Linear voltage regulator, voltage conversion system and linear voltage regulation control method

Abstract

The application provides a linear voltage stabilizer, a voltage conversion system and a linear voltage stabilization control method, which comprise: a power supply module for generating a power supply voltage based on an input voltage; a bleeder module for providing a bleeder current when the power supply voltage is less than a first reference voltage and the input voltage is less than a bleeder voltage set point, the bleeder current being inversely proportional to the input voltage; first and second sampling modules for sampling the power supply voltage and the power supply voltage respectively; an operation control module for generating a control signal based on the first and second sampling voltages, wherein the bleeder voltage set point is directly proportional to a peak value of the input voltage, and a peak value of the bleeder current is directly proportional to the peak value of the input voltage; and a direct current conversion module for generating a stable output voltage based on the power supply voltage. The linear voltage stabilizer, the voltage conversion system and the linear voltage stabilization control method are suitable for application occasions with a large input voltage range, have high flexibility, a wide application range and high system efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of integrated circuits, and in particular to a linear voltage regulator, a voltage conversion system, and a linear voltage regulation control method. Background Technology

[0002] A linear regulator is a circuit that converts an input voltage into a stable output voltage. It offers advantages such as low cost, low noise, small size, and high reliability. Linear regulators are suitable for applications requiring high output voltage stability, low noise, low power consumption, and high reliability, such as precision measuring instruments, audio amplifiers, LED drivers, and sensors.

[0003] For a linear regulator that converts AC input to DC output, most of the losses occur in the linear switch, resulting in significant overall system losses and a relatively low load capacity.

[0004] How to reduce the overall loss of linear voltage regulators and improve system efficiency has become one of the problems that urgently need to be solved by those skilled in the art.

[0005] It should be noted that the above description of the technical background is only for the purpose of providing a clear and complete explanation of the technical solutions of the present invention and facilitating understanding by those skilled in the art. It should not be assumed that the above technical solutions are known to those skilled in the art simply because they have been described in the background section of this invention. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, the purpose of this invention is to provide a linear voltage regulator, a voltage conversion system, and a linear voltage regulation control method to solve the problems of high loss and low efficiency of the linear voltage regulator in the prior art.

[0007] To achieve the above and other related objectives, the present invention provides a linear voltage regulator, the linear voltage regulator comprising at least:

[0008] Power supply module, discharge module, first sampling module, second sampling module, operation and control module, and DC-DC conversion module;

[0009] The input terminal of the power supply module is connected to the voltage input terminal of the linear regulator, and the output terminal is connected to the power supply terminal of the linear regulator. The power supply voltage of the power supply terminal is generated based on the input voltage of the linear regulator.

[0010] The discharge module is connected to both ends of the power supply module and is used to provide discharge current when the power supply voltage is less than the first reference voltage and the input voltage is less than the discharge voltage set point. The discharge current is inversely proportional to the input voltage.

[0011] The first sampling module is connected to the power supply terminal and samples the power supply voltage to obtain a first sampling voltage;

[0012] The second sampling module is connected to the voltage input terminal and samples the input voltage to obtain the second sampled voltage;

[0013] The operation control module is connected to the output terminals of the first sampling module and the second sampling module, and generates control signals for the power supply module and the discharge module based on the first sampling voltage and the second sampling voltage. The discharge voltage setpoint is proportional to the peak value of the input voltage, and the peak value of the discharge current is proportional to the peak value of the input voltage.

[0014] One end of the DC-DC converter is connected to the power supply terminal, and the other end is connected to the voltage output terminal of the linear regulator, generating a stable output voltage based on the power supply voltage.

[0015] Optionally, the power supply module includes a first switching transistor, which is turned on or off based on a control signal provided by the arithmetic control module.

[0016] Optionally, the discharge module includes a voltage-controlled current source and a second switching transistor connected in series;

[0017] The voltage-controlled current source is controlled by a first control signal provided by the operation control module. When the input voltage is less than the discharge voltage setpoint, the discharge current is generated based on the difference between the input voltage and the peak value of the input voltage. When the input voltage is greater than or equal to the discharge voltage setpoint, the discharge current is controlled to zero.

[0018] The second switch is controlled by a second control signal provided by the operational control module. It turns on when the power supply voltage is less than the first reference voltage, and turns off otherwise.

[0019] Alternatively, the operation control module includes a first comparator and a discharge control unit;

[0020] The first comparator is connected to the output of the first sampling module and compares the power supply voltage with the first reference voltage to obtain a control signal that controls the power supply module and the discharge module to be turned on.

