US 12,113,432 B2
Trans-inductor voltage regulators with fault detection and the fault detection method thereof
Hang Shao, San Jose, CA (US); and Tao Zhao, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Monolithic Power Systems, Inc., Kirkland, WA (US)
Filed by Monolithic Power Systems, Inc., Kirkland, WA (US)
Filed on Mar. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/698,940.
Prior Publication US 2023/0299687 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. H02M 1/32 (2007.01); H02M 3/158 (2006.01)
CPC H02M 1/32 (2013.01) [H02M 3/1586 (2021.05)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A trans-inductor voltage regulator, comprising:
a plurality of transformers, wherein each transformer of the plurality of transformers having a primary winding and a secondary winding, and wherein each secondary winding of each transformer of the plurality of transformers are coupled in series;
a plurality of switching circuits connected in parallel between an input voltage and an output voltage, wherein each switching circuit of the plurality of switching circuits is coupled to the primary winding of each transformer of the plurality of transformers, so that each primary winding of each transformer of the plurality of transformers serves as an output inductor of each switching circuit of the plurality of switching circuits;
a compensation inductor coupled in series to the secondary windings of the plurality of transformers; and
a controller, configured to power up the plurality of switching circuits one by one by firing a series of PWM pulses on one of the plurality of switching circuits and keeping other switching circuits idle during when a specific switching circuit of the plurality of switching circuits is powered up, to detect open and short fault conditions of the plurality of switching circuits.