CN-121986440-A - Reverse buck-boost hybrid converter topology

Abstract

Embodiments of a voltage converter are disclosed. In some embodiments, the voltage converter includes a voltage conversion circuit and at least one charging circuit. The voltage conversion circuit includes an output capacitor and an output inductor. The charging circuit is coupled to an inductor node of the output inductor. The charging circuit includes at least one flying capacitor and a set of switches. The set of switches may be configured in at least one switch configuration to apply a first flying voltage across the at least one flying capacitor as a negative voltage at the inductor node, and may be configured in at least one switch configuration to apply a second flying voltage as a negative voltage at a second inductor node, wherein the second flying voltage is equal to the first flying voltage multiplied by a factor, and wherein the factor is greater than 1. Thus, the voltage converter improves efficiency.

Inventors

• A. Montezuma
• M. SINGER
• O. Ioana
• M. Negret
• C. Savama

Assignees

• QORVO美国公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20241023

Priority Date

20231030

Claims (20)

1. 1. A voltage converter, comprising: A voltage conversion circuit, comprising: An output capacitor coupled to an output node, wherein an output voltage is generated at the output node, and An output inductor having a first inductor node and a second inductor node, the first inductor node being operably associated with the output node, and A charging circuit coupled to the second inductor node, the charging circuit comprising: at least one flying capacitor; A power supply node configured to receive an input voltage, and A set of switches, wherein the set of switches is configurable in at least one switch configuration to apply a first flying voltage across the at least one flying capacitor as a negative voltage at the second inductor node, and is configurable in at least one switch configuration to apply a second flying voltage as a negative voltage at the second inductor node, wherein the second flying voltage is equal to the first flying voltage multiplied by a factor, and wherein the factor is greater than 1.
2. 2. The voltage converter of claim 1 wherein the factor is greater than or equal to 2.
3. 3. The voltage converter of claim 1, wherein: The at least one flying capacitor includes a first flying capacitor and a second flying capacitor; the power supply node is a first power supply node; the set of switches includes a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch; The charging circuit further includes a second power supply node configured to receive the input voltage; the first flying capacitor has a first end and a second end; The second flying capacitor having a third terminal and a fourth terminal; the first end of the first flying capacitor is coupled to the second inductor node; The first switch is coupled between the first power supply node and the second end of the first flying capacitor; The second switch is coupled between the second end of the first flying capacitor and the third end of the second flying capacitor, and The third switch is coupled between the second power supply node and the fourth terminal of the second flying capacitor.
4. 4.A voltage converter according to claim 3, wherein: The set of switches further includes a fourth switch, and The fourth switch is coupled between the second inductor node and the first end of the first flying capacitor.
5. 5. A voltage converter according to claim 3, wherein: The set of switches further includes a fourth switch and a fifth switch; the fourth switch is coupled between the first end of the first flying capacitor and ground, and The fifth switch is coupled between the third terminal of the second flying capacitor and the ground.
6. 6. A voltage converter according to claim 3, wherein: The set of switches further includes a fourth switch and a fifth switch; The fourth switch is coupled between the second end of the first flying capacitor and ground, and The fifth switch is coupled between the fourth terminal of the second flying capacitor and the ground.
7. 7. The voltage converter of claim 6, wherein: the set of switches further includes a sixth switch, and The sixth switch is coupled between the first end of the first flying capacitor and the second inductor node.
8. 8. The voltage converter of claim 7, wherein: The set of switches further includes a seventh switch, and The seventh switch is coupled between the second inductor node and the ground.
9. 9. The voltage converter of claim 1, wherein the charging circuit is a first charging circuit, the at least one flying capacitor comprises a first flying capacitor, the set of switches is a first set of switches, and the voltage converter further comprises: A second charging circuit coupled to the second inductor node, wherein the second charging circuit comprises: A second flying capacitor; the power supply node is configured to receive the input voltage, and A second set of switches, wherein in at least one switch configuration of the second set of switches, the second set of switches is configured to charge the second flying capacitor, and in at least one switch configuration of the second set of switches, the second set of switches is configured to provide a third flying voltage across the second flying capacitor as a negative voltage at the second inductor node.
10. 10. The voltage converter of claim 1, wherein: the at least one flying capacitor includes a first flying capacitor; the first flying capacitor has a first end and a second end; the first end of the first flying capacitor is coupled to the second inductor node; the power supply node is a first power supply node; The input voltage is a first input voltage; The charging circuit further includes a second power supply node configured to receive a second input voltage; the set of switches includes a first switch and a second switch; the first switch is coupled between the first power supply node and the second end of the first flying capacitor, and The second switch is coupled between the second power supply node and the second end of the first flying capacitor.
11. 11. The voltage converter of claim 10, wherein: The voltage amplitude of the first flying voltage is equal to the voltage amplitude of the first input voltage, and The voltage magnitude of the second fly voltage is equal to the voltage magnitude of the second input voltage.
12. 12. The voltage converter of claim 10, wherein: The charging circuit is a first charging circuit; The set of switches is a first set of switches, and The voltage converter further includes: A second flying capacitor having a third terminal and a fourth terminal; A second set of switches including a third switch and a fourth switch; a third power supply node configured to receive the first input voltage, and A fourth power supply node configured to receive the second input voltage.
13. 13. The voltage converter of claim 12, wherein: the third terminal of the second flying capacitor is coupled to the second inductor node; The third switch is coupled between the third power supply node and the fourth terminal of the second flying capacitor, and The fourth switch is coupled between the fourth power supply node and the fourth terminal of the second flying capacitor.
14. 14. The voltage converter of claim 10, wherein: the set of switches further includes a third switch, and The third switch is coupled between the first end of the first flying capacitor and the second inductor node.
15. 15. The voltage converter of claim 10, wherein: the set of switches further includes a third switch, and The third switch is coupled between the first end of the first flying capacitor and ground.
16. 16. The voltage converter of claim 10, wherein: the set of switches further includes a third switch, and The third switch is coupled between the second end of the first flying capacitor and ground.
17. 17. The voltage converter of claim 1, wherein the power supply node is a first power supply node, the voltage conversion circuit further comprising a second power supply node configured to receive the input voltage, and a switch, wherein the switch is coupled between the second power supply node and the first inductor node.
18. 18. The voltage converter of claim 1, wherein the power supply node is a first power supply node, and the voltage conversion circuit further comprises a first switch and a second switch, wherein: the first switch is coupled between the output node and the first inductor node, and The second switch is coupled between a second power supply node and the first inductor node, wherein the second power supply node is configured to receive the input voltage.
19. 19. A method of converting an input voltage to an output voltage at an output node, the method comprising: receiving the input voltage at a power supply node, wherein the output node is operably associated with a first inductor node of an output inductor; Setting a set of switches in a first switching configuration to apply a first flying voltage across at least one flying capacitor as a negative voltage at a second inductor node of the output inductor, and The set of switches is set in a second switch configuration to apply a second flying voltage as a negative voltage at the second inductor node, wherein the second flying voltage is equal to the first flying voltage multiplied by a factor, and wherein the factor is greater than 1.
20. 20. A user element comprising a voltage converter, wherein the voltage converter comprises: A voltage conversion circuit, comprising: An output capacitor coupled to an output node, wherein an output voltage is generated at the output node, and An output inductor having a first inductor node and a second inductor node, the first inductor node being operably associated with the output node, and A charging circuit coupled to the second inductor node, the charging circuit comprising: at least one flying capacitor; A power supply node configured to receive an input voltage, and A set of switches, wherein the set of switches is configurable in at least one switch configuration to apply a first flying voltage across the at least one flying capacitor as a negative voltage at the second inductor node, and is configurable in at least one switch configuration to apply a second flying voltage as a negative voltage at the second inductor node, wherein the second flying voltage is equal to the first flying voltage multiplied by a factor, and wherein the factor is greater than 1.