[0021] The discharge control unit is connected to the output of the second sampling module and generates a control signal to control the magnitude of the discharge current in the discharge module based on the difference between the input voltage and the discharge voltage setpoint.

[0022] Alternatively, the discharge control unit includes a peak sample-and-hold circuit, a multiplier, and a subtractor;

[0023] The peak sample-and-hold circuit receives the second sampled voltage and outputs the peak value of the second sampled voltage;

[0024] The multiplier receives the second sampled voltage and outputs the product of the second sampled voltage and the first coefficient, wherein the first coefficient is greater than zero;

[0025] The subtractor is connected to the output of the peak sample-and-hold circuit and the multiplier, and calculates the difference between the output signal of the peak sample-and-hold circuit and the output signal of the multiplier.

[0026] Alternatively, the operation control module may further include a second comparator and a logic unit;

[0027] The second comparator is connected to the output of the second sampling module and compares the input voltage with the second reference voltage.

[0028] The logic unit generates a control signal to control the power supply module to turn on based on the output signals of the first comparator and the second comparator. When the power supply voltage is less than the first reference voltage and the input voltage is less than the second reference voltage, the power supply module is controlled to supply power to the power supply terminal; otherwise, the power supply is stopped.

[0029] Optionally, the linear regulator further includes a diode, the anode of which is connected to the voltage input terminal of the linear regulator, and the cathode of which is connected to the input terminal of the power supply module.

[0030] To achieve the above and other related objectives, the present invention also provides a voltage conversion system, the voltage conversion system comprising at least:

[0031] AC to DC converter module, first capacitor, second capacitor and the aforementioned linear regulator;

[0032] The AC-to-DC module receives AC voltage and converts it into DC voltage.

[0033] The voltage input terminal of the linear regulator is connected to the output terminal of the AC-to-DC module, converting the DC voltage output by the AC-to-DC module into a stable set output voltage;

[0034] The first capacitor is connected to the power supply terminal of the linear regulator to stabilize the power supply voltage of the linear regulator;

[0035] The second capacitor is connected to the voltage output terminal of the linear regulator to stabilize the output voltage of the linear regulator.

[0036] To achieve the above and other related objectives, the present invention also provides a linear voltage regulation control method, the linear voltage regulation control method comprising at least:

[0037] The input voltage is controlled to charge the power supply terminal of the linear regulator to obtain a power supply voltage, and the power supply voltage is stabilized at a first reference voltage.

[0038] When the power supply voltage is less than the first reference voltage and the input voltage is less than the bleed voltage setpoint, a bleed current is provided from the input terminal of the linear regulator to the power supply terminal, and the bleed current is inversely proportional to the input voltage; otherwise, the bleed current is stopped.

[0039] Convert the power supply voltage into a stable output voltage;

[0040] The setpoint for the discharge voltage is proportional to the peak value of the input voltage, and the peak value of the discharge current is proportional to the peak value of the input voltage.

[0041] Optionally, the discharge current satisfies:

[0042] I bleed = (Vins_max - K1·Vins) * GM;

[0043] Among them, I bleed The discharge current is denoted as Vins_max, the peak sampling voltage of the input voltage is denoted as K1, the coefficient is greater than zero, Vins is the sampling voltage of the input voltage is denoted as GM, and GM is the transconductance of the discharge path is denoted as GM.

[0044] Alternatively, the linear voltage regulation control method further includes: when the input voltage of the linear regulator is less than the second reference voltage, allowing the input voltage to charge the power supply terminal.

[0045] As described above, the linear regulator, voltage conversion system, and linear voltage regulation control method of the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0046] 1. The linear voltage regulator, voltage conversion system and linear voltage regulation control method of the present invention adjust the discharge voltage set point and the peak value of the discharge current according to the peak value of the input voltage. It is suitable for applications with a large input voltage range, has high flexibility and wide applicability.

[0047] 2. The linear regulator, voltage conversion system, and linear voltage regulation control method of the present invention fully utilize the energy during discharge by setting the discharge path between the input voltage and the power supply voltage, thereby improving system efficiency.

[0048] 3. The linear regulator, voltage conversion system, and linear voltage regulation control method of the present invention allow the power supply voltage to charge when the input voltage is low, thereby further improving system efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0049] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of a linear voltage regulator.

[0050] Figure 2 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of another type of linear voltage regulator.

[0051] Figure 3 The diagram shows an ideal waveform of the input voltage.

[0052] Figure 4 The diagram shows the actual waveforms of the input voltages at different peak values.

