR INCPriority: Feb 13, 2018Filed: Mar 16, 2022Granted: Mar 25, 2025
Est. expiryFeb 13, 2038(~11.6 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Hans MeyvaertZhipeng LiAlberto Alessandro Angelo PuggelliThomas Li
G11C 5/145H02M 3/073H02M 1/0067G05F 1/10H02M 3/07
62
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
63
References
27
Claims

Abstract

Circuits for a voltage regulator are provided, comprising: an inductor having a first side coupled to an input voltage; a first flying capacitor; a second flying capacitor; and a plurality of switches, wherein: in a first state, the plurality of switches couple: a second side of the inductor to a second side of the first flying capacitor and an output node; a first side of the first flying capacitor to a first side of the second flying capacitor; and a second side of the second flying capacitor to a voltage supply, in a second state, the plurality of switches couple: the second side of the inductor to the first side of the second flying capacitor; the second side of the second flying capacitor to the output node and the first side of the first flying capacitor; and the second side of the first flying capacitor to the voltage supply.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A circuit for a voltage regulator, comprising:
 an inductor having a first side coupled to an input voltage and having a second side; 
 a first flying capacitor having a first side and having a second side; 
 a second flying capacitor having a first side and having a second side; and 
 a plurality of switches,; and 
 a controller that controls the plurality of switches and to switch between the first state and a second state,  
 wherein: 
 in a the first state, the plurality of switches connect:
 the second side of the inductor to the second side of the first flying capacitor and an output node; 
 the first side of the first flying capacitor to the first side of the second flying capacitor; and 
 the second side of the second flying capacitor to a voltage supply, 
 
 in a the second state, the plurality of switches connect:
 the second side of the inductor to the first side of the second flying capacitor; 
 the second side of the second flying capacitor to the output node and the first side of the first flying capacitor; and 
 the second side of the first flying capacitor to the voltage supply. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the voltage supply is a ground. 
     
     
       3. The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein each switch is a MOSFET. 
     
     
       4. The circuit of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller that controls the switches to switch between the first state and the second state. 
     
     
       5. The circuit of  claim 1 , further comprising an output capacitor having a first side connected to the output node and a second side connected to the voltage supply. 
     
     
       6. The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the inductor is a discrete inductor mounted on a printed circuit board.  
     
     
       7. The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the inductor is implemented on-chip.  
     
     
       8. The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first flying capacitor and the second flying capacitor is a multi-layer ceramic capacitor.  
     
     
       9. The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first flying capacitor and the second flying capacitor is an on-chip capacitor.  
     
     
       10. A regulator comprising a first circuit and a second circuit each as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein operation of the first circuit and the second circuit are time-interleaved with respect to each other.  
     
     
       11. A circuit for controlling connections with:
 an inductor having a first side coupled to an input voltage and having a second side;   a first flying capacitor having a first side and having a second side; and   a second flying capacitor having a first side and having a second side,   
       the circuit comprising:
 a plurality of switches; and 
 a controller that controls the plurality of switches to switch between a first state and a second state, 
 wherein: 
 in the first state, the plurality of switches connect:
 the second side of the inductor to the second side of the first flying capacitor and an output node; 
 the first side of the first flying capacitor to the first side of the second flying capacitor; and 
 the second side of the second flying capacitor to a voltage supply, 
 
 in the second state, the plurality of switches connect:
 the second side of the inductor to the first side of the second flying capacitor; 
 the second side of the second flying capacitor to the output node and the first side of the first flying capacitor; and 
 the second side of the first flying capacitor to the voltage supply.  
 
 
     
     
       12. The circuit of  claim 11 , wherein the voltage supply is a ground.  
     
     
       13. The circuit of  claim 11 , wherein each switch is a MOSFET.  
     
     
       14. The circuit of  claim 11 , wherein the output node is connected to an output capacitor having a first side connected to the output node and a second side connected to the voltage supply.  
     
     
       15. The circuit of  claim 11 , wherein the inductor is a discrete inductor mounted on a printed circuit board.  
     
     
       16. The circuit of  claim 11 , wherein the inductor is implemented on-chip.  
     
     
       17. The circuit of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first flying capacitor and the second flying capacitor is a multi-layer ceramic capacitor.  
     
     
       18. The circuit of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first flying capacitor and the second flying capacitor is an on-chip capacitor.  
     
     
       19. A regulator comprising a first circuit and a second circuit each as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein operation of the first circuit and the second circuit are time-interleaved with respect to each other.  
     
     
       20. A circuit for connection to:
 a first flying capacitor having a first side and having a second side; and   a second flying capacitor having a first side and having a second side,   
       the circuit comprising:
 an inductor having a first side coupled to an input voltage and having a second side; and 
 a plurality of switches; and 
 a controller that controls the plurality of switches to switch between a first state and a second state, 
 wherein: 
 in the first state, the plurality of switches connect:
 the second side of the inductor to the second side of the first flying capacitor and an output node; 
 the first side of the first flying capacitor to the first side of the second flying capacitor; and 
 the second side of the second flying capacitor to a voltage supply, 
 
 in the second state, the plurality of switches connect:
 the second side of the inductor to the first side of the second flying capacitor; 
 the second side of the second flying capacitor to the output node and the first side of the first flying capacitor; and 
 the second side of the first flying capacitor to the voltage supply.  
 
 
     
     
       21. The circuit of  claim 20 , wherein the voltage supply is a ground.  
     
     
       22. The circuit of  claim 20 , wherein each switch is a MOSFET.  
     
     
       23. The circuit of  claim 20 , wherein the output node is connected to an output capacitor having a first side connected to the output node and a second side connected to the voltage supply.  
     
     
       24. A circuit for connection to:
 an inductor having a first side coupled to an input voltage and having a second side, the circuit comprising:   a first flying capacitor having a first side and having a second side;   a second flying capacitor having a first side and having a second side; and   a plurality of switches; and   a controller that controls the plurality of switches to switch between a first state and a second state,   wherein:   in the first state, the plurality of switches connect:
 the second side of the inductor to the second side of the first flying capacitor and an output node; 
 the first side of the first flying capacitor to the first side of the second flying capacitor; and 
 the second side of the second flying capacitor to a voltage supply, 
   in the second state, the plurality of switches connect:
 the second side of the inductor to the first side of the second flying capacitor; 
 the second side of the second flying capacitor to the output node and the first side of the first flying capacitor; and 
 the second side of the first flying capacitor to the voltage supply.  
   
     
     
       25. The circuit of  claim 24 , wherein the voltage supply is a ground.  
     
     
       26. The circuit of  claim 24 , wherein each switch is a MOSFET.  
     
     
       27. The circuit of  claim 24 , wherein the output node is connected to an output capacitor having a first side connected to the output node and a second side connected to the voltage supply.

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