US 12,074,518 B2
Multi-phase switching converter under a phase-added operation and control method thereof
Mallikarjun Banappagol, Cambridge (GB); and Thomas J. O′Brien, Powell, OH (US)
Assigned to Monolithic Power Systems, Inc., Kirkland, WA (US)
Filed by Monolithic Power Systems, Inc., Kirkland, WA (US)
Filed on Aug. 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/884,897.
Prior Publication US 2024/0055986 A1, Feb. 15, 2024
Int. Cl. H02M 3/156 (2006.01); H02M 3/07 (2006.01); H02M 3/157 (2006.01)
CPC H02M 3/157 (2013.01) [H02M 3/07 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multi-phase switching converter, comprising:
a plurality of switching phases configured to convert an input voltage to an output voltage, wherein the plurality of switching phases has a master phase and at least one slave phase configured to be enabled based on a phase additional signal;
a master controller configured to generate a master control signal to control a switch in the master phase;
a pulse generator configured to provide a pulse signal having a duty cycle of 0.5 by frequency-dividing the master control signal under a phase-added operation;
at least one slave controller, each slave controller is configured to generate a respective slave control signal to control a switch in a corresponding slave phase that is to be enabled, wherein each slave controller comprises:
a first circuit configured to charge a first capacitor with a charge current and discharge a second capacitor with a discharge current in response to logic high of the pulse signal, wherein a ratio of the charge current and the discharge current is set based on a slave phase number under the phase-added operation;
a second circuit configured to charge the second capacitor with the charge current and discharge the first capacitor with the discharge current in response to logic low of the pulse signal; and
a comparison circuit configured to compare a first voltage across the first capacitor with a second voltage across the second capacitor and provide an enable signal for turning on the switch in the corresponding slave phase to be enabled.