Voltage regulators with sliced pole tracking
Systems and methods for providing voltage regulators with sliced pole tracking are discussed. In some embodiments, a voltage regulator may include: an error amplifier, a voltage-to-current converter coupled to the error amplifier, and a current-to-current converter coupled to the voltage-to-current converter, where the current-to-current converter comprises a sliced pole tracking circuit coupled to a power device, and where the power device is configured to provide an output voltage to a load.
1 . A voltage regulator, comprising:
an error amplifier;
a voltage-to-current converter coupled to the error amplifier; and
a current-to-current converter coupled to the voltage-to-current converter, wherein the current-to-current converter comprises a sliced pole tracking circuit coupled to a power device, and wherein the power device is configured to provide an output voltage to a load,
wherein the sliced pole tracking circuit comprises a plurality of slices coupled in parallel with each other, wherein each slice is associated with a different load current trip point, and wherein each slice comprises a diode and resistor.
2 . The voltage regulator of claim 1 , wherein the sliced pole tracking circuit is configured to:
receive an input current from the voltage-to-current converter;
convert the input current to a drive voltage; and
apply the drive voltage to a control terminal of the power device, wherein the power device is configured to convert the drive voltage into an output current provided to the load.
3 . The voltage regulator of claim 1 , wherein below a given load current trip point, a slice associated with the given load current trip point in combination with the power device collectively behave as a current mirror.
4 . The voltage regulator of claim 3 , wherein above the given load current trip point, the slice in combination with the power device collectively behave as a current source.
5 . The voltage regulator of claim 1 , wherein a gain of a given slice is determined based upon a ratio between a channel width of a given diode of a given slice and another channel width of the power device.
6 . The voltage regulator of claim 5 , wherein the given channel width is the same as the other channel width.
7 . The voltage regulator of claim 1 , wherein in response to an increase in a load current, at least one slice transitions from diode behavior to resistor behavior.
8 . The voltage regulator of claim 7 , wherein the at least one slice transitions from diode behavior to resistor behavior as the load current approaches a load current trip point corresponding to the at least one slice.
9 . The voltage regulator of claim 8 , wherein in response to another increase in the load current, another slice transitions from diode behavior to resistor behavior.
10 . The voltage regulator of claim 9 , wherein the other slice transitions from diode behavior to resistor behavior as the load current approaches another load current trip point corresponding to the other slice.
11 . The voltage regulator of claim 1 , wherein in response to a reduction in a load current, at least one slice transitions from resistor behavior to diode behavior.
12 . The voltage regulator of claim 11 , wherein the at least one slice transitions from resistor behavior to diode behavior as the load current approaches a load current trip point corresponding to the at least one slice.
13 . A method, comprising:
receiving an indication of a load current at a sliced pole tracking circuit coupled to a power device in a voltage regulator, wherein the sliced pole tracking circuit comprises a plurality of slices, each slice associated with a different load current trip point and each slice comprising a diode and a resistor; and
at least one of:
switching a behavior of a slice from a diode behavior to a resistor behavior in response to the load current increasing above a load current trip point associated with the slice; or
switching the behavior of the slice from the resistor behavior to the diode behavior in response to the load current decreasing below the load current trip point associated with the slice.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
receiving, at the sliced pole tracking circuit, an input current from a voltage-to-current converter coupled to an error amplifier;
converting the input current to a drive voltage; and
applying the drive voltage to a control terminal of the power device.
15 . An electronic device, comprising:
a load; and
a voltage regulator coupled to the load, wherein the voltage regulator comprises a sliced pole tracking circuit coupled to a power device, wherein the sliced pole tracking circuit comprises a plurality of slices coupled in parallel, wherein each slice is associated with a different load current trip point, wherein each slice comprises a diode and resistor, and wherein the power device is configured to provide an output voltage to the load.
16 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein in response to an increase in a load current above a given load current trip point, at least one slice transitions from diode behavior to resistor behavior, and wherein in response to a reduction in the load current below the given load current trip point, the at least one slice transitions from resistor behavior to diode behavior.