Power supply circuit and operation method of power supply circuit

Abstract

A power supply circuit and an operating method of the power supply circuit are disclosed. The power supply circuit includes: a voltage conversion circuit including an inductor and configured to convert an input voltage applied to an input node and output an output voltage to an output node; a sensing circuit configured to output a first comparison voltage corresponding to a direct current (DC) component of an inductor current supplied to the inductor; a calibration circuit including a first resistor circuit and a second resistor circuit, and configured to adjust the first comparison voltage and output a sense voltage; a comparison circuit configured to generate a comparison signal based on the sensing voltage, a reference voltage, and an output voltage; and a controller configured to output a control signal for adjusting a resistance of the first resistor circuit and a voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit to the first resistor circuit and the second resistor circuit based on the comparison signal.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0009790, filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on January 22, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0002] The inventive concept relates to a power supply circuit. Background Art

[0003] An electronic device supplies a voltage required for operation of internal devices (e.g., a processor, a memory, etc.). To this end, the electronic device may include a circuit configured to convert the magnitude of a voltage and a circuit configured to sense a current flowing inside the electronic device, and various methods of supplying a required voltage to the internal devices of the electronic device by using the circuits are being developed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The inventive concept provides a power supply circuit including a current sensing current configured to sense a current supplied to an inductor included in a voltage conversion circuit and generate a desired sensed voltage based on the sensed current.

[0005] According to an aspect of the inventive concept, there is provided a power supply circuit including: a voltage conversion circuit including an inductor, the voltage conversion circuit being configured to convert an input voltage applied to an input node and output an output voltage to an output node; a sensing circuit configured to output a first comparison voltage corresponding to a direct current (DC) component of an inductor current supplied to the inductor; a calibration circuit including a first resistor circuit and a second resistor circuit, the calibration circuit being configured to adjust the first comparison voltage and output a sensed voltage; a comparison circuit configured to generate a comparison signal based on the sensed voltage, a reference voltage, and the output voltage; and a controller configured to output a first control signal for a voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit to the second resistor circuit and output a second control signal for adjusting a resistance of the first resistor circuit to the first resistor circuit.

[0006] According to an aspect of the inventive concept, there is provided a method of operating a power supply circuit. The method includes: applying an input voltage to an input node; converting the input voltage by using a voltage conversion circuit including an inductor and outputting an output voltage to an output node; outputting a first comparison voltage corresponding to a DC component of an inductor current supplied to the inductor by using a sensing circuit; adjusting the first comparison voltage by using a calibration circuit including a first resistor circuit and a second resistor circuit to output a sensing voltage; generating a comparison signal by using a comparison circuit based on the sensing voltage, a reference voltage, and the output voltage; and outputting a first control signal for adjusting a voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit to the first resistor circuit and a second control signal for adjusting a resistance of the first resistor circuit to the second resistor circuit by using a controller based on the comparison signal.

[0007] According to an aspect of the inventive concept, there is provided a power supply circuit including: a voltage conversion circuit including an inductor, a first resistor, a first capacitor, and a second resistor, the voltage conversion circuit being configured to convert an input voltage applied to an input node and output an output voltage to an output node; a sensing circuit including a third resistor, a second capacitor, a fourth resistor, and a third capacitor, the sensing circuit being configured to output a first comparison voltage corresponding to a DC component of an inductor current supplied to the inductor; a calibration circuit including a fifth resistor, a first amplifier, a first resistor circuit, and a second resistor circuit, the calibration circuit being configured to adjust the first comparison voltage and output a sensing voltage; a comparison circuit including a comparator, the comparison circuit being configured to generate a comparison signal based on the sensing voltage, a reference voltage, and the output voltage; and a controller configured to output a first control signal for adjusting a voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit to the second resistor circuit and a second control signal for adjusting a resistance of the first resistor circuit to the first resistor circuit based on the comparison signal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Embodiments will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0009] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a power supply circuit according to an embodiment.

[0010] Figure 2 is a circuit diagram of a voltage conversion circuit and a sensing circuit of a power supply circuit according to an embodiment.

[0011] Figure 3 is a circuit diagram of a calibration circuit of a current sensing circuit according to an embodiment.

[0012] Figure 4 is a circuit diagram of a first resistor circuit included in a calibration circuit according to an embodiment.

[0013] Figure 5 It is a circuit diagram of a second resistor circuit included in a calibration circuit according to an embodiment.

[0014] Figure 6 It is a circuit diagram of a comparison circuit and a controller of a current sensing circuit according to an embodiment.

[0015] Figure 7 It is a flowchart of an operation method of a current sensing circuit according to an embodiment.

[0016] Figure 8 It is a flowchart of a method for generating a comparison signal by a current sensing circuit according to an embodiment.

[0017] Figure 9 It is a flowchart of a method for solving the problem that a first comparison signal has different values according to the DC resistor (DCR) of an inductor during the initial operation of a power supply circuit according to an embodiment.

[0018] Figure 10 It is a block diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment. Detailed Description of Embodiments

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] Figure 1 It is a block diagram of a power supply circuit according to an embodiment.

[0021] Referring to Figure 1 , a power supply circuit 100 according to an embodiment may include a voltage conversion circuit 110 and a current sensing circuit 115. The current sensing circuit 115 may include a sensing circuit 120, a calibration circuit 130, a comparison circuit 140, and a controller 150.

[0022] The voltage conversion circuit 110 may convert an input voltage into an output voltage V by using a low-pass filter (LPF) including an inductor (refer to the inductor L in Figure 2 ) and a capacitor (refer to the capacitor C1 in Figure 2 ). In some embodiments, the input voltage may alternately have one of two voltage levels V OUT and V GND and V IN . V GND represents the ground voltage, and V IN represents a voltage level higher than the ground voltage. The voltage conversion circuit 110 may include an inductor, a first resistor, a first capacitor, and a second resistor, and the first resistor may be the DC resistor (DCR) of the coil constituting the inductor.

