Z-state circuit for switching regualtors

Abstract

The four types of the Z-state circuits basically include a sensing gate, two stacked PMOS transistors, and a feedback line. The sensing gate senses a voltage at its input assuming no feedback is applied. Again, the corresponding output of two stacked PMOS transistors is assumed to be connected to the sensing input. Two stacked PMOS transistors generate a high impedance Z-state at its output according to the corresponding gate voltages. Therefore, the feedback line keeps sampling the output and feeding back the output voltage to the sensing input. Consequently, the feedback configuration provides the initial output voltage, which is the midpoint voltage decided by the device aspect ratios of the sensing gate before normal operation starts.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to the field of z-state circuit and more particularly to z-state circuit for switching regulators. BACKGROUND ART [0002] Switching regulator is a vitally important devices. Switching regulators are building blocks used extensively in power systems, industry, motor, communication, networks, digital systems, consumer electronics, computers, and any other fields that high efficient voltage regulating functions. [0003] Switching regulators (i.e., DC-TO-DC converters) can provide output voltages which can be less than, greater than, or of opposite polarity to the input voltage. Prior Art FIG. 1 illustrates a basic architecture of a conventional switching regulator 100. The conventional switching regulator 100 basically consists of an oscillator, a reference circuit, an error amplifier, a modulator including a comparator, resistors, and a control logic circuit. Control technique of switching regulators has typically used two modu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides four types of Z-state circuits for switching regulators that enable zero start-up time. The simplest circuit includes only six transistors. The Z-state circuits reduce the difference between the initial output voltage and the expected output voltage of switching regulators. The feedback configuration provides the initial output voltage, which is the midpoint voltage decided by the device aspect ratios of the sensing gate before normal operation of switching regulator starts. The Z-state circuits have a significant improvement in start-up time, power consumption, and design time. One embodiment does not use power-down mode, whereas three embodiments utilize power-down mode."

Problems solved by technology

However, it takes a long time until the output reaches the equilibrium after the system starts.

Therefore, unfortunately, the conventional switching regulator 100 of Prior Art FIG. 1 can not be efficiently implemented in integrated circuit (IC), system-on-chip (SOC), monolithic circuit, and discrete circuit since power and time are wasted until the output voltage of the switching regulator comes into regulation.

In addition, the conventional switching regulator 100 has taken a long time to be simulated and verified before they are fabricated.

Hence, this long simulation time adds additional cost and serious bottleneck to design time-to-market.

In other words, the slow start-up of the switching regulator increases simulation time.

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