Voltage Regulator Auto Phase Scaling for DVID Slew Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dynamic voltage ID (DVID) changes in electronic circuits result in significant power losses due to the conventional practice of turning on all phases during slew events, leading to increased energy consumption and reduced battery life, especially in workloads like video conferencing.
Innovation Solution
Implementing automatic phase scaling (APS) in voltage regulators to dynamically adjust the active phase count during slew events, predicting the inrush current and comparing it with predefined thresholds to determine the optimal number of phases required for minimal power loss, thereby reducing VR loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If all phases are turned on during VID change, then the slew rate is improved, but power loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the phase count adjustable and adaptive rather than fixed. The control circuitry dynamically changes the number of active phases based on real-time conditions (slew rate requirements and power loss considerations), transitioning between different phase configurations to optimize both speed and energy efficiency during VID changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of phase count from a static setting to a dynamically adjustable parameter. By modifying the number of active phases during operation based on measured conditions, the system can shift between speed-optimized configurations (more phases) and energy-efficient configurations (fewer phases), directly resolving the contradiction between slew rate and power loss.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If slow slew rate is used to change VID, then inrush current is reduced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by activating only the necessary number of phases rather than all phases or a fixed configuration. By calculating the minimum required phases based on inrush current constraints and using only that many phases during VID transitions, the system avoids the excessive energy consumption of using all phases while still limiting inrush current to acceptable levels.
3Loss of time
If fast slew rate is used for VID change, then transition time is reduced, but VR loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts phase count during the VID transition process. It can start with a higher phase count to achieve fast transition when time is critical, then switch to a lower phase count once the transition is underway or complete, thereby reducing VR loss during the steady-state portion of the change while maintaining fast transition capability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic adjustment of phase count during the VID change process. The control circuitry monitors transition progress and periodically switches between different phase configurations - using more phases during the critical initial transition phase and fewer phases during subsequent stabilization, optimizing both transition time and VR loss at different stages.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments provide apparatuses, systems, and methods for automatic phase scaling (APS) of dynamic voltage ID (DVID) in a voltage regulator. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.