[0023] The voltage conversion circuit 110 can receive an input voltage through the input node IN and output the generated output voltage V through the output node OUT OUT . For example, the voltage conversion circuit 110 can be configured to generate the output voltage V by reducing the input voltage using an inductor, a first resistor, a first capacitor, and a second resistor OUT . The following refers to Figure 2 to describe the detailed structure of the voltage conversion circuit 110

[0024] The sensing circuit 120 can output a first comparison voltage V corresponding to the direct current (DC) component of the inductor current supplied to the inductor included in the voltage conversion circuit 110 COM1 . The sensing circuit 120 can include a third resistor, a second capacitor, a fourth resistor, and a third capacitor

[0025] The sensing circuit 120 can output the first comparison voltage V corresponding to the DC component of the inductor current to the calibration circuit 130 by using the third capacitor COM1 . The following refers to Figure 2 to describe the detailed structure of the sensing circuit 120

[0026] The calibration circuit 130 can output a sensed voltage V by adjusting the resistance of the first resistor circuit and the resistance of the second resistor circuit SEN . The calibration circuit 130 can include a fifth resistor, a first amplifier (refer to the first amplifier A1 in Figure 3 ), a first resistor circuit, and a second resistor circuit. The calibration circuit 130 can also include a second amplifier (refer to the second amplifier A2 in Figure 3 ), a first filter capacitor, and a second filter capacitor

[0027] The calibration circuit 130 can generate a second comparison voltage by adjusting the first comparison voltage using the fifth resistor, the first amplifier, and the first resistor circuit. In this case, the resistance of the first resistor circuit included in the calibration circuit 130 can be adjusted based on the control signal received from the controller 150 (i.e., Figure 3 the second control signal CTR2)

[0028] The calibration circuit 130 can generate a sensed voltage by adjusting the second comparison voltage using the second resistor circuit. In this case, the voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit included in the calibration circuit 130 can be adjusted based on the control signal received from the controller 150 (i.e., Figure 3 the first control signal CTR1)

[0029] The following refers to Figures 3 to 5 to describe the detailed structure of the calibration circuit 130

[0030] The comparison circuit 140 may generate a comparison signal based on the sensed voltage V SEN , a reference voltage (refer to the reference voltage V Figure 6 in REF ) and the output voltage V OUT . The comparison circuit 140 may include a comparator. The comparison circuit 140 may further include a filter resistor and a third filter capacitor. The comparison circuit 140 may generate a comparison signal with different values based on the result of comparing the value obtained by subtracting the reference voltage V SEN and the output voltage V REF from the sensed voltage V OUT using a comparator with 0. The comparison circuit 140 may output the generated comparison signal to the controller 150. The detailed structure of the comparison circuit 140 will be described below with reference to Figure 6 .

[0031] The controller 150 may output control signals for adjusting the resistance of the first resistor circuit and the voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit to the first resistor circuit and the second resistor circuit based on the comparison signal. Based on the magnitude of the comparison signal, the controller 150 may increase the sensed voltage V Figure 3 by outputting a control signal for increasing the resistance of the first resistor circuit (i.e., the second control signal CRT2 in SEN ) to the first resistor circuit, or may decrease the sensed voltage V Figure 3 by outputting a control signal for decreasing the voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit (i.e., the first control signal CRT1 in SEN ) to the second resistor circuit. The detailed operation of the controller 150 will be described below with reference to Figure 6 .

[0032] Figure 2 is a circuit diagram of the voltage conversion circuit and the sensing circuit of the power supply circuit according to an embodiment.

[0033] Refer to Figure 2 , the voltage conversion circuit 110 according to an embodiment may include an inductor L, a first resistor R1, a first capacitor C1, and a second resistor R2. The voltage conversion circuit 110 according to the present embodiment may further include a current source I LOAD .

[0034] The voltage conversion circuit 110 may receive an input voltage applied through the input node IN. The input voltage having alternately one of two voltage levels V GND and V IN may be applied to the inductor L.

[0035] The input voltage may alternately have two voltage levels V GND and V at a specific duty cycleIN from among them. The input voltage can be generated by closing or opening a first switch SW1 connected between a node having a voltage level V IN and an input node IN and a second switch SW2 connected between a node having a voltage level V GND in response to a duty ratio signal DUTY. In this case, the first switch SW1 and the second switch SW2 can operate complementarily to each other. For example, during a first time period when the first switch SW1 is closed, the second switch SW2 remains open, and during a second time period when the second switch SW2 is closed, the first switch SW1 remains open. In some embodiments, the duty ratio can correspond to a ratio of the first time to the sum of the first time and the second time. Therefore, the voltage having a voltage level V IN and the voltage having a voltage level V GND can be applied to the input node IN at different time points.

[0036] One end of an inductor L can be connected to the input node IN. When the input voltage is applied to one end of the inductor L, an inductor current I L can be supplied to the inductor L. The other end of the inductor L can be connected to a first resistor R1.

[0037] One end of the first resistor R1 can be connected to the other end of the inductor L. The other end of the first resistor R1 can be connected to an output node OUT. That is, the first resistor R1 can be connected between the inductor L and the output node OUT. The first resistor R1 can be a modeling element of a direct current resistance (DCR) of the inductor L. The DCR of the inductor L is the resistance that the inductor L exhibits to the flow of direct current (DC) due to the resistance characteristics of the wire used to wind the inductor L.

[0038] One end of a first capacitor C1 can be connected to the output node OUT. That is, one end of the first capacitor C1 can be connected to the other end of the first resistor R1. The other end of the first capacitor C1 can be connected to a ground node.

[0039] One end of a second resistor R2 can be connected to the other end of the first capacitor C1. The other end of the second resistor R2 can be connected to the ground node. That is, the second resistor R2 can be connected between the first capacitor C1 and the ground node. The second resistor R2 can be a modeling element of a resistor inside the first capacitor C1.

[0040] The inductor L, the first resistor R1, the first capacitor C1, and the second resistor R2 can convert the input voltage applied to the input node IN into an output voltage V OUT , and the output voltage V OUTOutput to the output node OUT. In an embodiment, the inductor L, the first resistor R1, the first capacitor C1, and the second resistor R2 can be used as a buck converter, and thus, an output voltage V having a magnitude lower than the input voltage OUT can be output to the output node OUT.

