Voltage regulator and method for regulating dual output voltages by selective connection between a voltage supply and multiple capacitances

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9350234-B2
Application number	US-201314077928-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 12, 2013
Priority date	Feb 22, 2010
Publication date	May 24, 2016
Grant date	May 24, 2016

Abstract

A voltage regulator including a first, second, and third capacitances, first switches, and second switches. A first terminal of the first capacitance is connected to a first output. The first output is at a first output voltage. A first terminal of the second capacitance is connected to a second output. The second output is at a second output voltage. The first switches connect a first terminal of the third capacitance to a voltage supply, the first output, or the second output. The second switches connect a second terminal of the third capacitance to a reference terminal, the first output, or the second output. The first and second switches are controlled, based on the first output voltage and the second output voltage, to: adjust voltages across the first, second, and third capacitances; maintain the first output at a first predetermined voltage; and maintain the second output at a second predetermined voltage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A voltage regulator comprising:
a first capacitance comprising a first terminal, wherein the first terminal is connected to a first output of the voltage regulator, and wherein the first output is at a first output voltage;
a second capacitance comprising a first terminal, wherein the first terminal of the second capacitance is connected to a second output of the voltage regulator, and wherein the second output is at a second output voltage;
a third capacitance comprising a first terminal and a second terminal;
a plurality of first switches configured to connect the first terminal of the third capacitance to a voltage supply, the first output, or the second output; and
a plurality of second switches configured to connect the second terminal of the third capacitance to a first reference terminal, the first output, or the second output,
wherein the plurality of first switches and the plurality of second switches are controlled, based on the first output voltage and the second output voltage, to (i) adjust voltages across the first capacitance, the second capacitance, and the third capacitance, (ii) maintain the first output at a first predetermined voltage, and (iii) maintain the second output at a second predetermined voltage.

2. The voltage regulator of claim 1 , wherein:
the first capacitance comprises a second terminal;
the second terminal of the first capacitance is connected to a second reference terminal;
the second capacitance comprises a second terminal; and
the second terminal of the second capacitance is connected to the second reference terminal.

3. The voltage regulator of claim 1 , wherein:
the first output voltage is across the first capacitance; and
the second output voltage is across the second capacitance.

4. The voltage regulator of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of first switches are configured to connect the first terminal of the third capacitance to each of the voltage supply, the first output, and the second output; and
the plurality of second switches are configured to connect the second terminal of the third capacitance to each of the first reference terminal, the first output, and the second output.

5. The voltage regulator of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of first switches are configured to connect (i) the first terminal of the first capacitance, (ii) the first terminal of the second capacitance, and (iii) the first terminal of the third capacitance to the voltage supply; and
the plurality of second switches are configured to connect (i) the first terminal of the first capacitance, (ii) the first terminal of the second capacitance, and (iii) the second terminal of the third capacitance to the first reference terminal.

6. The voltage regulator of claim 1 , wherein plurality of first switches are configured to (i) receive a direct current voltage from the voltage supply, and (ii) provide the direct current voltage to the first capacitance, the second capacitance, and the third capacitance.

7. The voltage regulator of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first switches comprise:
a first switch configured to connect the first terminal of the first capacitance to the first terminal of the third capacitance;
a second switch configured to connect the first terminal of the second capacitance to the first terminal of the third capacitance; and
a third switch configured to connect the first terminal of the third capacitance to the voltage supply.

8. The voltage regulator of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of second switches comprise:
a fourth switch configured to connect the first terminal of the first capacitance to the second terminal of the third capacitance;
a fifth switch configured to connect the first terminal of the second capacitance to the second terminal of the third capacitance; and
a sixth switch configured to connect the second terminal of the third capacitance to the first reference terminal.

9. The voltage regulator of claim 8 , wherein, during a first phase:
the third switch and the fourth switch are closed to connect (i) the first terminal of the first capacitance to the second terminal of the third capacitance, and (ii) the first terminal of the third capacitance to the voltage supply; and
while the third switch and the fourth switch are closed, the first switch, the second switch, the fifth switch, and the sixth switch are open to increase the first output voltage.

10. The voltage regulator of claim 9 , wherein, during a second phase:
the second switch and the sixth switch are closed to connect (i) the first terminal of the second capacitance to the first terminal of the third capacitance, and (ii) second terminal of the third capacitance to the first reference terminal; and
while the second switch and the fourth switch are closed, the first switch, the third switch, the fifth switch, and the sixth switch are open such that the third capacitance charges the second capacitance and increases the second output voltage.

11. The voltage regulator of claim 8 , wherein, during a first phase:
the first switch and the fifth switch are closed to connect (i) the first terminal of the first capacitance to the first terminal of the third capacitance and (ii) the first terminal of the second capacitance to the second terminal of the third capacitance,
while the first switch and the fifth switch are closed, the second switch, the third switch, the fourth switch, and the sixth switch are open to increase the first output voltage.

12. The voltage regulator of claim 11 , wherein, during a second phase:
the third switch and the fourth switch are closed to connect (i) the first terminal of the first capacitance to the second terminal of the third capacitance, and (ii) the first terminal of the third capacitance to the voltage supply; and
while the third switch and the fourth switch are closed, the first switch, the second switch, the fifth switch, and the sixth switches are open to increase the first output voltage.

13. The voltage regulator of claim 11 , wherein:
the second switch and the sixth switch are closed to connect (i) the first terminal of the second capacitance to the first terminal of the third capacitance, and (ii) the second terminal of the third capacitance to the first reference terminal; and
while the second switch and the sixth switch are closed, the first switch, the third switch, the fourth switch, and the fifth switch are open such that the second capacitance charges the third capacitance.

14. The voltage regulator of claim 8 , wherein:
the third switch and the fifth switch are closed to connect (i) the first terminal of the third capacitance to the voltage supply, and (ii) the second terminal of the third capacitance to the first terminal of the second capacitance; and
while the third switch and the fifth switch are closed, the first switch, the second switch, the fourth switch, and the sixth switch are open to increase the second output voltage.

15. The voltage regulator of claim 14 , wherein:
the second switch and the sixth switch are closed to connect (i) the first terminal of the third capacitance to the first terminal of the second capacitance, and (ii) the second terminal of the third capacitance to the first reference terminal; and
while the second switch and the sixth switch are closed, the first switch, the third switch, the fourth switch, and the fifth switch are open such that the third capacitance charges the second capacitance.

16. A method of operating a voltage regulator, wherein the voltage regulator comprises a first capacitance, a second capacitance, and a third

Assignees

• Marvell World Trade Ltd

Inventors

• Verma Ashutosh
• Jamal Shafiq M
• Cho Thomas B
• Sutardja Sehat

Classifications

• H02M3/07 Primary

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

• H02M2001/009

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02M1/009

  having two or more independently controlled outputs (for DC-DC converter with intermediate AC H02M3/33561) · CPC title