SWITCHED-CAPACITOR CIRCUIT CONTROL IN POWER CONVERTERS

1 . An apparatus for power conversion, said apparatus comprising a first element configured to accept an input signal having a first voltage and to output an intermediate signal having a second voltage, a second element configured to receive the intermediate signal from the first element and to output an output signal having a third voltage, wherein the first element is selected from a group consisting of a voltage transformation element and a regulating element, and said second element is a regulating element when the first element is a voltage transformation element and a voltage transformation element otherwise; and a controller configured to control a period of the voltage transformation element and a period of the regulating element, the controller being configured to synchronize the period of the voltage transformation element with the period of the regulating element divided by an integer greater than unity.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the intermediate signal from the first element and the output signal from the second element.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the input signal.

4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to generate a first control signal based on the output signal; and to send the first control signal to the regulating element.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to generate a second control signal based on the intermediate signal and the first control signal; and to send the second control signal to the voltage transformation element.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to provide linear voltage-mode control.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to provide peak current-mode control.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the regulating element is configured to pass continuous current therethrough.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the regulating element is configured to pass discontinuous current therethrough.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the voltage transformation element comprises a plurality of voltage transformation sub-elements and the regulating element comprises a plurality of regulating sub-elements, and wherein each voltage transformation sub-element is associated with a corresponding one of the regulating sub-elements.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first element comprises a voltage transformation element.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first element comprises a regulating element.

13 . An apparatus for power conversion, said apparatus comprising a voltage transformation element, a regulating element, and a controller; wherein, a period of the voltage transformation element is equal to a product of a coefficient and a period of the regulating circuit, wherein said coefficient is a reciprocal of a positive integer, wherein the positive integer is greater than unity.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said regulating element is configured to pass continuous current therethrough.

15 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said regulating element is configured to pass discontinuous current therethrough.

16 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said controller is configured to control transitions between states present in said regulating element and said voltage transformation element based on a hysteresis band.

17 . The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a data processing unit and a memory unit, at least one of which is configured to consume power provided by said power converter circuit.

18 . The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a data processing unit, a display, and a wireless transmitter and receiver, at least one of which is configured to consume power provided by said power converter circuit.

19 . An apparatus for power conversion, said apparatus comprising a first element and a second element, wherein said first element is configured to accept an input signal having a first voltage, wherein said first element is configured to output an intermediate signal having a second voltage, wherein said second element is configured to receive said intermediate signal from said first element, wherein said second element is configured to output an output signal having a third voltage, wherein said first element is selected from a group consisting of a voltage transformation element and a regulating element, and wherein said second element is a regulating element when said first element is a voltage transformation element and a voltage transformation element otherwise, wherein said apparatus further comprises a controller, wherein said controller is configured to control a period of said voltage transformation element, wherein said controller is configured to control a period of said regulating element, wherein said controller is configured to synchronize said period of said voltage transformation element with a product of a coefficient and said period of said regulating element, and wherein said coefficient is an integer greater than unity.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein said first element comprises a regulating element.

21 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein said controller is configured to provide a first output and a second output, wherein said first output is a first phase voltage, wherein said second output is a second phase voltage, wherein said first and second phase voltages are configured to cause one of said second element and said first element to cycle between a first network state and a second network state.

22 . The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein said controller is configured to cause said first and second phase voltages to both be set low during a dead-time interval, and wherein said controller is further configured to cause said first and second phase voltages to differ from each other.