Adjusting peak inductor current to limit supply input current

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11239752-B2
Application number	US-201615229616-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2016
Priority date	Aug 7, 2015
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

A method may include monitoring an input power supply, monitoring an inductance of an inductor of a boost converter, monitoring one or more other characteristics of the boost converter, and calculating a target peak inductor current based on the input power supply voltage, the inductance, the one or more other characteristics of the boost converter, and a target average current of the inductor during a switching cycle of the boost converter. A method may include monitoring an input power supply voltage, monitoring an inductance of an inductor of a boost converter, monitoring one or more other characteristics of the boost converter, and calculating an average current of the inductor during a switching cycle of the boost converter based on the input power supply voltage, the inductance, the one or more other characteristics of the boost converter, and a peak inductor current of the inductor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
monitoring an input power supply voltage of a power supply;
monitoring an inductance of an inductor of a boost converter comprising the inductor;
monitoring one or more other characteristics of the boost converter;
calculating a target peak inductor current based on the input power supply voltage, the inductance, the one or more other characteristics of the boost converter, and a target average current of the inductor during a switching cycle of the boost converter; and
reducing the target peak inductor current in a controllable manner and ceasing regulation of an output voltage of the boost converter responsive to the input power supply voltage falling below a threshold voltage.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising controlling an average current of the inductor by regulating a peak inductor current of the inductor in accordance with a maximum average inductor current during a switching cycle.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more characteristics comprise a duty cycle for switching of a switch of the boost converter.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more characteristics comprise an output voltage of the boost converter.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more characteristics comprise an output current of the boost converter.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more characteristics comprise a power efficiency of the boost converter.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising deactivating a switch of the boost converter in response to an instantaneous inductor current of the inductor exceeding the target peak inductor current.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising controlling an instantaneous inductor current and the target peak inductor current based on a user configuration.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the user configuration comprises at least one of a voltage response threshold, a slope response of a voltage response threshold, state machine response timings, changes of supply current with respect to input power supply voltage, a desired limit of the target peak inductor current, and recovery options in response to recovery of the power supply.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controllable manner scales the target peak inductor current to changes in the input power supply voltage in accordance with configurable response rates for a change in target peak inductor current with respect to a change in input power supply voltage.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controllable manner reduces the target peak inductor current at a configurable rate in response to a voltage transient in the input power supply voltage.

12. An apparatus comprising:
a boost converter having a power supply input for receiving an input power supply voltage of a power supply, an inductor, and an output for generating an output voltage greater than the input power supply voltage; and
a controller configured to:
monitor the input power supply voltage;
monitor the inductance of the inductor;
monitor one or more other characteristics of the boost converter;
calculate a target peak inductor current based on the input power supply voltage, the inductance, the one or more other characteristics of the boost converter, and a target average current of the inductor during a switching cycle of the boost converter; and
reduce the target peak inductor current in a controllable manner and cease regulation of the output voltage of the boost converter responsive to the input power supply voltage falling below a threshold voltage.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to control an average current of the inductor by regulating a peak inductor current of the inductor in accordance with a maximum average inductor current during a switching cycle.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the one or more characteristics comprise a duty cycle for switching of a switch of the boost converter.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the one or more characteristics comprise the output voltage.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the one or more characteristics comprise an output current of the boost converter.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the one or more characteristics comprise a power efficiency of the boost converter.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to deactivate a switch of the boost converter in response to an instantaneous inductor current of the inductor exceeding the target peak inductor current.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to control an instantaneous inductor current and the target peak inductor current based on a user configuration.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the user configuration comprises at least one of a voltage response threshold, a slope response of a voltage response threshold, state machine response timings, changes of supply current with respect to input power supply voltage, a desired limit of the target peak inductor current, and recovery options in response to recovery of the power supply.

21. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the controllable manner scales the target peak inductor current to changes in the input power supply voltage in accordance with configurable response rates for a change in target peak inductor current with respect to a change in input power supply voltage.

22. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the controllable manner reduces the target peak inductor current at a configurable rate in response to a voltage transient in the input power supply voltage.

23. A method comprising:
monitoring an input power supply voltage of a power supply;
monitoring an inductance of an inductor of a boost converter comprising the inductor;
monitoring one or more other characteristics of the boost converter;
calculating an average current of the inductor during a switching cycle of the boost converter based on the input power supply voltage, the inductance, the one or more other characteristics of the boost converter, and a peak inductor current of the inductor; and
reducing the average current in a controllable manner and ceasing regulation of an output voltage of the boost converter responsive to the input power supply voltage falling below a threshold voltage.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising controlling the peak inductor current of the inductor by regulating the average current of the inductor in accordance with a maximum peak inductor current during a switching cycle.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the one or more characteristics comprise a duty cycle for switching of a switch of the boost converter.

26. The method of claim 23 , wherein the one or more characteristics comprise an output voltage of the boost converter.

27. The method of claim 23 , wherein the one or more characteristics comprise an output current of the boost converter.

28. The method of claim 23 , wherein the one or more characteristics comprise a power efficiency of the boost converter.

29. The method of claim 23 , wherein the controllable manner scales the average current to changes in the input power supply voltage in accordance with configurable response rates for a change in target peak inductor current with respect to a change in input power supply voltage.

Assignees

• Cirrus Logic Int Semiconductor Ltd
• Cirrus Logic Inc

Inventors

• May Jeffrey Allen
• King Eric J
• He Ku
• Vadnerkar Sarang
• Pazhayaveetil Ullas
• Burk Theodore M

Classifications

• H02M1/0009

  Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter · CPC title

• H02M1/08

  Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters · CPC title

• H02M1/32

  Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection · CPC title

• H02M3/156 Primary

  with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators · CPC title

• H02M3/158 Primary

  including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load · CPC title