Voltage regulator with fast and slow switching control

摘要

Techniques are provided that can extend the efficiency of a switching regulator further into the low current region by making use of the available knowledge on predictable load variations and voltage ripple tolerance across different states, providing improved efficiency and reducing total current consumption. The load current requirement in low power states is provided using switch mode rather than linear regulation, the switch mode operation being controlled by a mode dependent control circuit so as to minimize the energy cost of the switching operation in each mode and thus obtain improved efficiency from the power source.

主权项

1. A switching regulator, configured to control a supply of power from a power source to a power load, comprising:
a control configuration select unit, for selecting between a high power mode and a low power mode in response to a control signal which depends on a state of the power load, the control signal being received from a controller associated with the power load; a first control unit, enabled by the control configuration select unit when selecting the high power mode, the first control unit comprising a fast clock that is configured to drive a pulse control unit to deliver pulses to switching circuitry; and a second control unit, enabled by the control configuration select unit when selecting the low power mode, the second control unit comprising a slow clock, wherein a frequency of the slow clock is lower than a frequency of the fast clock, the slow clock configured to cause the switching circuitry to switch at a lower rate than the fast clock, wherein when the first control unit is enabled the second control unit is disabled, and when the second control unit is enabled the first control unit is disabled.