Digital Linear Voltage Regulator Without Dynamic Biasing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Digital Linear Voltage Regulators (DLVRs) face instability due to variations in input voltage, leading to changes in drain-to-source resistance and loop gain, which can result in unstable behavior and inefficiency, particularly when dynamic biasing is employed, increasing design complexity and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
The solution modulates the effective driving strength of switchable FETs to maintain a constant gate-to-source voltage, reducing the need for dynamic biasing, and uses a digital code to activate or inactivate power links based on monitored resistance and dropout voltage, thereby stabilizing the voltage regulator without dynamic biasing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dynamic biasing is employed to maintain stable operation, then stability is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the dynamic biasing circuitry from the voltage regulator design, extracting the problematic component that caused complexity and power consumption issues. The solution uses a simplified static biasing approach while maintaining stability through alternative means (digital control and feedback mechanisms).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the analog dynamic biasing mechanism with a digital control system. Instead of using continuous analog adjustments to maintain stability, the invention uses digital codes and logic circuits to control the power links, substituting a complex analog system with a simpler digital approach.
2Reliability
If dynamic biasing is employed to maintain stable operation, then stability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the dynamic biasing circuitry that was consuming excessive power. By eliminating this component entirely and replacing it with a more efficient digital control approach, the invention significantly reduces power consumption while maintaining the necessary stability through digital feedback control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the power-hungry analog dynamic biasing system with a low-power digital control system. The digital logic circuits and microcontroller consume significantly less power than the continuous analog adjustments required by dynamic biasing, while achieving similar or better stability through digital feedback mechanisms.
3Device complexity
If digital code is used to activate power links based on monitored resistance and dropout voltage, then design complexity is reduced, but measurement precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer (digital control logic and microcontroller) that receives analog measurements from monitoring circuits and converts them into digital control decisions. This intermediary layer handles the precision requirements through digital signal processing, allowing the use of simpler analog monitoring circuits while maintaining overall system precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces precision-critical analog comparison circuits with digital measurement and decision-making logic. By using digital-to-analog converters and digital control algorithms, the system achieves the necessary precision through software-based compensation and calibration, reducing the precision requirements of individual hardware components.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments herein relate to a Digital Linear Voltage Regulator (DLVR). The DLVR includes a set of power links which each includes many columns of power transistors. The columns can be turned on or off individually based on digital data from a main control circuit. Additionally, individual power links can be turned on or off based on monitoring of a dropout voltage of the set of power links and a drain-to-source resistance, Rds_on, of replica columns. An input voltage may be monitored as an alternative. The monitoring compensates for changes in Rds_on due to changes in an input voltage, Vin, which could otherwise result in unstable behavior. The DLVR can avoid the complexity and power losses of dynamic biasing of the control gate voltages of the transistors.