IP Library Granted Patent US 8,314,599
Granted Patent B2
US 8,314,599 · App. 12/479,014 · Granted Nov 20, 2012

DC/DC converter control circuit and DC/DC converter control method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,314,599
App. No.
12/479,014
Granted
Nov 20, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A DC-DC converter has an error amplifier, a first control unit and an oscillator. The error amplifier amplifies an error voltage between an output voltage and a set voltage, the output voltage being outputted from an inductance element by feeding an input voltage to an inductance element in a predetermined cycle. The first control unit controls the output voltage to a set voltage by causing a switching operation of a switch element in response to an output of the error amplifier, the switch element forming a path for input voltage feed to the inductance. The oscillator generates a periodical signal at the time of switching the switch element. The oscillator handles an oscillation cycle as a short cycle in comparison to any prior cycles, in response to a drop in the output voltage from the set voltage by an amount equivalent to a first voltage value or more.

Claims (45)

1. A DC/DC converter control circuit comprising:

an error amplifier amplifying an error voltage in response to an output voltage and a set voltage determined based on a reference voltage, the output voltage being output from an inductor based on supply of an input voltage to the inductor;

a first controller controlling the output voltage to the set voltage by causing a switching operation of a switch included in a feed path of the input voltage to the inductor, in response to an output of the error amplifier;

an oscillator generating a periodical signal which determines a cycle of the switching operation of the switch; and

a first voltage detector detecting that the output voltage drops from the set voltage by a first voltage value or more;

wherein the oscillator raises a frequency of the periodical signal through shortening a cycle of the periodical signal in response to a detection result of the first voltage detector.

2. The DC/DC converter control circuit according to claim 1 , wherein

the oscillator includes a timer timing the cycle of the periodical signal; and

wherein the oscillator shortens a time timed by the timer so that the cycle of the periodical signal is shortened.

3. The DC/DC converter control circuit according to claim 1 , wherein

the oscillator includes a timer timing a non-conduction time of the switch; and

wherein the oscillator shortens a time timed by the timer so that the cycle of the periodical signal is shortened.

4. The DC/DC converter control circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising a second controller conducting the switch in case that the output voltage drops from the set voltage by the first voltage value or more.

5. The DC/DC converter control circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising a second controller which extends a conduction time of the switch in case that the output voltage drops from the set voltage by the first voltage value or more.

6. The DC/DC converter control circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the first voltage detector is provided with an offset voltage corresponding to the first voltage value and the output voltage or a voltage based on the output voltage and the reference voltage.

7. The DC/DC converter control circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the switch is in a non-conductive state in case that the output voltage increases from the set voltage by a second voltage value or more.

8. The DC/DC converter control circuit according to claim 7 , wherein the oscillator stops output of the periodical signal in case that the output voltage increases from the set voltage by the second voltage value or more.

9. The DC/DC converter control circuit according to claim 7 , further comprising a second voltage detector detecting that the output voltage increases from the set voltage by the second voltage value or more.

10. The DC/DC converter control circuit according to claim 9 , wherein the second voltage detector is provided with an offset voltage corresponding to the second voltage value and the output voltage or a voltage based on the output voltage and the reference voltage.

11. The DC/DC converter control circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first voltage divider which receives the output voltage and outputs a first divided voltage which is a divided voltage of the output voltage, the first voltage divider comprising a differential circuit differentiating between the output voltage and the first divided voltage;

wherein the first divided voltage is input to the first voltage detector as a voltage based on the output voltage.

12. The DC/DC converter control circuit according to claim 11 , further comprising:

a second voltage divider which receives the output voltage and outputs a second divided voltage which is a divided voltage of the output voltage; and

a second voltage detector detecting that the output voltage increases from the set voltage by a second voltage value or more;

wherein the second divided voltage is input to at least either one of the first and second voltage detectors as a voltage based on the output voltage.

13. The DC/DC converter control circuit according to claim 1 , having:

a first voltage divider which receives the output voltage and outputs a first divided voltage which is a divided voltage of the output voltage, the first voltage divider including a differential circuit differentiating between the output voltage and the first divided voltage;

a second voltage divider which receives the output voltage and outputs a second divided voltage which is a divided voltage of the output voltage; and

a second voltage detector detecting that the output voltage increases from the set voltage by a second voltage value or more;

wherein the first and the second divided voltages are inputted to at least either one of the first and second voltage detectors as a voltage based on the output voltage.

14. A DC/DC converter control circuit comprising:

an error amplifier amplifying an error voltage between an output voltage and a set voltage determined based on a reference voltage, the output voltage being output from an inductor by supplying input voltage to the inductor in a given cycle which is determined;

a first controller controlling the output voltage to the set voltage by causing a switching operation of a switch included in a feed path of the input voltage to the inductor, in response to an output of the error amplifier in the given cycle;

a first voltage detector detecting that the output voltage drops from the set voltage by a first voltage value or more; and

a second controller extending a conduction time of the switch in response to a detection result of the first voltage detector.

15. A DC/DC converter control method, comprising:

amplifying an error voltage in response to an output voltage and a set voltage determined based on a reference voltage, the output voltage being output from an inductor based on supply of an input voltage to the inductor;

controlling the output voltage to the set voltage by causing a switching operation of a switch in response to the error voltage, the switch being included in a feed path of the input voltage to the inductor;

generating a periodical signal which determines a cycle of the switching operation of the switch; and

detecting that the output voltage drops from the set voltage by a first voltage value or more;

wherein a frequency of the periodical signal is raised through shortening a cycle of the periodical signal when the output voltage drops from the set voltage by the first voltage value or more.

16. The DC/DC converter control method according to claim 15 , wherein a non-conduction time of the switch is shortened in case that the cycle of the periodical signal is shortened.

17. The DC/DC converter control method according to claim 15 , wherein the switch is conductive in case that the output voltage drops from the set voltage by the first voltage value or more.

18. The DC-DC converter control method according to claim 15 , wherein a conduction time of the switch is extended in case that the output voltage drops from the set voltage by the first voltage value or more.

Assignments (9)
MERGER Recorded Nov 14, 2025
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AMERICAS CORP.
Reel/Frame 073571/0456 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 16, 2022
From: MUFG UNION BANK, N.A.
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
Reel/Frame 059410/0438 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE 8647899 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 035240 FRAME 0429. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTERST. Recorded Nov 3, 2020
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 058002/0470 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Oct 28, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: MUFG UNION BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 050896/0366 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 2, 2015
From: SPANSION, LLC
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036051/0786 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2015
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 035240/0429 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2013
From: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
To: SPANSION LLC
Reel/Frame 031205/0461 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 22, 2010
From: FUJITSU MICROELECTRONICS LIMITED
To: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
Reel/Frame 024748/0328 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 8, 2009
From: NAGAI, RYUTA
To: FUJITSU MICROELECTRONICS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 022792/0666 →