Hardware scheme for dynamic adjustment of DCDC converter peak current and safe LDO disable

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12181902-B2
Application number	US-202217683217-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2022
Priority date	Nov 13, 2021
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

In an example, a device includes a controller and a direct current (DC)-to-DC converter coupled to the controller and configured to provide a load current to a load. The device also includes a low-dropout (LDO) regulator coupled to the DC-to-DC converter. The controller includes digital logic, and the digital logic is configured to determine the load current. The digital logic is configured to turn on the LDO regulator if the load current is above a predetermined threshold. The digital logic is also configured to turn off the LDO regulator if the load current is below the predetermined threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
a direct current (DC)-to-DC converter configured to provide a load current to a load;
a low dropout (LDO) regulator coupled to the DC-to-DC converter; and
a controller configured to:
determine the load current;
turn on the LDO regulator if the load current is above a predetermined threshold;
turn off the LDO regulator if the load current is below the predetermined threshold;
count a number of charging pulses during a measurement window;
determine a percentage loading of the DC-to-DC converter based on the number of charging pulses; and
provide the percentage loading to a comparator.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
compare the percentage loading to the predetermined threshold with the comparator; and
responsive to the comparison, turn off the LDO regulator.

3. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining the percentage loading by counting the number of charging pulses over two or more measurement windows.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
enable the comparator after two or more measurement windows.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
adjust a peak current setting for the DC-to-DC converter, wherein the peak current setting indicates a maximum current that the DC-to-DC converter can provide to the load.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to increase the peak current setting responsive to the percentage loading of the DC-to-DC converter being above a threshold value.

7. The device of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to decrease the peak current setting responsive to the percentage loading of the DC-to-DC converter being below a threshold value.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises the comparator.

9. A device, comprising:
a controller including digital logic, wherein the digital logic includes:
a measurement window generator configured to generate a measurement window;
a pulse counter configured to provide a count of charging pulses on an inductor coupled to a direct current (DC)-to-DC converter during the measurement window;
a latch configured to determine a percentage loading based on the count of charging pulses; and
a comparator configured to compare the percentage loading to a load threshold, wherein the comparator is further configured to disable a low dropout (LDO) regulator based on the comparison.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the digital logic is configured to:
enable the comparator after two or more measurement windows.

11. The device of claim 9 , further comprising:
an encoder configured to convert a value stored in a register to the load threshold.

12. The device of claim 9 , wherein the digital logic also includes:
peak current adaptation logic configured to receive the percentage loading and adjust a peak current for the DC-to-DC converter based on the percentage loading.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the peak current adaptation logic is configured to compare the percentage loading to a first threshold value and to a second threshold value, and further configured to adjust the peak current responsive to the comparisons.

14. A method, comprising:
providing a load current to a load with a direct current (DC)-to-DC converter;
counting charging pulses during a measurement window, wherein the charging pulses produce the load current;
determining a percentage loading based on a count of the charging pulses;
responsive to the percentage loading being below a predetermined threshold, turning off a low dropout (LDO) regulator;
enabling a comparator after two or more measurement windows;
comparing the percentage loading to the predetermined threshold with the comparator; and
turning the LDO regulator off responsive to an output of the comparator.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the charging pulses are pulses on an inductor coupled to the DC-to-DC converter.

16. A method, comprising:
providing a load current to a load with a direct current (DC)-to-DC converter;
counting charging pulses during a measurement window, wherein the charging pulses produce the load current;
determining a percentage loading based on a count of the charging pulses;
responsive to the percentage loading being below a predetermined threshold, turning off a low dropout (LDO) regulator; and
adjusting a peak current setting for the DC-to-DC converter, wherein the peak current setting indicates a maximum current that the DC-to-DC converter can provide to the load.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
enabling a comparator after two or more measurement windows;
comparing the percentage loading to the predetermined threshold with the comparator; and
turning the LDO regulator off responsive to an output of the comparator.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
increasing the peak current setting if the percentage loading of the DC-to-DC converter is above a threshold value.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
responsive to the percentage loading being above the threshold value, turning on the LDO regulator.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
decreasing the peak current setting if the percentage loading of the DC-to-DC converter is below a threshold value.

Assignees

• Texas Instruments Inc

Inventors

• Mathew Rinu
• Khurana Vineet
• G Anand Kumar
• Periyapatna Nagendra Aniruddha
• Kadlimatti Venkatesh
• Kallerud Torjus Lyng

Classifications

• H02M3/1566

  with means for compensating against rapid load changes, e.g. with auxiliary current source, with dual mode control or with inductance variation · CPC title

• H02M3/156

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

• H02M1/0048

  Circuits or arrangements for reducing losses (using snubbers H02M1/34) · CPC title

• H02M1/0045

  Converters combining the concepts of switch-mode regulation and linear regulation, e.g. linear pre-regulator to switching converter, linear and switching converter in parallel, same converter or same transistor operating either in linear or switching mode · CPC title

• H02M1/0032

  Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode · CPC title