Voltage regulator control with scalable power stage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12547233-B2
Application number	US-202318541537-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2023
Priority date	Dec 15, 2023
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

Apparatuses, devices, and systems for controlling power supply to a load are described. A system can include a power stage and a power management integrated circuit (PMIC). The PMIC can include a controller configured to determine a load is operating under a low power mode. The controller can, in response to the load operating under the low power mode, operate the PMIC to supply power to the load. The controller can determine the load is operating under a high power mode. The controller can, in response to the load operating under the high power mode, operate at least one of the PMIC and the power stage to supply power to the load.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
a power stage including a first switching converter; and a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) comprising a controller and at least two switching converters, wherein the power stage is external to the PMIC, and the controller in the PMIC is configured to:
determine a load is operating under a low power mode;
in response to the load operating under the low power mode, operate the at least two switching converters in the PMIC to supply power to the load;
detect a switch of the load from the low power mode to a high power mode;
in response to the load switch from the low power mode to the high power mode:
maintain operation of the at least two switching converters in the PMIC to supply power to the load; and
activate operation of the first switching converter in the power stage external to the PMIC to supply power to the load;

determine a predefined amount of handshaking time in which the at least two switching converters in the PMIC and the first switching converter in the power stage external the PMIC are activated has lapsed; and
in response to lapse of the predefined amount of handshaking time:
deactivate the at least two switching converters in the PMIC; and
maintain operation of the first switching converter in the power stage external the PMIC to supply power to the load;

determine a demand of the load exceeds a power demand threshold by a predefined factor; and
in response to the load demand exceeding a power demand threshold by a predefined factor, operate the first switching converter in the power stage external to the PMIC, and the at least two switching converters in the PMIC to supply power to the load.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
in response to a power demand of the load being less than a predefined power demand threshold, determine that the load is operating under the low power mode; and in response to a power demand of the load being greater than a predefined power demand threshold, determine that the load is operating under the high power mode.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
measure a load current of the load; determine a first efficiency of the system corresponding to the PMIC and the load current; determine a second efficiency of the system corresponding to the power stage and the load current; identify a higher efficiency among the first efficiency and the second efficiency; in response to the first efficiency being identified as the higher efficiency, determine that the load is operating under the low power mode; and in response to the second efficiency being identified as the higher efficiency, determine that the load is operating under the high power mode.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
in response to an ambient temperature of the PMIC being less than a predefined temperature threshold, determine that the load is operating under the low power mode; and in response to the ambient temperature of the PMIC being greater than a predefined temperature threshold, determine that the load is operating under the high power mode.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
determine the load is in an idle mode; and in response to the load being in the idle mode, operate the at least two switching converters in the PMIC and deactivate the first switching converter in the power stage external to the PMIC to supply power to the load.

6 . A device comprising:
a battery; a load; a power stage including a first switching converter; and a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) comprising a controller and at least two switching converters, wherein the power stage is external to the PMIC, and the controller in the PMIC is configured to:
determine the load is operating under a low power mode;
in response to the load operating under the low power mode, operate at least two switching converters in the PMIC to convert an input voltage from the battery into a first output voltage to supply power to the load;
detect a switch of the load from the low power mode to a high power mode;
in response to the load switch from the low power mode to the high power mode:
maintain operation of the at least two switching converters in the PMIC to supply power to the load; and
activate operation of the first switching converter in the power stage external to the PMIC to supply power to the load;

determine a predefined amount of handshaking time in which the at least two switching converters in the PMIC and the first switching converter in the power stage external the PMIC are activated has lapsed; and
in response to lapse of the predefined amount of handshaking time:
deactivate the at least two switching converters in the PMIC; and
maintain operation of the first switching converter in the power stage external the PMIC to supply power to the load;

determine a demand of the load exceeds a power demand threshold by a predefined factor; and
in response to the load demand exceeding a power demand threshold by a predefined factor, operate the first switching converter in the power stage external to the PMIC, and the at least two switching converters in the PMIC to convert the input voltage from the battery into a second output voltage to supply power to the load.

7 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to, in response to the load operating under the high power mode, operate the at least two switching converters in the PMIC and the first switching converter in the power stage external to the PMIC to supply power to the load.

8 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to, in response to the load operating under the high power mode, operate the first switching converter in the power stage external to the PMIC and deactivate the at least two switching converters in the PMIC to supply power to the load.

9 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to:
detect a switch of the load from the low power mode to the high power mode; in response to the load switch from the low power mode to the high power mode:
maintain operation of the at least two switching converters in the PMIC to supply power to the load; and
activate operation of the first switching converter in the power stage external to the PMIC to supply power to the load;
determine a predefined amount of time in which the at least two switching converters in the PMIC and the first switching converter in the power stage external the PMIC are activated has lapsed; and in response to lapse of the predefined amount of time:
deactivate the at least two switching converters in the PMIC; and
maintain operation of the first switching converter in the power stage external the PMIC to supply power to the load.

10 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to:
in response to a power demand of the load being less than a predefined power demand threshold, determine that the load is operating under the low power mode; and in response to a power demand of the load being greater than a predefined power demand threshold, determine that the load is operating under the high power mode.

11 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to:
measure a load current of the load; determine a first efficiency of the device corresponding to the PMIC and the load current; determine a second efficiency of the device corresponding to the power stage and the load current; identify a higher efficiency among the first efficiency and the second efficiency; in response to the first efficiency being

Assignees

• Renesas Electronics America Inc

Inventors

• Wei Jia
• Houston Michael Jason
• Shenoy Akshat

Classifications

• H02J7/855

  with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery · CPC title

• G05F1/462

  as a function of the requirements of the load, e.g. delay, temperature, specific voltage/current characteristic · CPC title

• G06F1/3296

  by lowering the supply or operating voltage · CPC title

• G06F1/3206 Primary

  Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality · CPC title

• G05F1/561 Primary

  Voltage to current converters (amplifiers H03F) · CPC title