Switching regulator and operating method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023238888-A1
Application number	US-202318130006-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 3, 2023
Priority date	Oct 16, 2020
Publication date	Jul 27, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A switching regulator generates an output voltage from an input voltage and includes; a charge sharing circuit that selectively forms one of a first charge sharing path between a first flying capacitor and a second bootstrap capacitor and a second charge sharing path between a second flying capacitor and a first bootstrap capacitor based on first and second conversion modes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A switching regulator that generates an output voltage from an input voltage, the switching regulator comprising:
a first switching circuit including a first transistor that is connected to a first node receiving the input voltage in response to a first switching control signal in a boost mode; a second switching circuit including a second transistor that is connected to a second node outputting the output voltage in response to a second switching control signal in a buck mode; and a charge sharing circuit configured to form a second charge sharing path for boosting the first switching control signal in the boost mode and a first charge sharing path for boosting the second switching control signal in the buck mode.

2 . The switching regulator of claim 1 , wherein the first transistor is configured to selectively connect the first node in response to the first switching control signal, in the buck mode, and
the second transistor is configured to selectively connect the second node in response to the second switching control signal, in the boost mode.

3 . The switching regulator of claim 1 , wherein the first and second transistor comprise an n-channel metal oxide semiconductor (nMOS) transistor.

4 . The switching regulator of claim 1 , wherein the first switching circuit further comprises a first bootstrap capacitor that is charged through the second charge sharing path to boost the first switching control signal, and
the second switching circuit further comprises a second bootstrap capacitor that is charged by through the first charge sharing path to boost the second switching control signal.

5 . The switching regulator of claim 1 , wherein the first switching circuit further comprises a first flying capacitor that is discharged through the first charge sharing path, and
the second switching circuit comprises a second flying capacitor that is discharged through the second charge sharing path.

6 . The switching regulator of claim 1 , wherein the first switching circuit further comprises a first flying capacitor,
in a first section of the buck mode, the first flying capacitor is connected to the first node to be charged, and in a second section of the buck mode, the first flying capacitor is discharged through the first charge sharing path.

7 . The switching regulator of claim 1 , wherein the second switching circuit further comprises a second flying capacitor,
in a first section of the boost mode, the second flying capacitor is connected to the first node to be charged, and in a second section of the boost mode, the second flying capacitor is discharged through the second charge sharing path.

8 . The switching regulator of claim 1 , wherein the first switching circuit further comprises a first bootstrap capacitor that boosts the first switching control signal in the boost mode, and
in the boost mode, the first bootstrap capacitor is periodically charged through the second charge sharing path.

9 . The switching regulator of claim 1 , wherein the second switching circuit further comprises a second bootstrap capacitor that boosts the second switching control signal in in the buck mode, and
in the buck mode, the second bootstrap capacitor is periodically charged through the first charge sharing path.

10 . The switching regulator of claim 1 , wherein the charge sharing circuit comprises:
at least one first power switching element configured to form or block the first charge sharing path; and at least one second power switching element configured to form or block the second charge sharing path.

11 . The switching regulator of claim 1 , wherein a direction in which charges flow in the first charge sharing path is different from a direction in which charges flow in the second charge sharing path.

12 . A switching regulator that generates an output voltage from an input voltage, the switching regulator comprising:
a first switching circuit including a first transistor, a first bootstrap capacitor, and a flying capacitor, wherein in a buck mode, the first transistor is configured to selectively connect a first node receiving the input voltage in response to a first switching control signal the input voltage; a second switching circuit including a second transistor and a second bootstrap capacitor, wherein in the buck mode, the second transistor is configured to selectively connect a second node outputting the output voltage in response to a second switching control signal; and a charge sharing circuit configured to form a charge sharing path between the flying capacitor and the second bootstrap capacitor, in the buck mode.

13 . The switching regulator of claim 12 , wherein in a first section of the buck mode, the flying capacitor is connected to the first node to be charged, and
in a second section of the buck mode, the flying capacitor is discharged through the charge sharing path.

14 . The switching regulator of claim 13 , wherein the charge sharing path is blocked in the first section, and
the charge sharing path is formed in the second section.

15 . The switching regulator of claim 12 , wherein in a first section of the buck mode, the first bootstrap capacitor is connected to the first node to be charged, and
in a second section of the buck mode, the first bootstrap capacitor boosts the first switching control signal.

16 . The switching regulator of claim 12 , wherein in the buck mode, the second bootstrap capacitor is periodically charged through the charge sharing path.

17 . A switching regulator that generates an output voltage from an input voltage, the switching regulator comprising:
a first switching circuit including a first transistor and a first bootstrap capacitor, wherein in a boost mode, the first transistor connects a first node receiving the input voltage in response to a first switching control signal, and the first bootstrap capacitor boosts the first switching control signal; a second switching circuit including a second transistor, a second bootstrap capacitor, and a flying capacitor, wherein in the boost mode, the second transistor is configured to selectively connect a second node outputting the output voltage in response to a second switching control signal; and a charge sharing circuit configured to form a charge sharing path between the flying capacitor and the first bootstrap capacitor, in the boost mode.

18 . The switching regulator of claim 17 , wherein in a first section of the boost mode, the flying capacitor is connected to the first node to be charged, and
in a second section of the boost mode, the flying capacitor is discharged through the charge sharing path.

19 . The switching regulator of claim 17 , wherein in a first section of the boost mode, the second bootstrap capacitor is connected to the first node to be charged, and
in a second section of the boost mode, the second bootstrap capacitor boosts the second switching control signal.

20 . The switching regulator of claim 17 , wherein in the boost mode, the first bootstrap capacitor is periodically charged through the charge sharing path.

21 . A switching regulator that generates an output voltage from an input voltage, the switching regulator comprising:
a first switching circuit including a first transistor connected to a first node receiving the input voltage based on a first switching control signal; a second switching circuit including a second transistor connected to a second node outputting the output voltage

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Youn Hyosang
• Kim Minwoo
• Park Hyungju
• Lee Deokgi
• Chae Changseok

Classifications

• H02M3/1582 Primary

  Buck-boost converters (H02M3/1584 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02M3/18

  using capacitors or batteries which are alternately charged and discharged, e.g. charged in parallel and discharged in series · CPC title

• H02M3/155 Primary

  using semiconductor devices only · CPC title

• H02M3/07

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