Reference Voltage Tracking in Regulators for Faster DVS Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Voltage regulators experience latency in responding to dynamic voltage scaling commands, particularly in free-running modes, leading to degraded system performance due to delays in increasing output voltage.
Innovation Solution
A voltage regulator design incorporating a reference voltage generation circuit that adjusts the reference voltage to track feedback voltage changes during scaling-down modes, allowing immediate response in scaling-up modes by proactively raising the reference voltage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the voltage regulator performs DVS-down operation in free-running mode to decrease output voltage, then power consumption is reduced, but latency time increases when transitioning to DVS-up operation
Solution Approach 1:
The reference voltage generator proactively increases the reference voltage from its current level rather than waiting to increase from a target level when a DVS-up command is received. This preliminary action eliminates the latency time that would otherwise occur during the transition from scaling-down to scaling-up mode, allowing the output voltage to immediately increase in response to the command while maintaining the energy-efficient free-running mode operation
2Measurement precision
If the reference voltage increases from target level after DVS-up command, then voltage regulation accuracy is maintained, but response speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The reference voltage generation circuit dynamically adjusts the reference voltage based on the operating mode. During scaling-down mode, the reference voltage decreases to match the decreasing output voltage. When transitioning to scaling-up mode, the reference voltage proactively increases from its current level, enabling immediate response while maintaining accuracy through continuous dynamic adjustment rather than static target-level transitions
Data Source
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AI summary
A voltage regulator (1) includes a voltage conversion circuit (10), a voltage divider (14), a reference voltage generator (130), an error amplifier (15), and a control circuit (131). The voltage conversion circuit (10) is configured to convert an input voltage (VIN) to an output voltage (VOUT) according to a first control signal (S15). The voltage divider (14) performs a voltage division operation on the output voltage (VOUT) to generate first and second feedback voltages (Vfb1, Vfb2). The reference voltage generator (130) is configured to generate a reference voltage (Vref) according to a second control signal (S131). The error amplifier (15) is configured to generate the first control signal (S15) according to a difference between the reference voltage (Vref) and the first feedback voltage (Vfb1). The control circuit (131) is configured to generate the second control signal (S131) according to the second feedback voltage (Vfb2) and the reference voltage (Vref). In response to the second feedback voltage (Vfb2) being decreasing gradually, the reference voltage (Vref) is adjusted to trace the second feedback voltage (Vfb2).