[0041] Current source I LOAD One end of can be connected to the output node OUT. That is, one end of the current source I LOAD One end of can be connected to the other end of the first resistor R1 and one end of the first capacitor C1. One end of the current source I LOAD The other end of can be connected to the ground node. As in the embodiment shown in Figure 2 , when the voltage conversion circuit 110 operates as a buck converter, the current source I LOAD can correspond to the DC component of the inductor current I L .

[0042] The sensing circuit 120 according to an embodiment may include a third resistor R3, a second capacitor C2, a fourth resistor R4, and a third capacitor C3.

[0043] One end of the third resistor R3 can be connected to the input node IN and one end of the inductor L. The other end of the third resistor R3 can be connected to one end of the second capacitor C2.

[0044] One end of the second capacitor C2 can be connected to the other end of the third resistor R3. The other end of the second capacitor C2 can be connected to the output node OUT. That is, the third resistor R3 and the second capacitor C2 can be connected in parallel to the inductor L and the first resistor R1.

[0045] In this case, the second capacitor voltage, which is the voltage applied across the second capacitor C2, can be expressed as in Equation 1: [Equation 1]

[0046] In Equation 1, V C2 represents the second capacitor voltage, I L represents the inductor current supplied to the inductor L, R1 represents the resistance of the first resistor R1, s represents the Laplace variable, L represents the inductance of the inductor L, R3 represents the resistance of the third resistor R3, and C2 represents the capacitance of the second capacitor C2.

[0047] One end of the fourth resistor R4 can be connected to the other end of the third resistor R3. That is, one end of the fourth resistor R4 can be connected to the node between the third resistor R3 and the second capacitor C2. The other end of the fourth resistor R4 can be connected to one end of the third capacitor C3.

[0048] One end of the third capacitor C3 may be connected to the other end of the fourth resistor R4. The other end of the third capacitor C3 may be connected to the output node OUT. That is, the fourth resistor R4 and the third capacitor C3 may be connected in parallel to the second capacitor C2.

[0049] In this case, since the voltage corresponding to the DC component of the inductor current is filtered by the third capacitor C3, the third capacitor voltage, which is the voltage applied across the two ends of the third capacitor C3, may be expressed as in Equation 2.

[0050] [Equation 2]

[0051] In Equation 2, V C3 represents the third capacitor voltage, I LOAD represents the DC component of the inductor current, and R1 represents the resistance of the first resistor R1.

[0052] The sensing circuit 120 may obtain the third capacitor voltage corresponding to the DC component of the inductor current by using the third resistor R3, the second capacitor C2, the fourth resistor R4, and the third capacitor C3. The sensing circuit 120 may output the third capacitor voltage as the first comparison voltage V COM1 to the calibration circuit 130. The first comparison voltage V COM1 may be the voltage V A at the node between the fourth resistor R4 and the third capacitor C3 OUT minus the output voltage V A . In other words, the voltage V OUT at this node corresponds to the sum of the output voltage V COM1 and the first comparison voltage V OUT (i.e., V COM1 ).

[0053] Figure 3 is a circuit diagram of the calibration circuit of the current sensing circuit according to an embodiment.

[0054] Referring to Figure 3 , the calibration circuit 130 according to an embodiment may include a fifth resistor R5, a first amplifier A1, a first resistor circuit 131, and a second resistor circuit 132. The calibration circuit 130 may further include a second amplifier A2, a first filter capacitor C F1 and a second filter capacitor C F2 . In some embodiments, the first amplifier A1 and the second amplifier A2 may be differential amplifiers (such as operational amplifiers).

[0055] One end of the fifth resistor R5 can be connected to the output node OUT. The other end of the fifth resistor R5 can be connected to the first input terminal of the first amplifier A1.

[0056] The first input terminal of the first amplifier A1 can be connected to the other end of the fifth resistor R5. The second input terminal of the first amplifier A1 can be connected to the node between the fourth resistor R4 and the third capacitor C3. That is, the second input terminal of the first amplifier A1 can be connected to the node having a voltage V with a second input voltage level. A In Figure 3 the illustrated embodiment, the first input terminal of the first amplifier A1 can be a negative (-) input terminal, and the second input terminal of the first amplifier A1 can be a positive (+) input terminal.

[0057] The first amplifier A1 can output a second comparison voltage V COM2 through its output terminal. The second comparison voltage V COM2 can be expressed as Equation 3: [Equation 3]

[0058] In Equation 3, V COM2 represents the second comparison voltage, V OUT represents the output voltage, V C3 represents the third capacitor voltage, R5 represents the resistance of the fifth resistor R5, and R C1 represents the resistance of the first resistor circuit 131.

[0059] One end of the first resistor circuit 131 can be connected to the first input terminal of the first amplifier A1. The other end of the first resistor circuit 131 can be connected to the output terminal of the first amplifier A1. The resistance of the first resistor circuit 131 can be adjusted in response to a second control signal CTR2 received by the controller 150.

[0060] The detailed structure of the first resistor circuit 131 and the resistance of the first resistor circuit 131 can be described in more detail with reference to Figure 4 .

[0061] Figure 4 is a circuit diagram of the first resistor circuit included in the calibration circuit according to an embodiment.

[0062] Referring to Figure 4 , the first resistor circuit 131 according to an embodiment can include a plurality of pull-up resistors R UP1 to R UPn and a plurality of pull-up switches S UP1 to S UPn .

[0063] A plurality of pull-up resistors R UP1 to R UPn can be serially connected between the first input terminal of the first amplifier A1 and the output terminal of the first amplifier A1. That is, one end of the first pull-up resistor R UP1 can be connected to the first input terminal of the first amplifier A1, and one end of the second pull-up resistor R UP2 can be connected to the other end of the first pull-up resistor R UP1 One end of the third pull-up resistor (not shown) can be connected to the other end of the second pull-up resistor R UP2 By repeating this connection, one end of the nth pull-up resistor R UPn can be connected to the other end of the (n-1)th pull-up resistor (not shown), and the other end of the nth pull-up resistor R UPn can be connected to the output terminal of the first amplifier A1.