[0053] Figure 5 This diagram illustrates the principle of improving system efficiency by adding a bleed module.

[0054] Figure 6 The diagram shown is a block diagram of the linear regulator of the present invention.

[0055] Figure 7 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the linear voltage regulator of the present invention.

[0056] Figure 8 The diagram shows the discharge voltage setpoint and discharge current of the present invention when the input voltage is relatively large.

[0057] Figure 9 The diagram shows the discharge voltage setpoint and discharge current of the present invention when the input voltage is relatively low.

[0058] Figure 10 The diagram shown illustrates another structural design of the linear regulator of this invention.

[0059] Figure 11 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the voltage conversion system of the present invention.

[0060] Component designation explanation

[0061] 1, 2 Linear regulators

[0062] 11 Sampling Module

[0063] 12 Comparators

[0064] 13 DC-DC conversion unit

[0065] 14 Sampling Module

[0066] 15 Comparators

[0067] 16 AND logic units

[0068] 17 Comparators

[0069] 3. Linear regulator

[0070] 31 Power Supply Module

[0071] 32 Discharge Module

[0072] 321 Voltage-Controlled Current Source

[0073] 33 First Sampling Module

[0074] 34 Second Sampling Module

[0075] 35. Operation Control Module

[0076] 351 First Comparator

[0077] 352 Discharge Control Unit

[0078] 353 Second Comparator

[0079] 354 logic units

[0080] 35A Peak Sample and Hold Circuit

[0081] 35b Multiplier

[0082] 35c Subtractor

[0083] 36 DC-DC converter modules

[0084] 4 AC to DC converter Detailed Implementation

[0085] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0086] Please see Figures 1 to 11 It should be noted that the illustrations provided in this embodiment are only schematic representations of the basic concept of the present invention. Therefore, the drawings only show the components related to the present invention and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape and size of the components in the actual implementation. In the actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0087] like Figure 1The diagram shows the internal structure of a linear regulator 1. The sampling module 11 samples the power supply voltage VDD and compares the sampled voltage with a reference voltage Vref using a comparator 12. Based on the comparison result, it controls the on / off state of switch K1 to charge the power supply voltage VDD. Diode D1 is used to limit the current flow. The DC-DC conversion unit 13 converts the power supply voltage VDD into a set output voltage Vout. A low-dropout linear regulator structure can be used, which will not be described in detail here. Figure 1 As can be seen, most of the losses fall on the linear switch K1, resulting in very low overall system efficiency.

[0088] To solve the problem of low efficiency, Figure 1 Based on this, a discharge path and a limit on the charging voltage (i.e., the reference voltage Vref2) are added, such as Figure 2 As shown, in the linear regulator 2, the sampling module 14 samples the input voltage Vin, and the comparator 15 compares the sampled input voltage with the reference voltage Vref2. The AND logic unit 16 performs an AND operation on the comparison results of comparators 12 and 15 to obtain the control signal for switch K1. Simultaneously, the comparator 17 compares the sampled input voltage with the reference voltage Vref3, and the comparison result controls switch K2 in the discharge module (connected in series with the pull-down current I and switch K2) to provide a discharge path. Figure 2 It can be seen that after adding the sampling module 14, the input voltage Vin will only charge the power supply voltage VDD when the input voltage Vin is lower than the reference voltage Vref2, effectively improving the charging efficiency. Furthermore, due to the presence of parasitic capacitance, the waveform of the input voltage Vin is not an ideal dotted wave (e.g., ...). Figure 3 (As shown), but there is a certain residual charge, such as Figure 4 The diagram shows the actual waveforms of the input voltage corresponding to different peak values. With the addition of the bleeder module, a bleeder path is provided when the input voltage Vin drops to the bleeder voltage setpoint Vbleed. This accelerates the rate of voltage drop, resulting in a lower Vvalley (the trough voltage of Vin's peak) and allowing the chip to set a lower charging voltage (i.e., a lower Vref2), further improving charging efficiency.

[0089] However, the bleed voltage setpoint is generally fixed, making it unsuitable for applications with a wide input voltage range (Vin). When the input voltage Vin is high, the residual bus voltage is high, and the bleed voltage setpoint Vbleed is relatively low, resulting in insufficient or ineffective bleed. Conversely, when the input voltage Vin is low, the residual bus voltage is low, and the bleed voltage setpoint Vbleed is relatively high, leading to excessive bleed and efficiency loss. Furthermore, the bleed current is essentially fixed, and its bleed effect is not ideal for different input voltages. Additionally, the bleed current is directly discharged from Vin to ground, meaning this energy is not effectively utilized, further reducing system efficiency.

