Method and phase redundant regulator apparatus for implementing redundancy at a phase level

摘要

A plurality of regulator phases are connected in parallel between a regulator input and a regulator output, each phase including a regulator receiving an input voltage and providing an output voltage. A multi-phase controller is coupled to each of the plurality of regulator phases, where one or more phases are provided for enabling redundancy. The multi-phase controller receives a feedback output voltage and a respective detected current signal from each of the plurality of regulator phases. The multi-phase controller generates control signals to sequentially activate each of the plurality of regulator phases for predetermined periods of time to generate controlled current sharing between phases. To achieve redundancy at a phase level, each of the plurality of regulator phases includes an output ORing device to limit reverse current flow into each phase and an input protection device for providing input over current protection and output over voltage protection of each phase. A current sharing method maintains current sharing between the active phases after a failure of one or more phases with one or more phases provided for enabling redundancy.