[0064] A plurality of pull-up switches S UP1 to S UPn can be respectively connected in parallel to a plurality of pull-up resistors R UP1 to R UPn That is, the first pull-up switch S UP1 can be connected in parallel to the first pull-up resistor R UP1 , and the second pull-up switch S UP2 can be connected in parallel to the second pull-up resistor R UP2 By repeating this connection, the nth pull-up switch S UPn can be connected in parallel to the nth pull-up resistor R UPn .

[0065] A plurality of pull-up switches S UP1 to S UPn can be closed or opened in response to the second control signal CTR2. As can be seen from Equation 3, the second comparison voltage V COM2 can be proportional to the resistance R C1 of the first resistor circuit 131. Therefore, the controller 150 can increase the second comparison voltage V C1 by increasing the resistance R COM2 of the first resistor circuit 131 in response to the second control signal CTR2.

[0066] When each of the plurality of pull-up switches S UP1 to S UPn is closed in response to the second control signal CTR2, current flowing into each of the plurality of pull-up resistors R UP1 to S UPn connected in parallel to the plurality of pull-up switches S UP1 to R UPn can be prevented. In other words, when the plurality of pull-up switches SUP1 to S UPn When each of the to S is closed in response to the second control signal CTR2, the resistance R of the first resistor circuit 131 C1 can be reduced.

[0067] Conversely, when each of the plurality of pull-up switches S UP1 to S UPn is opened in response to the second control signal CTR2, current can be allowed to flow into the plurality of pull-up resistors R UP1 to S UPn connected in parallel to the plurality of pull-up switches S UP1 to R UPn In other words, when each of the plurality of pull-up switches S UP1 to S UPn is opened in response to the second control signal CTR2, the resistance R of the first resistor circuit 131 C1 can be increased.

[0068] In some embodiments, each of the plurality of pull-up switches S UP1 to S UPn can be independently controlled. The second control signal CTR2 can have a plurality of sub-control signals that respectively control the plurality of pull-up switches S UP1 to S UPn For example, when the plurality of pull-up resistors R UP1 to R UPn all have the same resistance, the controller 150 can respond to the second control signal CTR2 and increase the resistance R of the first resistor circuit 131 by increasing the number of pull-up switches S UP1 to S UPn that are open among them C1 . In addition, the controller 150 can respond to the second control signal CTR2 and decrease the resistance R of the first resistor circuit 131 by increasing the number of pull-up switches S UP1 to S UPn that are closed among them C1 .

[0069] For example, when the plurality of pull-up resistors R UP1 to R UPn have different resistances respectively, the controller 150 can respond to the second control signal CTR2 and adjust the resistance R of the first resistor circuit 131 by changing the combination of the switches among the plurality of pull-up switches S UP1 to S UPn that are open C1 .

[0070] Returning to reference Figure 3 , the first filter capacitor C F1One end of it can be connected to the output terminal of the first amplifier A1. The first filter capacitor C F1 The other end of it can be connected to the ground node. The first filter capacitor C F1 can filter the noise included in the second comparison voltage V COM2 .

[0071] The first input terminal of the second amplifier A2 can be connected to the output terminal of the first amplifier A1. The second input terminal of the second amplifier A2 can be connected to the output terminal of the second amplifier A2. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3 , the first input terminal of the second amplifier A2 can be the positive (+) input terminal, and the second input terminal of the second amplifier A2 can be the negative (-) input terminal. The second amplifier A2 can output a third comparison voltage V COM2 generated by amplifying the second comparison voltage V COM3 by 1 times. In other words, the second amplifier A2 can be used as a buffer and output the same third comparison voltage V COM2 as the second comparison voltage V COM3 . In some embodiments, the second amplifier A2 and the second filter capacitor C F2 can be omitted, and the output terminal of the first amplifier A1 can be connected to the second resistor circuit 132. In this case, the second comparison voltage V F1 filtered by the first filter capacitor C COM2 can be input into the second resistor circuit 132 as the third comparison voltage V COM3 .

[0072] One end of the second filter capacitor C F2 can be connected to the output terminal of the second amplifier A2. The other end of the second filter capacitor C F2 can be connected to the ground node. The second filter capacitor C F2 can filter the noise included in the third comparison voltage V COM3 that has passed through the second amplifier A2.

[0073] One end of the second resistor circuit 132 can be connected to the output terminal of the first amplifier A1 through the second amplifier A2, the first filter capacitor C F1 and the second filter capacitor C F2 . The other end of the second resistor circuit 132 can be connected to the output terminal of the calibration circuit 130. Therefore, the sensed voltage V SEN can be output through the other end of the second resistor circuit 132. The voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit 132 can be adjusted in response to the first control signal CTR1 received by the controller 150.

[0074] can be referred to Figure 5Describe in detail the detailed structure of the second resistor circuit 132 and the voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit 132.

[0075] Figure 5 is a circuit diagram of a second resistor circuit included in a calibration circuit according to an embodiment.

[0076] Referring to Figure 5 , the second resistor circuit 132 according to an embodiment may include a plurality of pull-down resistors R DN1 to R DNm and a plurality of pull-down switches S DN1 to S DNm .

[0077] The plurality of pull-down resistors R DN1 to R DNm may be connected in series between the output terminal of the second amplifier A2 and the ground node. That is, one end of the first pull-down resistor R DN1 may be connected to the ground node, one end of the second pull-down resistor R DN2 may be connected to the other end of the first pull-down resistor R DN1 , and one end of a third pull-down resistor (not shown) may be connected to the other end of the second pull-down resistor R DN2 . By repeating this connection, one end of the mth pull-down resistor R DNm may be connected to the other end of the (m-1)th pull-down resistor (not shown), and the other end of the mth pull-down resistor R DNm may be connected to the output terminal of the second amplifier A2.