[0090] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a linear voltage regulator 3, the specific structure of which is as follows:

[0091] Example 1

[0092] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, this embodiment provides a linear regulator 3, which includes:

[0093] The power supply module 31, the discharge module 32, the first sampling module 33, the second sampling module 34, the operation and control module 35, and the DC-DC conversion module 36 are included.

[0094] like Figure 6 As shown, the input terminal of the power supply module 31 is connected to the voltage input terminal of the linear regulator 3, and the output terminal is connected to the power supply terminal of the linear regulator 3. The power supply voltage VDD of the power supply terminal is generated based on the input voltage Vin of the linear regulator 3.

[0095] Specifically, the power supply module 31 controls the path between the voltage input terminal and the power supply terminal to enable the input voltage Vin to charge the power supply voltage VDD. For example... Figure 7 As shown in the example, the power supply module 31 includes a first switching transistor S1. The first switching transistor S1 is turned on or off based on the control signal (i.e., the second control signal) provided by the arithmetic control module 35 to charge the power supply terminal and stabilize the power supply voltage VDD at the first reference voltage. In practical use, any circuit structure that can control the power supply path to be turned on and off based on the first control signal is applicable to the power supply module of the present invention, and is not limited to this embodiment.

[0096] like Figure 7 As shown, in another implementation of the present invention, the linear regulator 3 further includes a diode D. The anode of the diode D is connected to the voltage input terminal of the linear regulator 3, and the cathode is connected to the input terminal of the power supply module 31 (i.e., the current input terminal of the discharge module 32) to limit the current flow.

[0097] like Figure 6 As shown, the discharge module 32 is connected to both ends of the power supply module 31 and is used to provide discharge current Ibleed when the power supply voltage VDD is less than the first reference voltage and the input voltage Vin is less than the discharge voltage set point Vbleed. The discharge current Ibleed is inversely proportional to the input voltage Vin.

[0098] Specifically, the discharge module 32 provides a discharge path from the voltage input terminal to the power supply terminal, making full use of the energy during discharge and greatly improving system efficiency; wherein, the magnitude of the discharge current Ibleed is negatively correlated with the magnitude of the input voltage Vin, that is, the larger the input voltage Vin, the smaller the discharge current Ibleed.

[0099] Specifically, such as Figure 7 As shown in the example, the discharge module 32 includes a voltage-controlled current source 321 and a second switch S2 connected in series. The voltage-controlled current source 321 is controlled by a first control signal provided by the operational control module 35. When the input voltage Vin is less than the discharge voltage setpoint Vbleed, a discharge current Ibleed is generated based on the difference between the input voltage Vin and the peak value Vin_max. When the input voltage Vin is greater than or equal to the discharge voltage setpoint Vbleed, the discharge current Ibleed is controlled to zero. The magnitude of the current output by the voltage-controlled current source 321 is related to the voltage of the first control signal. In this example, the larger the voltage value of the first control signal, the larger the current output by the voltage-controlled current source. In actual use, the relationship between the voltage of the first control signal and the output current of the voltage-controlled current source 321 can be adjusted as needed. The second switch S2 is controlled by a second control signal provided by the operational control module 35. It is turned on when the power supply voltage VDD is less than the first reference voltage, and turned off otherwise, thereby ensuring the stability of the power supply voltage VDD.

[0100] It should be noted that any circuit structure that provides a discharge current Ibleed when the power supply voltage VDD is less than the first reference voltage and the input voltage Vin is less than the discharge voltage set point Vbleed, and makes the discharge current Ibleed inversely proportional to the input voltage Vin, is applicable to the discharge module 32 of the present invention, and is not limited to this embodiment.

[0101] like Figure 6 As shown, the first sampling module 33 is connected to the power supply terminal to sample the power supply voltage VDD and obtain the first sampling voltage (the sampling voltage of the power supply voltage).

[0102] Specifically, such as Figure 7 As shown, as an example, the first sampling module 33 includes a first resistor R1 and a second resistor R2, which are connected in series; one end of the series structure is connected to the power supply terminal, and the other end is grounded; the connection node of the first resistor R1 and the second resistor R2 outputs the first sampling voltage.

[0103] like Figure 6 As shown, the second sampling module 34 is connected to the voltage input terminal to sample the input voltage Vin and obtain the second sampling voltage (the sampling voltage of the input voltage).

