Voltage regulator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019058396-A1
Application number	US-201816106323-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 21, 2018
Priority date	Aug 21, 2017
Publication date	Feb 21, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A voltage regulator can include: N energy storage capacitors, each having first nodes connected together, where N is a positive integer; N input capacitors connected in series between two nodes of an input port; N input switch circuits, each being connected in parallel with a corresponding one of the N input capacitors, where each of the N input switch circuits is configured to selectively couple a second node of a corresponding one of the N energy storage capacitors to a first node or a second node of the corresponding input capacitor; and a first output switch circuit configured to selectively couple the first nodes of the N energy storage capacitors to a first node or a second node of an output port.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A voltage regulator, comprising:
a) N energy storage capacitors, each having first nodes connected together, wherein N is a positive integer; b) N input capacitors connected in series between two nodes of an input port; c) N input switch circuits, each being connected in parallel with a corresponding one of the N input capacitors, wherein each of the N input switch circuits is configured to selectively couple a second node of a corresponding one of the N energy storage capacitors to a first node or a second node of the corresponding input capacitor; d) a first output switch circuit configured to selectively couple the first nodes of the N energy storage capacitors to a first node or a second node of an output port; and e) wherein the N input switch circuits and the first output switch circuit are controlled to switch among different states such that an output voltage of the voltage regulator is proportional to an input voltage of the voltage regulator.

2 . The voltage regulator according to claim 1 , wherein the first node or the second node of the output port is configured to be connected to a node that is connected to one of the N input capacitors.

3 . The voltage regulator according to claim 1 , further comprising an isolation capacitor connected between the first node or the second node that is connected to one of the N input capacitors.

4 . The voltage regulator according to claim 1 , further comprising a second output switch circuit connected in parallel with the first output switch circuit, wherein the second output switch circuit is configured to selectively couple an input node of the second output switch circuit to the first node or the second node of the output port.

5 . The voltage regulator according to claim 4 , wherein the input node of the second output switch circuit is connected to a node that is connected to one of the N input capacitors.

6 . The voltage regulator according to claim 4 , further comprising an isolation capacitor connected between the input node of the second output switch circuit and a node that is connected to one of the N input capacitors.

7 . The voltage regulator according to claim 1 , wherein each of the N input switch circuits is a half-bridge circuit comprising first and second switches, wherein the first and second switches are complementary with each other.

8 . The voltage regulator according to claim 7 , wherein the first output switch circuit is a half-bridge circuit comprising third and fourth switches, wherein the third and fourth switches are complementary with each other, and the third switch is in the same state as the first switch.

9 . The voltage regulator according to claim 4 , wherein:
a) the first output switch circuit is a half-bridge circuit comprising third and fourth switches; b) the second output switch circuit is a half-bridge circuit comprising fifth and sixth switches; c) the third and fourth switches are complementary with each other; d) the fifth and sixth switches are complementary with each other; and e) the third switch is in the same state as the fifth switch.

10 . The voltage regulator according to claim 1 , further comprising an output capacitor connected across the output port.

Assignees

• Silergy Semiconductor Technology Hangzhou Ltd

Inventors

• Zhang Wang
• Zhao Chen

Classifications

• H02M3/07 Primary

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

• G05F3/10 Primary

  using uncontrolled devices with non-linear characteristics · 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