Switching regulator system with low power operation

摘要

A regulator controller including terminals for coupling to a voltage source, an inductor and an output capacitor, and including a switching circuit and a switch control circuit. The switching circuit includes switches that toggle coupling of the inductor during switching cycles based on charge and discharge periods. The switch control sets a duration of the charging period based on the input voltage and sets duration of the discharging period based on a difference between the input and output voltages. Multiple output terminals allow coupling to different load types, in which the output terminals may be temporarily coupled together to handle bursted loads. Thus, an output store capacitor may be coupled to handle a bursted load, and then decoupled for charging. Comparator circuits enable/inhibit switching based on input and output conditions. The regulator controller maximizes utilization of weak power sources while sufficiently handling typical load profiles.

主权项

1. A regulator controller for coupling to a voltage source, an inductor and an output capacitor, said regulator controller comprising:
an input terminal for coupling to the voltage source and for coupling to a first end of the inductor, wherein said input terminal develops an input voltage; an inductor terminal for coupling to a second end of the inductor; at least one output terminal including a first output terminal for coupling to the output capacitor, wherein said first output terminal develops an output voltage; a switching circuit coupled to the input terminal and the inductor terminal, wherein said switching circuit selectively couples said inductor terminal to ground during a charging period and to said at least one output terminal during a discharging period during a switching cycle; a switch control circuit coupled to said switching circuit, wherein said switch control circuit sets a duration of said charging period based on said input voltage and sets duration of said discharging period based on a difference between said input voltage and said output voltage; and a discontinuous detection circuit that terminates said switching cycle upon detection of a condition indicative of zero current through the inductor, wherein said condition indicative of zero current through the inductor comprises a voltage of said inductor terminal reaching a voltage level of said input terminal.