[0104] Specifically, such as Figure 7 As shown, as an example, the second sampling module 34 includes a third resistor R3 and a fourth resistor R4 connected in series; one end of the series structure is connected to the voltage input terminal, and the other end is connected to the power supply terminal or ground; the connection node of the third resistor R3 and the fourth resistor R4 outputs the second sampling voltage.

[0105] It should be noted that any structure capable of voltage sampling is applicable to the first sampling module and the second sampling module of the present invention, and is not limited to this embodiment.

[0106] like Figure 6 As shown, the operation control module 35 is connected to the output terminals of the first sampling module 33 and the second sampling module 34. It generates control signals for the power supply module 31 and the discharge module 32 based on the first sampling voltage and the second sampling voltage. The discharge voltage setpoint Vbleed is proportional to the peak value of the input voltage Vin, and the peak value of the discharge current Ibleed is proportional to the peak value of the input voltage Vin.

[0107] Specifically, such as Figure 7 As shown, as an example, the operation control module 35 includes a first comparator 351 and a discharge control unit 352.

[0108] In this circuit, the first comparator 351 is connected to the output of the first sampling module 33. It compares the power supply voltage VDD with the first reference voltage to obtain a control signal (i.e., the second control signal) for controlling the power supply module 31 and the discharge module 32 to conduct. In this example, the first comparator 351 is a hysteresis comparator. Its inverting input is connected to the sampling voltage of the power supply voltage, and its non-inverting input is connected to the first reference voltage Vref1 (which is R2 / (R1+R2) times the first reference voltage). When the sampling voltage of the power supply voltage is less than the first reference voltage Vref1 (i.e., the power supply voltage VDD is less than the first reference voltage), it outputs a high level, controlling the first switch S1 and the second switch S2 to conduct. When the sampling voltage of the power supply voltage is greater than the first reference voltage Vref1 (i.e., the power supply voltage VDD is greater than the first reference voltage), it outputs a low level, controlling the first switch S1 and the second switch S2 to turn off.

[0109] The discharge control unit 352 is connected to the output terminal of the second sampling module 34. Based on the difference between the input voltage Vin and the discharge voltage setpoint Vbleed, it generates a control signal (i.e., the first control signal) to control the magnitude of the discharge current Ibleed in the discharge module 32. In this embodiment, the discharge control unit 352 includes a peak sample-and-hold circuit 35a, a multiplier 35b, and a subtractor 35c. The peak sample-and-hold circuit 35a receives the second sampling voltage Vins and outputs the peak value Vins_max of the second sampling voltage. The peak sample-and-hold circuit 35a can be implemented based on digital or analog circuits; any circuit structure capable of achieving peak sample-and-hold is applicable to this invention, and will not be described in detail here. The multiplier 35b receives the second sampling voltage Vins and outputs the product of the second sampling voltage Vins and the first coefficient K1 (i.e., K1·Vins), where the first coefficient K1 is greater than zero (for example, 0 < K1 < 1). Subtractor 35c is connected to the outputs of peak sample-and-hold circuit 35a and multiplier 35b. It calculates the difference between the output signal of peak sample-and-hold circuit 35a and the output signal of multiplier 35b to obtain Vins_max - K1·Vins. The structures of peak sample-and-hold circuit, multiplier, and subtractor are not limited and will not be described in detail here.

[0110] Under the control of the first control signal, the discharge current Ibleed satisfies:

[0111] I bleed =(Vins_max-K1·Vins)*GM (1);

[0112] Wherein, GM is the transconductance of the voltage-controlled current source (i.e., the transconductance of the discharge path). It can be seen that the peak value Vins_max of the second sampling voltage is a given fixed value, and the transconductance GM of the voltage-controlled current source is also a given fixed value. As the second sampling voltage increases (i.e., the input voltage increases), the discharge current Ibleed decreases continuously; when Vins_max≤K1·Vins, the discharge current Ibleed is zero.

[0113] It should be noted that the setpoint Vleed of the discharge voltage and the peak value of the discharge current can be set by adjusting the transconductance GM and the first coefficient K1 of the voltage-controlled current source. Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, when the peak value of the input voltage Vin is large, the bleed voltage setpoint Vleed is set higher and the peak value of the bleed current is set higher; when the peak value of the input voltage Vin is small, the bleed voltage setpoint Vleed is set lower and the peak value of the bleed current is also set lower; thus achieving a better bleed effect and making the linear regulator 3 of the present invention suitable for applications with a large range of input voltage Vin.

[0114] like Figure 6 As shown, one end of the DC-DC converter module 36 is connected to the power supply terminal, and the other end is connected to the voltage output terminal of the linear regulator 3, generating a stable output voltage Vout based on the power supply voltage VDD.

