DC-DC converter controller apparatus with dual-counter digital integrator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9389625-B2
Application number	US-201414514433-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2014
Priority date	May 22, 2014
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

Abstract

DC-DC converter PWM controllers and dual counter digital integrators are presented for integrating an error between a reference voltage signal and a feedback voltage signal, in which a comparator, dual counters, and a DAC are used to provide a compensated reference to a modulator loop comparator which generates a PWM switching signal for controlling a power converter output voltage, with the second counter being selectively incremented or decremented when the first counter output indicates a predetermined value after the first counter output transitions in one direction through a predetermined count range to enhance loop stability, and a startup mode control allows fast integrator operation during initialization, with the ability to freeze integrator operation during overcurrent conditions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A DC to DC converter, comprising:
a switching circuit comprising at least one switch connected to a switching node;
a modulator circuit providing a switching control signal to selectively actuate and deactuate the at least one switch to control an output voltage of a converter output node;
a feedback circuit coupled with the converter output node to provide a feedback voltage signal based at least partially on the output voltage;
a loop comparator circuit with a first comparator input connected to receive the feedback voltage signal, a second comparator input connected to receive a compensated reference signal, and a loop comparator output providing a loop comparator output signal to the modulator circuit to regulate the output voltage based on the feedback voltage signal and the compensated reference signal;
a digital integrator circuit, comprising:
a reference circuit providing an integrator reference voltage signal based at least partially on a reference voltage,
a comparator circuit comprising a first input coupled with the reference circuit to receive the integrator reference voltage signal, a second input coupled with the feedback circuit to receive the feedback voltage signal, and a comparator output providing a binary comparator output signal indicating whether the reference voltage signal is greater than the feedback voltage signal, and
a dual counter circuit, comprising:
a multi-bit first counter comprising a first clock input coupled with an integrator circuit clock source, a first up/down count input coupled to receive the comparator output signal from the comparator circuit, and a plurality of first counter bit outputs providing signals indicating a multi-bit first counter output value,
a multi-bit second counter comprising a second clock input, a second up/down count input, and a plurality of second counter bit outputs providing signals indicating a multi-bit second counter output value, and
a logic circuit operative to initially increment or decrement the second counter responsive to the first counter bit outputs initially indicating a predetermined value of the first counter, and thereafter increment or decrement the second counter responsive to the first counter bit outputs again indicating the predetermined value after the first counter bit outputs transition in one direction through a full value range of the first counter; and

a digital to analog converter with a plurality of inputs connected to the second counter bit outputs, and an output controlling the compensated reference signal provided to the second comparator input based at least partially on the second counter bit outputs and the reference voltage.

2. The DC to DC converter of claim 1 , wherein the logic circuit comprises a plurality of inputs coupled with the first counter, a first logic output coupled with the second clock input, and a second logic output coupled with the second up/down count input, the logic circuit being operative to:
set the first logic output to a first binary clock input state responsive to the first counter bit outputs indicating a first predetermined value of the first counter;
set the first logic output to a second binary clock input state responsive to the first counter bit outputs indicating a second predetermined value of the first counter;
set the second logic output to a first binary counter state responsive to the first counter bit outputs transitioning in a first direction to the second predetermined value of the first counter; and
set the second logic output to a second binary counter state responsive to the first counter bit outputs transitioning in a second direction to the second predetermined value of the first counter.

3. The DC to DC converter of claim 2 , wherein the dual counter circuit comprises:
a first switch operative according to a control input in a first state to connect the second clock input of the second counter to the first logic output of the logic circuit, and in a second state to connect the second clock input of the second counter to the integrator circuit clock source; and
a second switch operative according to the control input in a first state to connect the second up/down count input of the second counter to the second logic output of the logic circuit, and in a second state to connect the second up/down count input of the second counter to the comparator output.

4. The DC to DC converter of claim 3 , wherein the first and second counters are individually operable according to a hold control input signal in a first mode to selectively update the first and second counters counter bit outputs according to the corresponding clock input and the corresponding up/down count input, and in a second mode to refrain from updating the first and second counters counter bit outputs.

5. The DC to DC converter of claim 2 , wherein the first and second counters are individually operable according to a hold control input signal in a first mode to selectively update the first and second counters counter bit outputs according to the corresponding clock input and the corresponding up/down count input, and in a second mode to refrain from updating the first and second counters counter bit outputs.

6. The DC to DC converter of claim 1 , wherein the dual counter circuit comprises:
a first switch operative according to a control input in a first state to connect the second clock input of the second counter to the logic circuit, and in a second state to connect the second clock input of the second counter to the integrator circuit clock source; and
a second switch operative according to the control input in a first state to connect the second up/down count input of the second counter to the logic circuit, and in a second state to connect the second up/down count input of the second counter to the comparator output.

7. The DC to DC converter of claim 6 , wherein the first and second counters are individually operable according to a hold control input signal in a first mode to selectively update the first and second counters counter bit outputs according to the corresponding clock input and the corresponding up/down count input, and in a second mode to refrain from updating the first and second counters counter bit outputs.

8. The DC to DC converter of claim 1 , wherein the first and second counters are individually operable according to a hold control input signal in a first mode to selectively update the first and second counters counter bit outputs according to the corresponding clock input and the corresponding up/down count input, and in a second mode to refrain from updating the first and second counters counter bit outputs.

9. A pulse width modulation controller, comprising:
a reference compensation circuit providing a compensated reference signal at least partially according to a multi-bit digital input and a reference voltage;
a loop comparator circuit providing a loop comparator output signal to a modulator circuit to control a power converter output voltage based on a feedback voltage signal and the compensated reference signal; and
a digital integrator circuit, comprising a reference circuit providing an integrator reference voltage signal based at least partially on a reference voltage, a comparator circuit providing a binary comparator output signal indicating whether a reference voltage signal is greater than the feedback voltage signal, and a dual counter circuit, comprising:
a first counter receiving the comparator output signal and an integrator clock input signal, and providing a multi-bit first counter value,
a second counter comprising a second clock input, a second up/down count input, and providing the multi-bit digital input to the reference compensation circ

Assignees

• Texas Instruments Inc

Inventors

• Hu Zhiming
• Tateishi Tetsuo
• Li Xuening

Classifications

• H02M3/157

  with digital control · CPC title

• H03M5/08

  Code representation by pulse width · CPC title

• G05F1/575 Primary

  characterised by the feedback circuit · CPC title