Power converter frequency control
A power converter device includes power converter circuitry that includes multiple inductors. The power converter circuitry may convert an input voltage and current to an output voltage and current at a variable frequency via operation of the multiple inductors. The power converter device further includes control circuitry configured to implement cycle-by-cycle current output analysis to synchronize the multiple inductors to a particular current output characteristic of a first one of the multiple inductors.
1 . A power converter device including:
power converter circuitry configured to convert an input voltage and current to an output voltage and current at a variable frequency, the power converter circuitry including multiple inductors; and
control circuitry configured to provide cycle-by-cycle control of the output voltage and current at the variable frequency for the power converter circuitry by:
synchronizing valley current occurrences among the multiple inductors using phase-to-phase current timing control of inductor currents,
where the control circuitry is configured to control the variable frequency by selecting a switching frequency for a first inductor of the multiple inductors,
where the control circuitry is configured to cause the multiple inductors to reach a steady state frequency based on the switching frequency of the first inductor after a transient frequency period, and
where the control circuitry is configured to control a duration of the transient frequency period by controlling a ramp-up time for current output for at least the first inductor.
2 . The power converter device of claim 1 , where the control circuitry is configured to synchronize the valley current occurrences among the multiple inductors by synchronizing switching of the multiple inductors based on valley current occurrences of the first inductor.
3 . The power converter device of claim 2 , where the control circuitry is configured to synchronize switching of the multiple inductors based on the valley current occurrences of the first inductor by causing the multiple inductors to switch in sequence from the first inductor to a last inductor.
4 . The power converter device of claim 2 , where the control circuitry is configured to synchronize switching of the multiple inductors based on the valley current occurrences of the first inductor by implementing an individual switching timing delay relative to the valley current occurrences of the first inductor for each of the other ones of the multiple inductors.
5 . The power converter device of claim 1 , where at least some of the multiple inductors, at least in part, share current flux.
6 . The power converter device of claim 1 , where at least some of the multiple inductors are coupled to one another.
7 . A method including:
converting an input voltage and current to an output voltage and current at a variable frequency using multiple inductors;
synchronizing valley current occurrences among the multiple inductors using phase-to-phase current timing control of inductor currents to perform cycle-by-cycle control of the output voltage and current for the multiple inductors;
controlling the variable frequency by selecting a switching frequency for a first inductor of the multiple inductors;
causing the multiple inductors to reach a steady state frequency based on the switching frequency of the first inductor after a transient frequency period; and
controlling a duration of the transient frequency period by controlling a ramp-up time for current output for at least the first inductor.
8 . The method of claim 7 , where synchronizing the valley current occurrences among the multiple inductors includes synchronizing switching of the multiple inductors based on valley current occurrences of the first inductor.
9 . The method of claim 8 , where synchronizing switching of the multiple inductors based on valley current occurrences of the first inductor includes causing the multiple inductors to switch in sequence from the first inductor to a last inductor.
10 . A device including:
means for converting an input voltage and current to an output voltage and current at a variable frequency using multiple inductors;
means for synchronizing valley current occurrences among the multiple inductors using phase-to-phase current timing control of inductor currents to perform cycle-by-cycle control of the output voltage and current for the multiple inductors;
means for controlling the variable frequency by selecting a switching frequency for a first inductor of the multiple inductors;
means for causing the multiple inductors to reach a steady state frequency based on the switching frequency of the first inductor after a transient frequency period; and
means for controlling a duration of the transient frequency period by controlling a ramp-up time for current output for at least the first inductor.
11 . The device of claim 10 , further including:
means for generating a correction signal based at least in part on the cycle-by-cycle control for the sensor output.
12 . The device of claim 11 , further including:
means for providing a voltage control loop configured to add the correction signal to an incoming command signal.
13 . The device of claim 12 , further including:
means for synchronizing switching of the multiple inductors based on the valley current occurrences of the first inductor by implementing an individual switching timing delay relative to the valley current occurrences of the first inductor for each of the other ones of the multiple inductors.
14 . The device of claim 10 , further including:
means for synchronizing the valley current occurrences among the multiple inductors by synchronizing switching of the multiple inductors based on valley current occurrences of the first inductor.
15 . The device of claim 14 , further including:
means for synchronizing switching of the multiple inductors based on the valley current occurrences of the first inductor by causing the multiple inductors to switch in sequence from the first inductor to a last inductor.