[0115] Specifically, as an example, the DC-DC converter module 36 adopts a low-dropout linear regulator structure to obtain a stable output voltage Vout; the specific structure will not be described in detail here.

[0116] Example 2

[0117] like Figure 10 As shown, this embodiment provides a linear voltage regulator 3. The difference from the first embodiment is that a restriction condition is added to the conduction of the power supply module 31 in order to improve the charging efficiency.

[0118] Specifically, such as Figure 10 As shown, the arithmetic control module 35 also includes a second comparator 353 and a logic unit 354. Among them,

[0119] The second comparator 353 is connected to the output of the second sampling module 34 and compares the input voltage Vin with the second reference voltage. In this embodiment, the inverting input of the second comparator 353 is connected to the sampling voltage of the input voltage, and the non-inverting input is connected to the second reference voltage Vref2 (which is R4 / (R3+R4) times the first reference voltage). When the sampling voltage of the input voltage is less than the second reference voltage Vref2 (i.e., the input voltage Vin is less than the second reference voltage), it outputs a high level; when the sampling voltage of the input voltage is greater than the second reference voltage Vref2 (i.e., the input voltage Vin is greater than the second reference voltage), it outputs a low level.

[0120] The logic unit 354 generates a control signal (referred to as the third control signal in this embodiment) to control the power supply module 31 to turn on based on the output signals of the first comparator 351 and the second comparator 353. In this example, the logic unit 354 is implemented using an AND gate. When the power supply voltage VDD is less than the first reference voltage and the input voltage Vin is less than the second reference voltage, the power supply module 31 is turned on to supply power to the power supply terminal; otherwise, the power supply is stopped.

[0121] At this time, the third control signal replaces the second control signal to control the power supply module 31, so that the power supply module 31 can only operate when the input voltage Vin is less than the second reference voltage, thereby improving charging efficiency. The second control signal still controls the discharge module 32.

[0122] Other structures and principles are the same as in the embodiments, and will not be described in detail here.

[0123] Example 3

[0124] like Figure 11As shown, this embodiment provides a voltage conversion system, which includes:

[0125] Linear regulator 3, AC to DC module 4, first capacitor C1 and second capacitor C2.

[0126] like Figure 11 As shown, the AC to DC module 4 receives AC voltage and converts it into DC voltage.

[0127] Specifically, as an example, the AC-to-DC module 4 includes a fuse and a rectifier unit, with the fuse connected in series between the rectifier unit and the AC voltage. In practical applications, any circuit structure capable of AC-to-DC conversion is applicable to this invention.

[0128] like Figure 11 As shown, the voltage input terminal of the linear regulator 3 is connected to the output terminal of the AC-to-DC module 4, converting the DC voltage output by the AC-to-DC module 4 into a stable set output voltage OUTPUT. For the specific principle and structure, please refer to Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, which will not be elaborated here.

[0129] like Figure 11 As shown, the first capacitor C1 is connected to the power supply terminal of the linear regulator 3 to stabilize the power supply voltage VDD of the linear regulator 3.

[0130] Specifically, one end of the first capacitor C1 is connected to the power supply, and the other end is grounded, achieving the effects of energy storage and voltage regulation.

[0131] like Figure 11 As shown, the second capacitor C2 is connected to the voltage output terminal of the linear regulator 3 to stabilize the output voltage of the linear regulator 3.

[0132] Specifically, one end of the second capacitor C2 is connected to the voltage output terminal, and the other end is grounded, achieving the effects of energy storage and voltage stabilization.

[0133] Example 4

[0134] This embodiment provides a linear voltage regulation control method. In this embodiment, it is implemented based on the linear voltage regulator of Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. In practical use, any circuit that can implement this method is applicable. This method includes:

[0135] 1) The control input voltage Vin charges the power supply terminal of the linear regulator 3 to obtain the power supply voltage VDD, and the power supply voltage VDD is stabilized at the first reference voltage.

[0136] Specifically, in this embodiment, the power supply module 31 is controlled to be turned on or off based on the relationship between the power supply voltage VDD and the first reference voltage; when the power supply voltage VDD is less than the first reference voltage, the power supply module 31 is turned on and the power supply terminal is charged; when the power supply voltage VDD is greater than or equal to the first reference voltage, the power supply module 31 is turned off and the power supply terminal is not charged; through continuous feedback adjustment, the power supply voltage VDD is eventually stabilized at the first reference voltage (equal to the first reference voltage or oscillating around the first reference voltage).

