Transient control scheme for multiphase power converters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12519392-B2
Application number	US-202218068144-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2022
Priority date	Dec 19, 2022
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

Aspects of a transient control scheme for a multiphase power converter are described. In one example, a power converter system includes a multiphase power converter that includes a plurality of converter phases, with each converter phase comprising a switching transistor and an inductor coupled between an input power source and a load. The power converter system also includes a controller configured to distribute an on-time signal to each converter phase during operation of the multiphase power converter. The controller includes circuitry configured to enable an on-time signal phase overlap between non-subsequent phases of the multiphase power converter when a load current increase is detected during a transient state of the multiphase power converter. The on-time signal phase overlap refers to a simultaneous on-state of two or more switching transistors of the non-subsequent phases during a duration of time within the transient state.

First claim

Therefore, at least the following is claimed:

1 . A power converter system, comprising:
a multiphase power converter comprising a plurality of converter phases, each converter phase comprising a switching transistor and an inductor coupled between an input power source and a load; and a controller configured to distribute an on-time signal to each converter phase during operation of the multiphase power converter, the controller comprising circuitry configured to enable an on-time signal phase overlap between non-subsequent phases of the multiphase power converter when a load current increase is detected during a transient state of the multiphase power converter, the on-time signal phase overlap being a simultaneous on-state of two or more switching transistors of the non-subsequent phases during a duration of time within the transient state.

2 . The power converter system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of converter phases comprises four converter phases.

3 . The power converter system of claim 1 , wherein the multiphase power converter comprises a multiphase series capacitor buck power converter.

4 . The power converter system of claim 1 , wherein:
the controller comprises a clock generator and a comparator circuit; and the comparator circuit is configured to receive a sensed total inductor current of the plurality of converter phases and a compensator voltage from a compensator coupled to the load.

5 . The power converter system of claim 4 , wherein the comparator circuit is configured to compare the compensator voltage and the sensed total inductor current of the plurality of converter phases to generate a comparator clock signal input for the clock generator.

6 . The power converter system of claim 5 , wherein:
the controller further comprises a phase manager configured to receive a clock signal from the clock generator; and the phase manager is configured to trigger a plurality of on-time signals for turning on the plurality of converter phases during the transient state based on the clock signal, the plurality of on-time signals being triggered successively in a non-subsequent sequence of the plurality of converter phases.

7 . The power converter system of claim 6 , wherein the non-subsequent sequence comprises turning on even or odd phases of the multiphase power converter first during the transient state operation.

8 . The power converter system of claim 6 , wherein triggering the plurality of on-time signals comprises turning on two or more non-subsequent phases of the multiphase power converter to share the on-time signal phase overlap during the duration of time.

9 . The power converter system of claim 6 , wherein the phase manager comprises a plurality of logic circuits coupled together for generating the plurality of on-time signals and receiving the clock signal, the plurality of logic circuits comprising a plurality of flip-flop circuits.

10 . The power converter system of claim 4 , wherein:
the clock generator comprises partial-overlap logic circuitry; and the partial-overlap logic circuitry is configured to prevent the on-time signal phase overlap between subsequent phases of the multiphase power converter based on a set of logic conditions.

11 . The power converter system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to successively distribute the on-time signal to each converter phase during the transient state operation in a non-subsequent sequence, the set of logic conditions determining whether a next phase to be turned on among the plurality of converter phases is a non-subsequent phase of a phase that is already in an on-state.

12 . A power converter system, comprising:
a multiphase power converter comprising a plurality of converter phases, each converter phase comprising a switching transistor and an inductor coupled between an input power source and a load; and a controller configured to distribute an on-time signal to each converter phase during operation of the multiphase power converter, the controller comprising circuitry configured to enable an on-time signal phase overlap between non-subsequent phases of the multiphase power converter when a load current increase is detected during a transient state of the multiphase power converter, the on-time signal phase overlap being a simultaneous on-state of two or more switching transistors of the non-subsequent phases during a duration of time within the transient state, wherein the controller comprises a clock generator and a comparator circuit, the comparator circuit being configured to receive a sensed total inductor current of the plurality of converter phases and a compensator voltage from a compensator coupled to the load, the comparator circuit being configured to compare the compensator voltage and the sensed total inductor current to generate a comparator clock signal input for the clock generator.

13 . The power converter system of claim 12 , wherein the multiphase power converter comprises a multiphase series capacitor buck power converter.

14 . The power converter system of claim 12 , wherein the controller further comprises a phase manager configured to receive a clock signal from the clock generator, the phase manager being configured to trigger a plurality of on-time signals for turning on the plurality of converter phases during the transient state based on the clock signal, the plurality of on-time signals being triggered successively in a non-subsequent sequence of the plurality of converter phases.

15 . The power converter system of claim 14 , wherein the non-subsequent sequence comprises turning on even or odd phases of the multiphase power converter first during the transient state operation.

16 . The power converter system of claim 14 , wherein triggering the plurality of on-time signals comprises turning on two or more non-subsequent phases of the multiphase power converter to share the on-time signal phase overlap during the duration of time.

17 . The power converter system of claim 16 , wherein the phase manager comprises a plurality of logic circuits coupled together for generating the plurality of on-time signals and receiving the clock signal, the plurality of logic circuits comprising a plurality of flip-flop circuits.

18 . A power converter system, comprising:
a multiphase power converter comprising a plurality of converter phases, each converter phase comprising a switching transistor and an inductor coupled between an input power source and a load; and a controller configured to distribute an on-time signal to each converter phase during operation of the multiphase power converter, the controller comprising circuitry configured to enable an on-time signal phase overlap between non-subsequent phases of the multiphase power converter when a load current increase is detected during a transient state of the multiphase power converter, the on-time signal phase overlap being a simultaneous on-state of two or more switching transistors of the non-subsequent phases during a duration of time within the transient state, wherein the controller comprises a phase manager and a clock generator, the phase manager configured to receive a clock signal from the clock generator, the phase manager being configured to trigger a plurality of on-time signals for turning on the plurality of converter phases during the transient state based on the clock signal, the plurality of on-time signals being triggered successively in a non-subsequent sequence of the plurality of converter phases.

19 . The power con

Assignees

• Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties Inc

Inventors

• Naradhipa Adhistira Madhyasta
• Li Qiang

Classifications

• H02M1/0043

  Converters switched with a phase shift, i.e. interleaved (non-isolated DC/DC converters H02M3/1586) · CPC title

• H02M1/0095

  Hybrid converter topologies, e.g. NPC mixed with flying capacitor, thyristor converter mixed with MMC or charge pump mixed with buck · CPC title

• H02M3/07

  using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode {, e.g. charge pumps} · CPC title

• 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

• H02M3/1586

  switched with a phase shift, i.e. interleaved · CPC title