Power management integrated circuit load switch driver with dynamic biasing
Disclosed is an improved load switch driver for power management integrated circuit (PMIC) devices. In one embodiment, a PMIC is disclosed comprising a gate driver, the gate driver connected to the gate of a switch; an operation frequency generator connected to the gate driver and configured to supply a periodic voltage to the gate driver; and a voltage sensor, the voltage sensor connected to the operation frequency generator and the source of the switch, the voltage sensor configured to monitor a drain-source voltage of the switch and lower the frequency of the operation frequency generator to a second frequency in response to detecting a collapse of the drain-source voltage.
1. A power management integrated circuit (PMIC) comprising:
a gate driver, the gate driver coupled to a gate of a switch;
an operation frequency generator coupled to the gate driver and configured to supply a periodic voltage to the gate driver; and
a voltage sensor, the voltage sensor coupled to the operation frequency generator and a source of the switch, the voltage sensor configured to monitor a drain-source voltage of the switch and lower a frequency of the operation frequency generator to a second frequency in response to detecting a collapse of the drain-source voltage.
2. The PMIC of claim 1 , the gate driver comprising a charge pump.
3. The PMIC of claim 1 , the gate driver comprising a push-pull driver.
4. The PMIC of claim 1 , the switch comprising a MOSFET switch.
5. The PMIC of claim 1 , the periodic voltage supplied at a frequency between 200 and 400 kHz.
6. The PMIC of claim 1 , the second frequency comprising a frequency between 8.5 and 12 kHz.
7. The PMIC of claim 1 , further comprising at least one voltage regulator and at least one sequencer.
8. A system comprising:
an interface;
a power management integrated circuit (PMIC), the PMIC powered by voltages supplied over the interface and including a load switch driver; and
one or more memory devices coupled to the load switch driver of the PMIC via at least one switch, the load switch driver configured to monitor a drain-source voltage of the switch and lower a frequency of an operation frequency generator to a second frequency in response to detecting a collapse of the drain-source voltage.
9. The system of claim 8 , the interface comprising a SATA or PCI-E interface.
10. The system of claim 8 , the PMIC comprising a second and third load switch driver.
11. The system of claim 10 , the second load switch driver coupled, via a second switch to a DRAM device.
12. The system of claim 11 , the third load switch driver coupled, via a third switch to an ASIC device.
13. The system of claim 8 , the load switch driver comprising:
a gate driver, the gate driver connected to the gate of the switch;
an operation frequency generator connected to the gate driver and configured to supply a periodic voltage to the gate driver; and
a voltage sensor, the voltage sensor connected to the operation frequency generator and a source of the switch, the voltage sensor configured to monitor a drain-source voltage of the switch.
14. The system of claim 13 , the gate driver comprising a charge pump.
15. The system of claim 13 , the gate driver comprising a push-pull driver.
16. The system of claim 13 , the switch comprising a MOSFET switch.
17. The system of claim 13 , the periodic voltage supplied at a frequency between 200 and 400 kHz.
18. The system of claim 13 , the second frequency comprising a frequency between 8.5 and 12 kHz.
19. A method comprising:
supplying a gate voltage to a gate of a switch at a first frequency;
monitoring a drain-source voltage of the switch;
determining that the drain-source voltage of the switch has collapsed; and
supplying the gate voltage to the gate of the switch at a second frequency in response to determining that the drain-source voltage has collapsed.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the periodic voltage is supplied at the frequency between 200 and 400 kHz and the second frequency comprising a frequency between 8.5 and 12 kHz.