[0137] As another implementation of the present invention, when the input voltage Vin is less than the second reference voltage, the input voltage Vin is allowed to charge the power supply terminal. In this case, the input voltage Vin is relatively small, the loss is relatively small, and the efficiency is greatly improved.

[0138] 2) When the power supply voltage VDD is less than the first reference voltage and the input voltage Vin is less than the bleed voltage setpoint Vbleed, a bleed current Ibleed is provided from the input terminal of the linear regulator 3 to the power supply terminal. The bleed current Ibleed is inversely proportional to the input voltage Vin; otherwise, the bleed current Ibleed is stopped.

[0139] Specifically, to ensure the stability of the power supply voltage VDD, the bleed current Ibleed is generated when the power supply voltage VDD is less than the first reference voltage. For example, when the input voltage Vin is less than the bleed voltage setpoint Vbleed, the magnitude of the bleed current Ibleed is controlled based on the difference between the input voltage Vin and the bleed voltage setpoint Vbleed, so that the bleed current Ibleed changes in opposite directions to the input voltage Vin. When the input voltage Vin is greater than or equal to the bleed voltage setpoint Vbleed, the bleed current Ibleed is controlled to zero. In this embodiment, the bleed current satisfies equation (1).

[0140] Specifically, the bleed voltage setpoint and bleed current peak value are set according to the peak value of the input voltage to meet the application requirements of a wide input voltage range. The bleed voltage setpoint is directly proportional to the peak value of the input voltage, and the peak value of the bleed current is also directly proportional to the peak value of the input voltage.

[0141] 3) Convert the power supply voltage VDD into a stable output voltage.

[0142] Specifically, in this example, the operating state of the power switch is adjusted by the relationship between the feedback voltage of the output voltage and the set voltage, so that the output voltage is stabilized at the set voltage.

[0143] It should be noted that the above three parts are not in any particular order; they are only used to illustrate the working principles of the three different functional modules.

[0144] In summary, this invention provides a linear regulator, a voltage conversion system, and a linear voltage regulation control method, comprising: a power supply module, a bleeder module, a first sampling module, a second sampling module, an operational control module, and a DC-DC conversion module; the input terminal of the power supply module is connected to the voltage input terminal of the linear regulator, and the output terminal is connected to the power supply terminal of the linear regulator, generating a power supply voltage based on the input voltage of the linear regulator; the bleeder module is connected across the two ends of the power supply module, used to provide a bleeder current when the power supply voltage is less than a first reference voltage and the input voltage is less than a bleeder voltage setpoint, the bleeder current being inversely proportional to the input voltage; the first sampling module is connected to... A first sampling voltage is obtained by sampling the power supply voltage at the power input terminal. A second sampling module is connected to the voltage input terminal to sample the input voltage and obtain a second sampling voltage. A calculation control module is connected to the output terminals of the first and second sampling modules and generates control signals for the power supply module and the discharge module based on the first and second sampling voltages. The discharge voltage setpoint is proportional to the peak value of the input voltage, and the peak value of the discharge current is proportional to the peak value of the input voltage. One end of the DC-DC conversion module is connected to the power supply terminal, and the other end is connected to the voltage output terminal of the linear regulator, generating a stable output voltage based on the power supply voltage. The linear regulator, voltage conversion system, and linear voltage regulation control method of this invention are suitable for applications with a large input voltage range, offering high flexibility, wide applicability, and high system efficiency. Therefore, this invention effectively overcomes the various shortcomings of existing technologies and has high industrial application value.

[0145] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in the present invention should still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A linear voltage regulator, characterized in that, The linear regulator includes at least: Power supply module, discharge module, first sampling module, second sampling module, operation and control module, and DC-DC conversion module; The input terminal of the power supply module is connected to the voltage input terminal of the linear regulator, and the output terminal is connected to the power supply terminal of the linear regulator. The power supply voltage of the power supply terminal is generated based on the input voltage of the linear regulator. The discharge module is connected to both ends of the power supply module and is used to provide discharge current when the power supply voltage is less than the first reference voltage and the input voltage is less than the discharge voltage set point. The discharge current is inversely proportional to the input voltage. The first sampling module is connected to the power supply terminal and samples the power supply voltage to obtain a first sampling voltage; The second sampling module is connected to the voltage input terminal and samples the input voltage to obtain the second sampled voltage; The operation control module is connected to the output terminals of the first sampling module and the second sampling module, and generates control signals for the power supply module and the discharge module based on the first sampling voltage and the second sampling voltage. The discharge voltage setpoint is proportional to the peak value of the input voltage, and the peak value of the discharge current is proportional to the peak value of the input voltage. One end of the DC-DC converter is connected to the power supply terminal, and the other end is connected to the voltage output terminal of the linear regulator, generating a stable output voltage based on the power supply voltage.

