Rapid current demand microprocessor supply circuit

Abstract

Apparatus are disclosed for controlling the delivery of power to DC components such as computer components, microprocessors or the like. Designs of voltage regulation modules are presented which are appropriate for faster components, lower voltages, and higher currents. Embodiments are especially suited to applications which cause rapid changes in the conductance of the load, even in the sub-microsecond time domain as is common in computer applications and the like and in powering electronics equipment, especially a distributed system and especially a system wherein low voltage at high current is required. Embodiments and sub-elements provide energy storage for low voltage, high current electronic loads, an ability to supply current with rapid time variation, providing extremely low inductance connections, permitting components to be located relatively remotely from the powered electronic load.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001] This application is a continuation application of, and claims the benefit and priority of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 030,379, filed Jan. 2, 2002, which is the United States National Stage of International Application No. PCT / US00 / 18086, published, filed Jun. 30, 2000, which claims the benefit of and priority from: (a) U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 142,102 filed Jul. 2, 1999; (b) U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 144,342, filed Jul. 16, 1999; (c) PCT Application Number PCT / US00 / 07779, the specification of which was filed on Mar. 23, 2000 and designating the United States of America, this PCT Application being filed while the Original US Application was pending; this PCT Application having been published, and International Application No. PCT / US00 / 18086 related as a Continuation-in-Part of PCT Application Number PCT / US00 / 07779; (d) U.S. application Ser. No. 09 / 534,641 filed Mar. 23, 2000; International Application Number...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0032] It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a means for storing energy with lower inductance connections than could be achieved with the prior art. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a source of energy at low voltage and high current which does not need to be placed in very close proximity to the electronic load. Similarly, it is yet an another object of the invention to provide a source of low voltage which can sustain the voltage across the powered load even in the presence of high rates of change of current draw

Problems solved by technology

As the chip designers push to higher and higher speeds, problems arise which relate to thermal issues.

So there is a tendency to lower the operating voltage of microprocessors.

there are limitations to removal of that heat;

This can produce an abrupt change in the current drawn by the processor, which has serious electrical consequences.

The energy stored in the system is supplied by the source of electrical current, and for a given power source there is a limit to the rate at which energy can be supplied, which means that the stored energy must be built up over time.

Thus the presence of an energy storage mechanism naturally slows down a circuit, as the energy must be produced and metered into the magnetic field at some rate before the current can build up.

While it might be suggested that capacitors might be used to supply energy during the delay interval required for the current in the conductors to rise, the intrinsic inductance of the connections to the capacitors currently severely limits this approach.

This requirement will become increasingly severe as the voltages drop still further and the currents increase, because the former reduces the allowable transient size and the latter increases the potential rate of change of current.

Both factors reduce the permissible inductance of the connection.

This can force the designer to use smaller capacitors which have low inductance connections, and because the smaller capacitors store less energy, this drives the power system to higher frequencies, which adds costs and lowers efficiency.

While it is possible to create a low voltage regulated DC power source using simple transformers, rectifiers, and linear regulators, such units would be heavy, bulky and inefficient.

In these applications it is desirable to reduce weight and size, and this approach is unsuitable for this reason alone.

In addition, the inefficiency of linear regulators is also unacceptable.

Efficiency is defined as the ratio of output power to input power, and a low efficiency implies that heat is being developed in the unit which must be transferred to the environment to keep the unit cool.

The resulting overall system is complex and not very efficient, in spite of the use of switchmode technology.

Substantial additional losses may be sustained in the low voltage conversion process.

Other voltage regulation modules will have losses almost as great, resulting in losses for the entire system which may be one-third of the power used.

Some particularly inefficient approaches may demonstrate efficiencies as low as 50%, requiring that the input power circuits utilize twice the power required by the actual final circuitry, and requiring that twice the heat be dissipated in the electronics (which must be removed by a fan) as is theoretically required by the actual operating circuitry.

This system evolved over the years and is not optimum for many current uses, but persists because of inertia of the industry and because of the perceived benefit of maintaining industry standards on voltages and currents as generated by the central power unit.

An analysis of current trends in the microprocessor industry clearly indicates that the current system will not be adequate for the future.

A further problem in the prior art is the use of square wave electronic conversion techniques.

These edges produce high frequency power components which can be conducted or radiated to adjacent circuitry, interfering with their proper operation.

These high frequency power components may also be conducted or radiated to other electronic equipment such as radio or television receivers, also interfering with their proper operation.

The presence of such components requires careful design of the packaging of the power system to shield other circuitry from the high frequency power components, and the installation of expensive and complex filters to prevent conduction of these components out of the power supply package on its input and output leads.

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