Multiphase power supply with status synchronization
View Patent ↗A multiphase power supply has a plurality of integrated circuits, which respectively have a converter and a controller. Each of the integrated circuits further has a status pin and a set pin. All the status pins are coupled together, and all the set pins are coupled together, to have the multiphase power supply provide great coordination between the controllers.
1 . A multiphase power supply, comprising:
a plurality of integrated circuits, each of the integrated circuits having:
an input pin, configured to receive an input voltage;
a converter, configured to convert the input voltage to a desired output voltage; and
a status pin, wherein the status pins of all the integrated circuits are coupled together, to synchronize a state of all the integrated circuits; and wherein the state of the integrated circuits comprises: a power on state, a power off state, and a normal operation state.
2 . The multiphase power supply of claim 1 , wherein:
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter the power on state if the status pin is pulled high;
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter the power off state if the status pin is pulled low; and
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter the normal operation state if the status pin is pulled to a medium value.
3 . The multiphase power supply of claim 1 , wherein each of the integrated circuits further has a control circuit, and wherein the control circuit comprises:
a first comparator, configured to compare a voltage at the status pin with a power off voltage threshold, to generate a power off signal, to control the converter to enter a power off state;
a second comparator, configured to compare the voltage at the status pin with a power on voltage threshold, to generate a power on signal, to control the converter to enter a power on state; and
a third comparator, configured to compare the voltage at the status pin with a medium voltage threshold, to generate a control signal, to control the converter to enter a normal operation state.
4 . The multiphase power supply of claim 1 , wherein:
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter a power on state if a voltage of the status pin is pulled high;
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter a power off state if the voltage of the status pin is pulled low;
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter continuous current mode if a voltage value at the status pin is higher than a first threshold;
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter discontinuous current mode if the voltage value at the status pin is higher than a second threshold;
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter critical current mode if the voltage value at the status pin is higher than a third threshold;
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter over voltage protection mode if the voltage value at the status pin is higher than a fourth threshold; and
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter under voltage protection mode if the voltage value at the status pin is higher than a fifth threshold.
5 . The multiphase power supply of claim 1 , wherein each of the integrated circuits further has a control circuit, and wherein the control circuit comprises:
a first comparator, configured to compare a voltage at the status pin with a power off threshold, to generate a power off signal, to control the converter to enter a power off state;
a second comparator, configured to compare the voltage at the status pin with a power on threshold, to generate a power on signal, to control the converter to enter a power on state;
a third comparator, configured to compare the voltage at the status pin with a first threshold, to generate a first control signal, to control the converter to enter a first operation mode; and
a fourth comparator, configured to compare the voltage at the status pin with a second threshold, to generate a second control signal, to control the converter to enter a second operation mode.
6 . The multiphase power supply of claim 1 , wherein each of the integrated circuits further has:
a set pin, wherein the set pins of all the integrated circuits are coupled together, to set a switching frequency of the integrated circuits.
7 . A multiphase power supply, comprising:
a plurality of integrated circuits configured to convert an input voltage to an output voltage, each of the integrated circuits having:
an input pin, configured to receive the input voltage;
a status pin, wherein the status pins of all the integrated circuits are coupled together, to synchronize a state of all the integrated circuits; and
a set pin, wherein the set pins of all the integrated circuits are coupled together, to set a switching frequency of the integrated circuits; and wherein the state of the integrated circuits comprises: a power on state, a power off state, and a normal operation state.
8 . The multiphase power supply of claim 7 , wherein:
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter the power on state if the status pin is pulled high;
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter the power off state if the status pin is pulled low; and
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter the normal operation state if the status pin is pulled to a medium value.
9 . The multiphase power supply of claim 7 , wherein each of the integrated circuits has a converter and a control circuit, wherein the converter is configured to convert the input voltage to the output voltage, and wherein the control circuit comprises:
a first comparator, configured to compare a voltage at the status pin with a power off threshold, to generate a power off signal, to control the converter to enter a power off state;
a second comparator, configured to compare the voltage at the status pin with a power on threshold, to generate a power on signal, to control the converter to enter a power on state; and
a third comparator, configured to compare the voltage at the status pin with a medium threshold, to generate a control signal, to control the converter to enter a normal operation state.
10 . The multiphase power supply of claim 7 , comprising:
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter a power on state if the status pin is pulled high;
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter a power off state if the status pin is pulled low;
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter continuous current mode if a voltage value at the status pin is higher than a first threshold;
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter discontinuous current mode if the voltage value at the status pin is higher than a second threshold;
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter critical current mode if the voltage value at the status pin is higher than a third threshold;
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter over voltage protection mode if the voltage value at the status pin is higher than a fourth threshold; and
all the integrated circuits are controlled to enter under voltage protection mode if the voltage value at the status pin is higher than a fifth threshold.
11 . The multiphase power supply of claim 7 , wherein each of the integrated circuits has a converter and a control circuit, wherein the converter is configured to convert the input voltage to the output voltage, and wherein the control circuit comprises:
a first comparator, configured to compare a voltage at the status pin with a power off threshold, to generate a power off signal, to control the converter to enter a power off state;
a second comparator, configured to compare the voltage at the status pin with a power on threshold, to generate a power on signal, to control the converter to enter a power on state; and
a third comparator, configured to compare the voltage at the status pin with a first threshold, to generate a first control signal, to control the converter to enter a first operation mode; and
a fourth comparator, configured to compare the voltage at the status pin with a second threshold, to generate a second control signal, to control the converter to enter a second operation mode.
12 . An integrated circuit used in a multiphase power supply, wherein the multiphase power supply includes a plurality of integrated circuits, each of the integrated circuit comprising:
an input pin, configured to receive an input voltage;
a converter, configured to convert the input voltage to a desired output voltage; and
a status pin, wherein the status pins of all the integrated circuits are coupled together, to synchronize a state of all the integrated circuits; and wherein the state comprises: a power on state, a power off state, and a normal operation state.
13 . The integrated circuit of claim 12 , wherein the integrated circuit is controlled to:
enter the power on state if the status pin is pulled high;
enter the power off state if the status pin is pulled low; and
enter the normal operation state if the status pin is pulled to a medium value.
14 . The integrated circuit of claim 12 , wherein the integrated circuit is controlled to:
enter a power on state if a voltage of the status pin is pulled high;
enter a power off state if the voltage of the status pin is pulled low;
enter continuous current mode if a voltage value at the status pin is higher than a first threshold;
enter discontinuous current mode if the voltage value at the status pin is higher than a second threshold;
enter critical current mode if the voltage value at the status pin is higher than a third threshold;
enter over voltage protection mode if the voltage value at the status pin is higher than a fourth threshold; and
enter under voltage protection mode if the voltage value at the status pin is higher than a fifth threshold.
15 . The integrated circuit of claim 12 , further comprising:
a set pin, wherein the set pins of all the integrated circuits are coupled together, to set a switching frequency of the integrated circuits.