On-Chip Voltage Regulator Using Positive Feedback Loop
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Solution Overview
Problem
On-chip voltage regulators require an off-chip capacitor for stability and transient performance, increasing costs and preventing fully integrated solutions due to the need for significant output capacitance, which is not suitable for many applications.
Innovation Solution
A voltage regulator design utilizing a positive feedback loop with carefully set device ratios for the sensing and control elements, eliminating the need for an off-chip capacitor by ensuring stability through device ratio adjustments, allowing for on-chip implementation without compromising transient performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If an off-chip capacitor is implemented for stability and transient response, then voltage regulation stability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and fully on-chip integration is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential stabilizing function from the off-chip capacitor and implements it through on-chip device ratio configuration. By carefully selecting the ratios of sensing and control devices, the patent achieves voltage regulation stability without requiring external capacitor components, enabling fully on-chip integration while maintaining performance
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the critical parameter from capacitor value to device ratio configuration. Instead of relying on external capacitance values, the patent achieves stability by precisely configuring the ratios of transistors and other active devices within the voltage regulator circuit, allowing complete on-chip implementation
2Ease of manufacture
If device ratios are adjusted to stabilize the positive feedback loop, then on-chip integration is enabled, but loop gain must be reduced below one
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the operating point of the feedback loop by configuring device ratios to achieve a loop gain less than one. This parameter adjustment stabilizes the positive feedback loop while maintaining effective voltage regulation, enabling on-chip integration without requiring high loop gain
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus are provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of devices forming a positive feedback loop for driving a regulated output voltage towards a reference voltage. Device ratios of at least two of the plurality of devices are set such that the positive feedback loop is stable.