Power Converter Transitional Mode for Voltage Undershoot Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Transitions between power modes in power converters cause voltage perturbations such as undershoot and overshoot, which can negatively affect the operation of electronic devices, particularly in portable devices where power management is critical.

Innovation Solution

A power converter system with a mode controller that infers an increase in load current and smoothly transitions to a high-power mode by enabling digital controller components, using a transitional mode to support the increased load before fully switching to high-power operation, minimizing voltage undershoot.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the power converter operates in low-power mode to conserve energy, then power consumption is reduced, but the converter cannot respond quickly to sudden load demands

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidresponse speed to load transient

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by enabling digital controller components in advance during a transitional mode before fully switching to high-power mode. This allows the controller to be ready to handle load transients quickly while still maintaining lower power consumption than immediate full-power mode activation would require.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Speed

If the power converter transitions quickly from low-power mode to high-power mode to meet sudden load demand, then response speed is improved, but voltage undershoot occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse speed to load transientVSAvoidoutput voltage stability

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The transition from low-power mode to high-power mode is segmented into multiple stages: low-power mode, transitional mode with intermediate power level, and full high-power mode. This segmentation allows the system to respond quickly to load transients while gradually increasing power delivery to avoid voltage undershoot and maintain output stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Measurement precision

If digital controller components are enabled during transition to high-power mode, then control precision is improved, but transition time increases causing voltage perturbation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol precisionVSAvoidtransition time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Digital controller components are enabled in advance during the transitional mode before the full high-power mode is activated. This preliminary action ensures that the digital controller is ready to provide precise control when needed, reducing the effective transition time and minimizing voltage perturbation while maintaining control precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250350183A1Systems and methods for minimizing voltage undershoot during transition between power modes in a power converter

Publication Date: 2025.11.13 CIRRUS LOGIC INT SEMICON LTD

AI summary

A system may include a power converter configured to operate in a plurality of modes including a low-power mode, a transitional mode, and a high-power mode, and further configured to generate a load current to a load coupled to the output of the power converter and a controller configured to during operation in the low-power mode, infer an increase in the load current; in response to inferring the increase in the load current, enter the transitional mode to enable circuitry associated with the high-power mode; and transition from the transitional mode to operation in the high-power mode once the circuitry associated with the high-power mode is fully enabled.