Power Supply Controller Phase Scaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional voltage regulators face inefficiencies and poor regulation due to the need for multiple physical compensation networks and lack of fine control over phase activation, leading to suboptimal performance and transient response.
Innovation Solution
A controller that automatically scales control coefficients based on the number of active phases in a power supply, adjusting gain coefficients and filter settings to maintain stability and efficiency across varying operating conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If multiple physical compensation networks are used to change controller settings for different phase configurations, then control stability can be maintained across different operating conditions, but device complexity and physical size of the control circuit increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple compensation networks into a single compensation network that serves all phase configurations. Instead of having separate physical networks for single-phase and multi-phase operation, one compensation network is designed to work across all operating conditions, reducing circuit complexity while maintaining stability through digital coefficient scaling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters (control coefficients) of the single compensation network dynamically based on the number of active phases. By scaling the control coefficients digitally according to the phase configuration, the system maintains optimal control stability without requiring physical reconfiguration of the compensation network.
2Device complexity
If a single compensation network is used for all phase configurations, then device complexity is reduced, but control precision and transient response performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically scaling the control coefficients of the single compensation network based on the number of active phases. This allows the system to maintain high control precision and transient response performance across different phase configurations without increasing hardware complexity.
3Device complexity
If control coefficients are not adjusted when phases are activated or deactivated, then device complexity is minimized, but transient response performance and regulation quality worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements parameter changes by automatically scaling control coefficients based on the number of active phases. This ensures optimal transient response performance and regulation quality while keeping the control system relatively simple through digital rather than physical reconfiguration.
Data Source
AI summary
According to example configurations herein, a controller receives a value indicative of a number of phases in a power supply to be activated for producing an output voltage to power a load. A resonant frequency of the power supply changes depending on the number of phases activated. According to one configuration, a controller utilizes the value to proportionally adjust at least one control parameter associated with the power supply in accordance with a change in the resonant frequency. In addition to modifying a parameter based on the number of activated phases and/or the resonant frequency of the power supply, the controller can also use the value of the input voltage as a basis to adjust at least one control parameter. Moreover, according to one example configuration, the controller digitally computes values for the at least one control parameter based on a number of phases to be activated.