Hybrid sensing circuits for switching direct-current-to-direct-current converters, and associated systems and methods

1 . A method for generating a control signal for controlling a switching direct-current-to-direct-current (DC-to-DC) converter where (i) the switching DC-to-DC converter includes a first inductor-capacitor (LC) filter and (ii) a second LC filter is electrically coupled between a local output node of the switching DC-to-DC converter and a remote output node of the switching DC-to-DC converter, the method comprising:

using one or more first amplifiers, generating a first amplifier output signal as a first current signal proportional to a dynamic voltage at the local output node;

using one or more second amplifiers, generating a second amplifier output signal as a second current signal proportional to a difference between (i) a desired output voltage of the switching DC-to-DC converter and (ii) an output voltage of the switching DC-to-DC converter at the remote output node; and

generating the control signal based on a sum of the first amplifier output signal and the second amplifier output signal, comprising:

summing the first current signal and second current signal to generate a combined current signal, and

applying the combined current signal to a compensator, to generate the control signal,

wherein a ratio of a gain of the one or more first amplifiers to a gain of the one or more second amplifiers is a function of a ratio of a capacitance of the first LC filter to a capacitance of the second LC filter.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the switching DC-to-DC converter has an inverting topology.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the inverting topology is buck-boost topology.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the switching DC-to-DC converter has a non-inverting topology.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the non-inverting topology is selected from the group consisting of a buck topology and a boost topology.

6 . A hybrid sensing circuit for generating a control signal for controlling a switching direct-current-to-direct-current (DC-to-DC) converter where (i) the switching DC-to-DC converter includes a first inductor-capacitor (LC) filter and (ii) a second LC filter is electrically coupled between a local output node of the switching DC-to-DC converter and a remote output node of the switching DC-to-DC converter, the hybrid sensing circuit comprising:

one or more first amplifiers configured to generate a first amplifier output signal as a first current signal proportional to a dynamic voltage at the local output node;

one or more second amplifiers configured to generate a second amplifier output signal as a second current signal proportional to a difference between (i) a desired output voltage of the switching DC-to-DC converter and (ii) an output voltage of the switching DC-to-DC converter at the remote output node; and

summing circuitry configured to generate a control signal for controlling the switching DC-to-DC converter based on a sum of the first amplifier output signal and the second amplifier output signal, comprising:

summing the first current signal and second current signal to generate a combined current signal, and

applying the combined current signal to a compensator, to generate the control signal,

wherein a ratio of a gain of the one or more first amplifiers to a gain of the one or more second amplifiers is a function of a ratio of a capacitance of the first LC filter to a capacitance of the second LC filter.

7 . The hybrid sensing circuit of claim 6 , further comprising one of (i) a high pass filter electrically coupling an input of the one or more first amplifiers to the local output node and (ii) a low pass filter electrically coupling the input of the one or more first amplifiers to the local output node.

8 . The hybrid sensing circuit of claim 6 , further comprising a voltage divider electrically coupling an input of the one or more second amplifiers to the remote output node.

9 . An electrical system, comprising:

a switching direct-current-to-direct-current (DC-to-DC) converter including a switching stage and a first inductor-capacitor (LC) filter;

a second LC filter electrically coupled between a local output node of the switching DC-to-DC converter and a remote output node of the switching DC-to-DC converter;

one or more first amplifiers configured to generate a first amplifier output signal as a first current signal proportional to a dynamic voltage at the local output node;

one or more second amplifiers configured to generate a second amplifier output signal as a second current signal proportional to a difference between (i) a desired output voltage of the switching DC-to-DC converter and (ii) an output voltage of the switching DC-to-DC converter at the remote output node;

summing circuitry configured to generate a control signal for controlling the switching DC-to-DC converter based on a sum of the first amplifier output signal and the second amplifier output signal, comprising summing the first current signal and second current signal to generate a combined current signal, and applying the combined current signal to a compensator, to generate the control signal; and

switching control circuitry configured to control the switching stage as a function of the control signal,

wherein a ratio of a gain of the one or more first amplifiers to a gain of the one or more second amplifiers is a function of a ratio of a capacitance of the first LC filter to a capacitance of the second LC filter.

10 . The electrical system of claim 9 , further comprising one of (i) a high pass filter electrically coupling an input of the one or more first amplifiers to the local output node and (ii) a low pass filter electrically coupling the input of the one or more first amplifiers to the local output node.

11 . The electrical system of claim 9 , wherein the switching DC-to-DC converter has a topology selected from the group consisting of a buck topology, a boost topology, and buck-boost topology.