[0078] Each of the plurality of pull-down switches S DN1 to S DNm may be connected between the other end of a corresponding one of the plurality of pull-down resistors R DN1 to R DNm and the output terminal of the calibration circuit 130. That is, the first pull-down switch S DN1 may be connected between the other end of the first pull-down resistor R DN1 and the output terminal of the calibration circuit 130, and the second pull-down switch S DN2 may be connected between the other end of the second pull-down resistor R DN2 and the output terminal of the calibration circuit 130. By repeating this connection, the mth pull-down switch S DNm may be connected between the other end of the mth pull-down resistor R DNm and the output terminal of the calibration circuit 130.

[0079] The relationship between the third comparison voltage V COM3 and the sensed voltage V SEN can be expressed as in Equation 4: [Equation 4]

[0080] In Equation 4, V SEN represents the sensed voltage, V COM3 represents the third comparison voltage, R DN1 to R DNm represents the resistance of the first pull-down resistor R DN1 to the mth pull-down resistor R DNm and k represents the index of the pull-down switch among a plurality of pull-down switches S DN1 to S DNm that is closed in response to the first control signal CTR1.

[0081] The plurality of pull-down switches S DN1 to S DNm can be independently closed or opened in response to the first control signal CTR1. The controller 150 can adjust the voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit 132 (i.e., V DN1 to S DNm by selecting the pull-down switch among the plurality of pull-down switches S SEN / V COM3 ) that is closed in response to the first control signal CTR1. As can be seen from Equation 4, when the index of the pull-down switch among the plurality of pull-down switches S DN1 to S DNm that is closed in response to the first control signal CTR1 decreases, the voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit 132 can decrease. Therefore, the voltage can be reduced to a greater extent by the second resistor circuit 132. Conversely, when the index of the pull-down switch among the plurality of pull-down switches S DN1 to S DNm that is closed due to the first control signal CTR1 increases, the voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit 132 can be increased. Therefore, the voltage can be reduced to a lesser extent by the second resistor circuit 132. The second resistor circuit 132 can be used as a voltage divider for the third comparison voltage V COM3 .

[0082] As described above, the controller 150 can adjust the sensed voltage V DN1 to S DNm by adjusting the index of the closed pull-down switch among the plurality of pull-down switches S SEN in response to the first control signal CTR1. For example, the index indicates which pull-down switch among the plurality of pull-down switches S DN1 to S DNm is closed. For example, when the index is m, k is m, and the mth pull-down switch S DNm is closed, while the other pull-down switches S DN1 to SDN（m-1） Remain open. In this case, the third comparison voltage V COM3 is output as the sense voltage V without voltage adjustment. When the index is 1, k is 1, and the first pull-down switch S SEN is closed, while the other pull-down switches S DN1 to S DN2 remain open. In this case, the third comparison voltage V DNm is adjusted by (R COM3 / (R DN1 +…+R DN1 )), and the adjusted voltage is output as the sense voltage V DNm . SEN .

[0083] Returning to Figure 3 , the calibration circuit 130 can output the sense voltage V generated by the second resistor circuit 132 to the comparison circuit 140. SEN .

[0084] Figure 6 is a circuit diagram of the comparison circuit and the controller of the current sensing circuit according to the embodiment.

[0085] Referring to Figure 6 , the comparison circuit 140 according to the embodiment may include a comparator COM. The comparison circuit 140 may further include a filter resistor R F and a third filter capacitor C F3 .

[0086] The comparator COM can receive the sense voltage V from the second resistor circuit 132 through its first input terminal. The comparator COM can receive a reference voltage V SEN through its second input terminal. The comparator COM can receive an output voltage V REF through its third input terminal. In the embodiment shown in OUT , the first input terminal of the comparator COM can be the positive (+) input terminal, the second input terminal of the comparator COM can be the first negative (-) input terminal, and the third input terminal of the comparator COM can be the second negative (-) input terminal. Figure 6 In this case, the filter resistor R

[0087] and the third filter capacitor C F can be connected to the third input terminal of the comparator COM. F3

[0088] One end of the filter resistor R F can be connected to the third input terminal of the comparator COM. The other end of the filter resistor R F can be connected to the output node OUT.​

[0089] The third filter capacitor C F3 One end of can be connected to the third input terminal of the comparator COM. The third filter capacitor C F3 The other end of can be connected to the ground node.

[0090] The filter resistor R F and the third filter capacitor C F3 can filter the noise included in the output voltage V OUT .

[0091] The comparator COM can output a comparison signal COM_S through its output terminal. The comparator COM can generate the comparison signal COM_S based on the sensed voltage V SEN , the reference voltage V REF and the output voltage V OUT . In this case, the reference voltage V REF can be set to the target value of the first comparison voltage V COM1 .

[0092] In an embodiment, when the value obtained by subtracting the reference voltage V SEN from the sensed voltage V REF and the output voltage V OUT is greater than 0, the comparator COM can generate a comparison signal COM_S having a first value (e.g., 1 or greater). Conversely, when the value obtained by subtracting the reference voltage V SEN from the sensed voltage V REF and the output voltage V OUT is less than or equal to 0, the comparator COM can generate a comparison signal COM_S having a second value (e.g., less than 1). In some embodiments, the first value can be less than 1, and the second value can be 1 or greater.

[0093] The controller 150 can receive the comparison signal COM_S. The controller 150 can generate a control signal CTR based on the comparison signal COM_S. The control signal CTR can include a first control signal CTR1 and a second control signal CTR2.

[0094] In an embodiment, when the comparison signal COM_S is the first value, the controller 150 can output the first control signal CTR1 for reducing the voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit 132 to the second resistor circuit 132. That is, when the comparison signal COM_S is the first value, the controller 150 can reduce the sensed voltage V SEN by reducing the voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit 132.

