SENSING A PHASE-PATH CURRENT IN A COUPLED-INDUCTOR POWER SUPPLY

摘要

An embodiment of a power supply includes an output node, inductively coupled phase paths, and a sensor circuit. The output node is configured to provide a regulated output signal, and the inductively coupled phase paths are each configured to provide a respective phase current to the output node. And the sensor circuit is configured to generate a sense signal that represents the phase current flowing through one of the phase paths. For example, because the phase paths are inductively coupled to one another, the sensor circuit takes into account the portions of the phase currents induced by the inductive couplings to generate a sense signal that more accurately represents the phase current through a single phase path as compared to conventional sensor circuits.

主权项

1. A power supply, comprising:
a supply output node configured to carry a regulated output signal; phase paths each having a respective phase-path output node coupled to the supply output node, each having a respective phase-path non-output node, and each configured to carry a respective phase current, at least two of the phase paths inductively coupled to one another; and at least one sensor circuit each having a sensor node coupled to the phase-path non-output nodes of the at least two phase paths and configured to generate a sense signal that represents the phase current flowing through a respective one of the at least two phase paths.