2. The linear regulator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power supply module includes a first switching transistor, which is turned on or off based on a control signal provided by the arithmetic control module.

3. The linear regulator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The discharge module includes a voltage-controlled current source and a second switching transistor connected in series; The voltage-controlled current source is controlled by a first control signal provided by the operation control module. When the input voltage is less than the discharge voltage setpoint, the discharge current is generated based on the difference between the input voltage and the peak value of the input voltage. When the input voltage is greater than or equal to the discharge voltage setpoint, the discharge current is controlled to zero. The second switch is controlled by a second control signal provided by the operational control module. It turns on when the power supply voltage is less than the first reference voltage, and turns off otherwise.

4. The linear regulator according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that: The operation control module includes a first comparator and a discharge control unit; The first comparator is connected to the output of the first sampling module and compares the power supply voltage with the first reference voltage to obtain a control signal that controls the power supply module and the discharge module to be turned on. The discharge control unit is connected to the output of the second sampling module and generates a control signal to control the magnitude of the discharge current in the discharge module based on the difference between the input voltage and the discharge voltage setpoint.

5. The linear regulator according to claim 4, characterized in that: The discharge control unit includes a peak sample-and-hold circuit, a multiplier, and a subtractor; The peak sample-and-hold circuit receives the second sampled voltage and outputs the peak value of the second sampled voltage; The multiplier receives the second sampled voltage and outputs the product of the second sampled voltage and the first coefficient, wherein the first coefficient is greater than zero; The subtractor is connected to the output of the peak sample-and-hold circuit and the multiplier, and calculates the difference between the output signal of the peak sample-and-hold circuit and the output signal of the multiplier.

6. The linear regulator according to claim 4, characterized in that: The operation control module also includes a second comparator and a logic unit; The second comparator is connected to the output of the second sampling module and compares the input voltage with the second reference voltage. The logic unit generates a control signal to control the power supply module to turn on based on the output signals of the first comparator and the second comparator. When the power supply voltage is less than the first reference voltage and the input voltage is less than the second reference voltage, the power supply module is controlled to supply power to the power supply terminal; otherwise, the power supply is stopped.

7. The linear regulator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The linear regulator also includes a diode, with the anode of the diode connected to the voltage input terminal of the linear regulator and the cathode connected to the input terminal of the power supply module.

8. A voltage conversion system, characterized in that, The voltage conversion system includes at least: AC to DC conversion module, first capacitor, second capacitor, and linear regulator as described in any one of claims 1-7; The AC-to-DC module receives AC voltage and converts it into DC voltage. The voltage input terminal of the linear regulator is connected to the output terminal of the AC-to-DC module, converting the DC voltage output by the AC-to-DC module into a stable set output voltage; The first capacitor is connected to the power supply terminal of the linear regulator to stabilize the power supply voltage of the linear regulator; The second capacitor is connected to the voltage output terminal of the linear regulator to stabilize the output voltage of the linear regulator.

9. A linear voltage regulation control method, characterized in that, The linear voltage regulation control method includes at least: The input voltage is controlled to charge the power supply terminal of the linear regulator to obtain a power supply voltage, and the power supply voltage is stabilized at a first reference voltage. When the power supply voltage is less than the first reference voltage and the input voltage is less than the bleed voltage setpoint, a bleed current is provided from the input terminal of the linear regulator to the power supply terminal, and the bleed current is inversely proportional to the input voltage; otherwise, the bleed current is stopped. Convert the power supply voltage into a stable output voltage; The setpoint for the discharge voltage is proportional to the peak value of the input voltage, and the peak value of the discharge current is proportional to the peak value of the input voltage.

10. The linear voltage regulation control method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The discharge current satisfies: IN bleed =(Vins_max-K1·Vins)*GM; Among them, I bleed The discharge current is denoted as Vins_max, the peak sampling voltage of the input voltage is denoted as K1, the coefficient is greater than zero, Vins is the sampling voltage of the input voltage is denoted as GM, and GM is the transconductance of the discharge path is denoted as GM.

11. The linear voltage regulation control method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that: The linear voltage regulation control method further includes: when the input voltage of the linear regulator is less than the second reference voltage, allowing the input voltage to charge the power supply terminal.

Images