[0095] The controller 150 can be based on the second resistor circuit 132 for the third comparison voltage V COM3The decreasing ratio will be used to close multiple pull - down switches S DN1 to S DNm One of them, the first control signal CTR1, is output to the second resistor circuit 132. The third comparison voltage V COM3 The decreasing ratio can be "the third comparison voltage V COM3 Decreases so as to decrease the sensed voltage V SEN By the desired amount". In this case, the decreasing ratio of the third comparison voltage V COM3 Can be proportional to the decreasing ratio of the sensed voltage V SEN Therefore, when it is necessary to increase the decreasing ratio of the sensed voltage V SEN The controller 150 can decrease the index of the pull - down switch that is closed in response to the first control signal CTR1 among multiple pull - down switches S DN1 to S DNm To increase the decreasing ratio of the third comparison voltage V COM3

[0096] In an embodiment, when the comparison signal COM_S is the second value, the controller 150 can output a second control signal CTR2 for increasing the resistance of the first resistor circuit 131 to the first resistor circuit 131. That is, when the comparison signal COM_S is the second value, the controller 150 can increase the sensed voltage V SEN By increasing the resistance of the first resistor circuit 131

[0097] The controller 150 can output a second control signal CTR2 for closing at least one of multiple pull - up switches SUP1 to SUPn to the first resistor circuit 131 based on the increasing ratio of the first resistor circuit 131 to the first comparison voltage V COM1 The increasing ratio of the first comparison voltage V COM1 Can be "the first comparison voltage V COM1 Increases so as to increase the sensed voltage V SEN By the desired amount". In this case, the increasing ratio of the first comparison voltage V COM1 Can be proportional to the increasing ratio of the sensed voltage V SEN Therefore, when it is necessary to increase the increasing ratio of the sensed voltage V SEN The controller 150 can increase the number of switches that are open among multiple pull - up switches S UP1 to S UPn To increase the increasing ratio of the first comparison voltage V COM1

[0098] ​​When the power supply circuit 100 according to the embodiments described above is used, the resistance of the first resistor circuit 131 and the voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit 132 in the calibration circuit 130 can be calibrated based on the comparison signal COM_S. Thus, a sense voltage V having a desired magnitude SEN can be generated.

[0099] Figure 7 is a flowchart of an operation method of a current sensing circuit according to an embodiment.

[0100] Referring to Figure 7 , in operation S710, the power supply circuit 100 may receive an input voltage from the input node IN. The power supply circuit 100 may receive the input voltage applied to the input node IN by using the voltage conversion circuit 110.

[0101] In operation S720, the power supply circuit 100 may output an output voltage V by converting the input voltage. The power supply circuit 100 may convert the input voltage by using the inductor L, the first resistor R1, the first capacitor C1, and the second resistor R2 of the voltage conversion circuit 110, and generate the output voltage V OUT . OUT .

[0102] In operation S730, the power supply circuit 100 may output a first comparison voltage V COM1 . The power supply circuit 100 may output a first comparison voltage V corresponding to the DC component of the inductor current I supplied to the inductor L included in the voltage conversion circuit 110 by using the third resistor R3, the second capacitor C2, the fourth resistor R4, and the third capacitor C3 of the sensing circuit 120 L . COM1 .

[0103] In operation S740, the power supply circuit 100 may output a sense voltage V SEN . The power supply circuit 100 may generate a second comparison voltage V based on the first comparison voltage V by using the fifth resistor R5, the first amplifier A1, and the first resistor circuit 131 of the calibration circuit 130 COM1 . The power supply circuit 100 may generate a third comparison voltage V based on the second comparison voltage V by using the second amplifier A2 of the calibration circuit 130 COM2 . The power supply circuit 100 may generate and output a sense voltage V based on the third comparison voltage V by using the second resistor circuit 132 of the calibration circuit 130 COM2 . COM3 . COM3 SEN . .

[0104] In operation S750, the power supply circuit 100 may generate a comparison signal COM_S. The power supply circuit 100 may generate the comparison signal COM_S based on the sensed voltage V SEN , a reference voltage V REF , and an output voltage V OUT by using a comparator COM of the comparison circuit 140. Refer to Figure 8 for a description of a method of generating the comparison signal COM_S by using the comparison circuit 140.

[0105] Figure 8 is a flowchart of a method of generating a comparison signal by a current sensing circuit according to an embodiment.

[0106] Refer to Figure 8 , in operation S810, the power supply circuit 100 may determine whether a value obtained by subtracting the reference voltage V SEN from the sensed voltage V REF and the output voltage V OUT is greater than 0 by using a comparator COM of the comparison circuit 140.

[0107] When it is determined that the value obtained by subtracting the reference voltage V SEN from the sensed voltage V REF and the output voltage V OUT is greater than 0, the method may proceed to operation S820. Accordingly, the power supply circuit 100 may generate a comparison signal COM_S having a first value by using a comparator COM of the comparison circuit 140.

[0108] When it is determined that the value obtained by subtracting the reference voltage V SEN from the sensed voltage V REF and the output voltage V OUT is 0 or less, the method may proceed to operation S830. Accordingly, the power supply circuit 100 may generate a comparison signal COM_S having a second value by using a comparator COM of the comparison circuit 140.

[0109] Refer to Figure 7 , in operation S760, the power supply circuit 100 may output a control signal CTR. The power supply circuit 100 may generate the control signal CTR based on the comparison signal COM_S by using a controller 150. Refer to Figure 9 for a description of a method of generating the control signal CTR by the controller 150.

[0110] Figure 9 is a flowchart of a method of solving a problem that a first comparison signal has different values according to the DCR of an inductor during an initial operation of a power supply circuit according to an embodiment.

[0111] Refer to Figure 9A method of generating a control signal CTR in response to a comparison signal COM_S of a power supply circuit 100 may be performed. Figure 9 The operations shown in COM1 may be operations to solve such a problem that during an initial operation of the power supply circuit 100, a first comparison voltage V REF has a value different from a target voltage (such as a reference voltage V Figure 9 according to the resistance of a first resistor R1 corresponding to the DCR of an inductor L included in a voltage conversion circuit 110. By performing the operations shown in SEN , the power supply circuit 100 may adjust the resistance of a first resistor circuit 131 and a voltage adjustment ratio of a second resistor circuit 132, and generate a sense voltage V

[0112] having a desired magnitude.

[0113] In operation S910, the power supply circuit 100 may determine whether the comparison signal COM_S is a first value by using a controller 150.