Description

Reverse buck-boost hybrid converter topology RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 63/638,082 filed 24, 4, 2024, which claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 63/594,385 filed 30, 2023, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Technical Field The present disclosure relates generally to voltage converters and methods of operating the same. Background Voltage converters for Radio Frequency (RF) circuits or Light Emitting Diode (LED) displays play a vital role in ensuring optimal performance and efficiency. The voltage converter converts from one Direct Current (DC) voltage to another DC voltage of a different voltage level. RF circuits and LED displays require accurate and stable voltage levels to function properly because the bias can cause signal distortion and performance degradation. By effectively managing the voltage levels within the RF circuitry and LED display, these converters help maintain signal integrity, minimize interference, and optimize overall system reliability. One type of design for a voltage converter is a reverse buck-boost converter that converts a positive voltage to a negative voltage. In some existing applications, the reverse buck-boost converter uses two transistors and one inductor. In some applications, the size of the inductor is constrained (e.g., in mobile applications with a height < 1 mm), and/or the transistor suffers from performance efficiency issues. For example, in a display power application for a cell phone, a typical implementation of a reverse buck-boost converter converts power at 87% efficiency at nominal conditions and less than 80% efficiency at maximum output power conditions. For portable applications, this level of efficiency limits battery life and thermal performance. Disclosure of Invention In some embodiments, a voltage converter includes a voltage conversion circuit including an output capacitor coupled to an output node, wherein an output voltage is generated at the output node, an output inductor having a first inductor node and a second inductor node, the first inductor node being operably associated with the output node, and a charging circuit coupled to the second inductor node, the charging circuit including at least one flying capacitor, a power supply node configured to receive an input voltage, and a set of switches, wherein the set of switches is configurable in at least one switch configuration to apply a first flying voltage across the at least one flying capacitor as a negative voltage at the second inductor node, and is configurable in at least one switch configuration to apply a second flying voltage as a negative voltage at the second inductor node, wherein the second flying voltage is equal to the first flying voltage multiplied by a factor, and wherein the factor is greater than 1. in some embodiments, the factor is greater than or equal to 2. in some embodiments, the at least one flying capacitor comprises a first flying capacitor and a second flying capacitor, the power supply node is a first power supply node, the set of switches comprises a first switch, The charging circuit further includes a second power supply node configured to receive the input voltage, the first flying capacitor having a first end and a second end, the second flying capacitor having a third end and a fourth end, the first end of the first flying capacitor coupled to the second inductor node, the first switch coupled between the first power supply node and the second end of the first flying capacitor, the second switch coupled between the second end of the first flying capacitor and the third end of the second flying capacitor, and the third switch coupled between the second power supply node and the fourth end of the second flying capacitor. In some embodiments, the set of switches further includes a fourth switch, and the fourth switch is coupled between the second inductor node and the first end of the first flying capacitor. In some embodiments, the set of switches further includes a fourth switch and a fifth switch, the fourth switch coupled between the first terminal of the first flying capacitor and ground, and the fifth switch coupled between the third terminal of the second flying capacitor and ground. In some embodiments, the set of switches further includes a fourth switch and a fifth switch, the fourth switch coupled between the second end of the first flying capacitor and ground, and the fifth switch coupled between the fourth end of the second flying capacitor and ground. In some embodiments, the set of switches further includes a sixth switch, and the sixth switch is coupled between the first end of the first flying capacitor and the second inductor node. In some embodiments, the set of switches further includes a seventh switch, and the seventh switch is coupled between the second inductor node and the ground. In some