Multi-Phase Voltage Converter Phase ID Coding for Thermal Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional interleaved multi-phase voltage converters cannot individually monitor temperature across phases, limiting dynamic thermal balance and fault detection capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A multi-phase voltage converter design featuring integrated circuits with power switches, monitoring pins, and current sense pins, along with a controller that provides clock signals and data signals to assign identification codes, allowing for individual temperature monitoring and dynamic thermal management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If traditional monitoring pin coupling is used to monitor temperature, then the controller can monitor the highest temperature among phases, but individual temperature information of each phase cannot be obtained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monitoring function by assigning unique identification codes to each phase through the controller. The controller sequentially communicates with each IC via the monitoring pin using these identification codes, allowing individual temperature monitoring of each phase while sharing a single physical monitoring pin connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring pin serves multiple functions: it carries both the clock signal and data signals for identification code assignment, and later serves as a communication channel for temperature monitoring. This multi-functional use of the monitoring pin eliminates the need for separate dedicated monitoring connections for each phase.
2Reliability
If identification codes are assigned to each IC, then individual phase monitoring is enabled, but the system requires additional signal lines for communication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the clock signal transmission and data signal transmission into a single monitoring pin communication channel. The controller transmits clock signals and data signals sequentially through the same monitoring pin to each IC, enabling identification code assignment without requiring separate dedicated signal lines for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller uses periodic clock signals to sequentially communicate with each IC. By transmitting data in periodic cycles synchronized with the clock signal, the system can assign identification codes and monitor temperatures across multiple phases using time-division multiplexing on a single pin.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-phase voltage converter has a plurality of integrated circuits (ICs), and a controller. Each IC has a power switch, a monitoring pin and a current sense pin. The power switch is controlled to convert an input voltage to an output voltage. The current sense pin is capable of providing a current sense signal representative of a current flowing through the power switch. The controller is capable of providing a clock signal via the monitoring pin, and provides a plurality of data signals via the current sense pin of the plurality of ICs. Each of the plurality of ICs is assigned an identification code based on the clock signal and one of the plurality of data signals.