[0113] When it is determined that the comparison signal COM_S is not the first value, the method may proceed to operation S920, and the power supply circuit 100 may generate a second control signal CTR2 for increasing the resistance of the first resistor circuit 131 by using the controller 150. After the resistance of the first resistor circuit 131 is increased, the method may proceed to operation S910, and the power supply circuit 100 may determine again whether the comparison signal newly output by a comparison circuit 140 is the first value by using the controller 150. Otherwise, in operation S910, when it is determined that the comparison signal COM_S is the first value, the method may proceed to operation S930, and the power supply circuit 100 may generate a first control signal CTR1 for decreasing the resistance adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit 132 by using the controller 150.

[0114] After the resistance adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit 132 is decreased, the method may proceed to operation S940, and the power supply circuit 100 may determine by using the controller 150 whether a value obtained by subtracting a reference voltage V SEN and an output voltage V REF from a sense voltage V OUT is close to 0. In this case, by determining whether a value obtained by subtracting a reference voltage V SEN and an output voltage V REF from a sense voltage V OUT is within a predetermined reference range (for example, within a range of -0.01 to 0.01), the controller 150 may determine whether a value obtained by subtracting a reference voltage V SEN and an output voltage V REF from a sense voltage V OUTwhether the obtained value is close to 0. In this case, the reference range may be set according to the conditions required by the electronic device using the power supply circuit 100. When it is determined that the value obtained by subtracting the reference voltage V SEN from the sensed voltage V REF and the output voltage V OUT is not close to 0 (i.e., outside the range of -0.01 to 0.01), the method may proceed to operation S930, and the power supply circuit 100 may generate a first control signal CTR1 for reducing the resistance adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit 132 by using the controller 150.

[0115] Otherwise, when it is determined that the value obtained by subtracting the reference voltage V SEN from the sensed voltage V REF and the output voltage V OUT is close to 0, the process of generating the control signal CTR (e.g., the first control signal CTR1) may be terminated.

[0116] Figure 10 is a block diagram of an electronic device 1000 according to an embodiment.

[0117] Referring to Figure 10 , the electronic device 1000 may include an application processor (AP) 1010, a transceiver 1020, a memory 1030, a display 1040, and an input / output (I / O) device 1050.

[0118] The AP 1010 may control all operations of the electronic device 1000 and the operations of the components of the electronic device 1000. The AP 1010 may perform various operations. According to some embodiments, the AP 1010 may include one processor core (or single-core) or multiple processor cores (or multi-core).

[0119] The electronic device 1000 may communicate with the outside through the transceiver 1020. The transceiver 1020 may be, for example, a wired local area network (LAN) interface, a wireless short-range communication interface (e.g., Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), and Zigbee), a power line communication (PLC), or a modem communication interface that can be connected to a mobile cellular network (e.g., third generation (3G), long term evolution (LTE), 5G, new radio (NR), and next-generation communication).

[0120] The memory 1030 may store command codes, control data, or user data that can control the electronic device 1000. The memory 1030 may include at least one of a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory.

[0121] The display 1040 may display internal status information of the electronic device 1000. The display 1040 may include a touch sensor (not shown). In addition, the display 1040 may include input or output functions and appearances for a user interface. The user may control the electronic device 1000 by using the touch sensor and the user interface.

[0122] The I / O device 1050 may include an input unit (such as a touchpad, a keyboard, and input buttons) and an output unit (such as a display and a speaker).

[0123] At least some of the components of the electronic device 1000 (including, for example, the AP 1010, the transceiver 1020, the memory 1030, the display 1040, and the I / O device 1050) may include a power supply circuit configured to generate a voltage having a desired magnitude, and the power supply circuit may include the power supply circuit 100 according to the embodiments described above with reference to Figures 1 to 9 the power supply circuit 100 of the embodiments described.

[0124] Although the inventive concept has been specifically shown and described with reference to embodiments of the inventive concept, it will be understood that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A power supply circuit, comprising: A voltage conversion circuit including an inductor, the voltage conversion circuit being configured to convert an input voltage applied to an input node and output an output voltage to an output node; A sensing circuit configured to output a first comparison voltage corresponding to a DC component of an inductor current supplied to the inductor; A calibration circuit including a first resistor circuit and a second resistor circuit, the calibration circuit being configured to adjust the first comparison voltage and output a sensed voltage; A comparison circuit configured to generate a comparison signal based on the sensed voltage, a reference voltage, and the output voltage; And A controller configured to output a first control signal for adjusting a voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit to the second resistor circuit and output a second control signal for adjusting a resistance of the first resistor circuit to the first resistor circuit based on the comparison signal.

2. The power supply circuit according to claim 1, Among them, The voltage conversion circuit includes: An inductor having one end connected to the input node; A first resistor having one end connected to the other end of the inductor and the other end connected to the output node; A first capacitor having one end connected to the output node; A second resistor having one end connected to the other end of the first capacitor and the other end connected to a ground node; and A current source having one end connected to the output node and the other end connected to the ground node.

3. The power supply circuit according to claim 1, Among them, The sensing circuit includes: A third resistor having one end connected to one end of the inductor; A second capacitor having one end connected to the other end of the third resistor and the other end connected to the output node; A fourth resistor having one end connected to the other end of the third resistor; and A third capacitor having one end connected to the other end of the fourth resistor and the other end connected to the output node.

4. The power supply circuit according to claim 3, Among them, The sensing circuit outputs a voltage applied across the two ends of the third capacitor as the first comparison voltage to the calibration circuit.

5. The power supply circuit according to claim 1, Among them, The calibration circuit further includes: A fifth resistor having one end connected to the output node; and A first amplifier having a first input terminal connected to the other end of the fifth resistor and a second input terminal connected to a node whose voltage level corresponds to the sum of the output voltage and the first comparison voltage, the first amplifier being configured to output a second comparison voltage through an output terminal of the first amplifier, wherein the second resistor circuit has one end connected to the output terminal of the first amplifier and the other end connected to an output terminal of the calibration circuit, the second resistor circuit being configured to output a sensed voltage by adjusting a third comparison voltage, and the third comparison voltage is generated by filtering the second comparison voltage, and wherein the first resistor circuit has one end connected to the first input terminal of the first amplifier and the other end connected to the output terminal of the first amplifier.

