Hybrid architecture for DC-DC conversion
A Hybrid DC-DC switching converter architecture is described. The Hybrid architecture includes a capacitive converter cascaded by an inductive converter for a boost switching converter, and an inductive converter cascaded by a capacitive converter for a buck switching converter. A capacitor at an intermediate node and a switch in the capacitive converter are removed. Reducing the switching converter by one switch and one capacitor results in a smaller implementation area. A single regulation circuit and an inductor with a smaller saturation current (Isat) are used.
1. A Hybrid DC-DC boost switching converter architecture, comprising:
a first stage, comprising a capacitive converter, wherein the capacitive converter comprises a plurality of switches and a capacitor,
wherein the plurality of switches and the capacitor comprises:
a first resistor between an input voltage and a first node of a first switch, and a second resistor between the input voltage and a first node of a second switch;
a first capacitor connected between an intermediate node, which is also a second node of the first switch, and a first node of a third switch, which is also a second node of the second switch; and
a third resistor between a second node of the third switch and a reference terminal (e.g. ground);
a second stage, comprising an inductive converter; and
wherein the first stage is cascaded by the second stage.
2. The boost switching converter architecture of claim 1 , wherein the inductive converter comprises:
a fourth resistor between the intermediate node and a first node of an inductor;
a first node of a fourth switch between a second node of the inductor and a fifth resistor, a sixth resistor between the second node of the inductor and a first node of a fifth switch; and
a second capacitor between a second node of the fifth switch (which is also an output voltage) and a reference terminal (e.g. ground).
3. The boost switching converter architecture of claim 1 , wherein the first and second stages are regulated with a single control circuit.
4. The switching converter architecture of claim 1 , wherein the switches are configured to operate with fixed pulse waveforms.
5. The switching converter architecture of claim 1 , wherein an amount of current driven through the switching converter is a multiple of a current driven in the first stage.
6. The switching converter architecture of claim 1 , wherein the first and second stages are regulated with current mode control.
7. The switching converter architecture of claim 1 , wherein the first and second stages are regulated with voltage mode control.
8. A Hybrid DC-DC buck switching converter architecture, comprising:
a first stage, comprising an inductive converter;
a second stage, comprising a capacitive converter, the capacitive converter comprising a plurality of switches and a capacitor,
wherein the plurality of switches and the capacitor comprises:
a first resistor between an input voltage and a first node of a first switch, and a second resistor between the input voltage and a first node of a second switch;
a first capacitor connected between an intermediate node, which is also a second node of the first switch, and a first node of a third switch, which is also a second node of the second switch; and
a third resistor between a second node of the third switch and a reference terminal (e.g. ground);
and wherein the first stage is cascaded by the second stage.
9. The buck switching converter architecture of claim 8 , wherein the inductive converter comprises:
a first switch connected between an input voltage and a first node of an inductor, which is also a first node of a second switch, connected between the second node of the first switch and a reference terminal (e.g. ground).
10. The buck switching converter architecture of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of switches and the capacitor comprises:
a first capacitor connected between an intermediate node, which is also a second node of the inductor, and a first node of a third switch, which is also a first node of a fourth switch; and
a fifth switch connected between the intermediate node and a second node of the fourth switch, which is also a first node of a second capacitor (and an output voltage).
11. The boost switching converter architecture of claim 8 , wherein the first and second stages are regulated with a single control circuit.
12. The switching converter architecture of claim 8 , wherein the switches are configured to operate with fixed pulse waveforms.
13. The switching converter architecture of claim 8 , wherein the capacitor converter further comprises a series-parallel, Dickson, ladder, doubler, or Fibonacci arrangement.
14. The switching converter architecture of claim 8 , wherein the first and second stages are regulated with current mode control.
15. The switching converter architecture of claim 8 , wherein the first and second stages are regulated with voltage mode control.
16. A method for a Hybrid DC-DC boost switching converter architecture, comprising:
cascading a first stage, comprising a plurality of switches and a capacitor,
wherein the plurality of switches and the capacitor comprises:
a first resistor between an input voltage and a first node of a first switch, and a second resistor between the input voltage and a first node of a second switch;
a first capacitor connected between an intermediate node, which is also a second node of the first switch, and a first node of a third switch, which is also a second node of the second switch; and
a third resistor between a second node of the third switch and a reference terminal (e.g. ground);
by a second stage, comprising an inductive converter.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein regulating the first and second stages of the hybrid DC-DC switching converter with a single control circuit.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein a multiple of a current driven in the first stage determines an amount of current driven through the switching converter.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein current mode control is used in the single control circuit.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein voltage mode control is used in the single control circuit.
21. A method for a Hybrid DC-DC buck switching converter architecture, comprising:
cascading a first stage, comprising an inductive converter, by a second stage, comprising a plurality of switches and a capacitor,
wherein the plurality of switches and the capacitor comprises:
a first resistor between an input voltage and a first node of a first switch, and a second resistor between the input voltage and a first node of a second switch;
a first capacitor connected between an intermediate node, which is also a second node of the first switch, and a first node of a third switch, which is also a second node of the second switch; and
a third resistor between a second node of the third switch and a reference terminal (e.g. ground).
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein regulating the first and second stages of the hybrid DC-DC switching converter with a single control circuit.
23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the second stage further comprises a series-parallel, Dickson, ladder, doubler, or Fibonacci arrangement.
24. The method of claim 21 , wherein current mode control is used in the single control circuit.
25. The method of claim 21 , wherein voltage mode control is used in the single control circuit.