IP Library › Granted Patent US 50,353
Granted Patent E1
US 50,353 · App. 17/696,379 · Granted Mar 25, 2025

Circuits and methods for hybrid 3:1 voltage regulators

Inventors: Hans Meyvaert (Leuven, BE); Zhipeng Li (Fremont, CA); Alberto Alessandro Angelo Puggelli (Cupertino, CA); Thomas Li (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: Lion Semiconductor Inc.
H02M3/07G11C5/145H02M3/073
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 50,353
App. No.
17/696,379
Granted
Mar 25, 2025
Kind
E1
Abstract

Circuits for a voltage regulator are provided, comprising: an inductor having a first side coupled to an input voltage; a first flying capacitor; a second flying capacitor; and a plurality of switches, wherein: in a first state, the plurality of switches couple: a second side of the inductor to a second side of the first flying capacitor and an output node; a first side of the first flying capacitor to a first side of the second flying capacitor; and a second side of the second flying capacitor to a voltage supply, in a second state, the plurality of switches couple: the second side of the inductor to the first side of the second flying capacitor; the second side of the second flying capacitor to the output node and the first side of the first flying capacitor; and the second side of the first flying capacitor to the voltage supply.

Claims (85)

1. A circuit for a voltage regulator, comprising:

an inductor having a first side coupled to an input voltage and having a second side;

a first flying capacitor having a first side and having a second side;

a second flying capacitor having a first side and having a second side; and

a plurality of switches,; and

a controller that controls the plurality of switches and to switch between the first state and a second state,

wherein:

in a the first state, the plurality of switches connect:

the second side of the inductor to the second side of the first flying capacitor and an output node;

the first side of the first flying capacitor to the first side of the second flying capacitor; and

the second side of the second flying capacitor to a voltage supply,

in a the second state, the plurality of switches connect:

the second side of the inductor to the first side of the second flying capacitor;

the second side of the second flying capacitor to the output node and the first side of the first flying capacitor; and

the second side of the first flying capacitor to the voltage supply.

2. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the voltage supply is a ground.

3. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein each switch is a MOSFET.

4. The circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a controller that controls the switches to switch between the first state and the second state.

5. The circuit of claim 1 , further comprising an output capacitor having a first side connected to the output node and a second side connected to the voltage supply.

6. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the inductor is a discrete inductor mounted on a printed circuit board.

7. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the inductor is implemented on-chip.

8. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first flying capacitor and the second flying capacitor is a multi-layer ceramic capacitor.

9. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first flying capacitor and the second flying capacitor is an on-chip capacitor.

10. A regulator comprising a first circuit and a second circuit each as claimed in claim 1 , wherein operation of the first circuit and the second circuit are time-interleaved with respect to each other.

11. A circuit for controlling connections with:

an inductor having a first side coupled to an input voltage and having a second side;

a first flying capacitor having a first side and having a second side; and

a second flying capacitor having a first side and having a second side,

the circuit comprising:

a plurality of switches; and

a controller that controls the plurality of switches to switch between a first state and a second state,

wherein:

in the first state, the plurality of switches connect:

the second side of the inductor to the second side of the first flying capacitor and an output node;

the first side of the first flying capacitor to the first side of the second flying capacitor; and

the second side of the second flying capacitor to a voltage supply,

in the second state, the plurality of switches connect:

the second side of the inductor to the first side of the second flying capacitor;

the second side of the second flying capacitor to the output node and the first side of the first flying capacitor; and

the second side of the first flying capacitor to the voltage supply.

12. The circuit of claim 11 , wherein the voltage supply is a ground.

13. The circuit of claim 11 , wherein each switch is a MOSFET.

14. The circuit of claim 11 , wherein the output node is connected to an output capacitor having a first side connected to the output node and a second side connected to the voltage supply.

15. The circuit of claim 11 , wherein the inductor is a discrete inductor mounted on a printed circuit board.

16. The circuit of claim 11 , wherein the inductor is implemented on-chip.

17. The circuit of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first flying capacitor and the second flying capacitor is a multi-layer ceramic capacitor.

18. The circuit of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first flying capacitor and the second flying capacitor is an on-chip capacitor.

19. A regulator comprising a first circuit and a second circuit each as claimed in claim 11 , wherein operation of the first circuit and the second circuit are time-interleaved with respect to each other.

20. A circuit for connection to:

a first flying capacitor having a first side and having a second side; and

a second flying capacitor having a first side and having a second side,

the circuit comprising:

an inductor having a first side coupled to an input voltage and having a second side; and

a plurality of switches; and

a controller that controls the plurality of switches to switch between a first state and a second state,

wherein:

in the first state, the plurality of switches connect:

the second side of the inductor to the second side of the first flying capacitor and an output node;

the first side of the first flying capacitor to the first side of the second flying capacitor; and

the second side of the second flying capacitor to a voltage supply,

in the second state, the plurality of switches connect:

the second side of the inductor to the first side of the second flying capacitor;

the second side of the second flying capacitor to the output node and the first side of the first flying capacitor; and

the second side of the first flying capacitor to the voltage supply.

21. The circuit of claim 20 , wherein the voltage supply is a ground.

22. The circuit of claim 20 , wherein each switch is a MOSFET.

23. The circuit of claim 20 , wherein the output node is connected to an output capacitor having a first side connected to the output node and a second side connected to the voltage supply.

24. A circuit for connection to:

an inductor having a first side coupled to an input voltage and having a second side, the circuit comprising:

a first flying capacitor having a first side and having a second side;

a second flying capacitor having a first side and having a second side; and

a plurality of switches; and

a controller that controls the plurality of switches to switch between a first state and a second state,

wherein:

in the first state, the plurality of switches connect:

the second side of the inductor to the second side of the first flying capacitor and an output node;

the first side of the first flying capacitor to the first side of the second flying capacitor; and

the second side of the second flying capacitor to a voltage supply,

in the second state, the plurality of switches connect:

the second side of the inductor to the first side of the second flying capacitor;

the second side of the second flying capacitor to the output node and the first side of the first flying capacitor; and

the second side of the first flying capacitor to the voltage supply.

25. The circuit of claim 24 , wherein the voltage supply is a ground.

26. The circuit of claim 24 , wherein each switch is a MOSFET.

27. The circuit of claim 24 , wherein the output node is connected to an output capacitor having a first side connected to the output node and a second side connected to the voltage supply.

Continuity (1)
Reissue 15895893 · Feb 13, 2018
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