6. The power supply circuit according to claim 5, Among them, The first resistor circuit includes: A plurality of pull-up resistors connected in series between a first input terminal of a first amplifier and an output terminal of the first amplifier; and A plurality of pull-up switches respectively connected in parallel to the plurality of pull-up resistors, each pull-up switch being configured to be closed or opened in response to a second control signal.

7. The power supply circuit according to claim 6, Among them, The controller outputs a second control signal for closing at least one of the plurality of pull-up switches to the first resistor circuit based on an increasing ratio of the first resistor circuit to a first comparison voltage.

8. The power supply circuit according to claim 5, Among them, The second resistor circuit includes: A plurality of pull-down resistors connected in series between an output terminal of the first amplifier and a ground node; and A plurality of pull-down switches, each pull-down switch being connected between one end of a corresponding one of the plurality of pull-down resistors and an output terminal of the calibration circuit.

9. The power supply circuit according to claim 8, Among them, The controller outputs a first control signal for closing one of the plurality of pull-down switches to the second resistor circuit based on a decreasing ratio of the second resistor circuit to a third comparison voltage.

10. The power supply circuit according to claim 5, Among them, The calibration circuit further includes: A second amplifier having a first input terminal connected to an output terminal of the first amplifier and a second input terminal connected to an output terminal of the second amplifier; A first filter capacitor having one end connected to an output terminal of the first amplifier and the other end connected to a ground node; and A second filter capacitor having one end connected to an output terminal of the second amplifier and the other end connected to a ground node.

11. The power supply circuit according to claim 1, Among them, The comparison circuit includes: a comparator configured to receive a sense voltage through its first input terminal, receive a reference voltage through its second input terminal, receive an output voltage through its third input terminal, and output a comparison signal through its output terminal.

12. The power supply circuit according to claim 11, Among them, When a value obtained by subtracting the reference voltage and the output voltage from the sense voltage is greater than 0, the comparison signal has a first value, and when the value obtained by subtracting the reference voltage and the output voltage from the sense voltage is less than or equal to 0, the comparison signal has a second value.

13. The power supply circuit according to claim 12, Among them, When the comparison signal has the first value, the controller outputs a first control signal for reducing a voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit to the second resistor circuit, wherein when the comparison signal has the second value, the controller outputs a second control signal for increasing the resistance of the first resistor circuit to the first resistor circuit.

14. An operation method of a power supply circuit, the operation method including: Applying an input voltage to an input node; Converting the input voltage by using a voltage conversion circuit including an inductor and outputting an output voltage to an output node; Outputting a first comparison voltage corresponding to a DC component of an inductor current supplied to the inductor by using a sensing circuit; Adjusting a first comparison voltage by using a calibration circuit including a first resistor circuit and a second resistor circuit to output a sense voltage; Generating a comparison signal by using a comparison circuit based on the sense voltage, a reference voltage, and an output voltage; And Based on the comparison signal, outputting a first control signal for adjusting a voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit to the second resistor circuit and outputting a second control signal for adjusting a resistance of the first resistor circuit to the first resistor circuit by using a controller.

15. The operation method according to claim 14, Among them, The step of outputting the sense voltage includes: Adjusting a first comparison voltage by using a first resistor circuit to output a second comparison voltage; and Adjusting a third comparison voltage by using a second resistor circuit to output the sense voltage, the third comparison voltage being generated by filtering the second comparison voltage.

16. The operation method according to claim 14, Among them, When a value obtained by subtracting the reference voltage and the output voltage from the sense voltage is greater than 0, the comparison signal has a first value, and when a value obtained by subtracting the reference voltage and the output voltage from the sense voltage is less than or equal to 0, the comparison signal has a second value.

17. The operation method according to claim 16, Among them, The step of outputting the second control signal to the first resistor circuit and outputting the first control signal to the second resistor circuit includes: When the comparison signal has the first value, outputting a first control signal for reducing a voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit to the second resistor circuit; and When the comparison signal has the second value, outputting a second control signal for increasing a resistance of the first resistor circuit to the first resistor circuit.

18. A power supply circuit, comprising: A voltage conversion circuit including an inductor, a first resistor, a first capacitor, and a second resistor, the voltage conversion circuit being configured to convert an input voltage applied to an input node and output an output voltage to an output node; A sensing circuit including a third resistor, a second capacitor, a fourth resistor, and a third capacitor, the sensing circuit being configured to output a first comparison voltage corresponding to a DC component of an inductor current supplied to the inductor; A calibration circuit including a fifth resistor, a first amplifier, a first resistor circuit, and a second resistor circuit, the calibration circuit being configured to adjust the first comparison voltage and output a sense voltage; A comparison circuit including a comparator, the comparison circuit being configured to generate a comparison signal based on the sense voltage, a reference voltage, and an output voltage; And A controller configured to: based on the comparison signal, output a first control signal for adjusting a voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit to the second resistor circuit and output a second control signal for adjusting a resistance of the first resistor circuit to the first resistor circuit.

19. The power supply circuit according to claim 18, Among them, The comparator receives the sense voltage through its first input terminal, receives the reference voltage through its second input terminal, receives the output voltage through its third input terminal, and outputs the comparison signal through its output terminal, Wherein, when the value obtained by subtracting the reference voltage and the output voltage from the sensed voltage is greater than 0, the comparison signal has a first value, and when the value obtained by subtracting the reference voltage and the output voltage from the sensed voltage is less than or equal to 0, the comparison signal has a second value.

20. The power supply circuit according to claim 19, Among them, The controller is configured to: When the comparison signal has the first value, output a first control signal for reducing the voltage adjustment ratio of the second resistor circuit to the second resistor circuit, and When the comparison signal has the second value, output a second control signal for increasing the resistance of the first resistor circuit to the first resistor circuit.

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