CN-122001179-A - Multi-phase controller, voltage regulator module, and method of operating a multi-phase controller for a voltage regulator module

Abstract

A multi-phase controller, a voltage regulator module, and a method of operating a multi-phase controller for a voltage regulator module are disclosed. The multiphase controller includes a current mode regulation circuit and a pulse divider configured to divide a first set of pulses to a first power level and a second set of pulses to a second power level, and selectively enable or disable the second set of pulses to the second power level based on a load condition. The multi-phase controller also includes a current sense circuit coupled to receive a plurality of current monitoring signals from a plurality of power stages and configured to provide a summation signal to the current mode adjustment circuit based on the plurality of current monitoring signals, and to replace a second current monitoring signal from the second power stage with a first current monitoring signal from the first power stage during a replacement period after recovery of the second set of pulses to the second power stage.

Inventors

• Liam hemel
• ADRIAN WARD
• David Kiran Stark

Assignees

• 半导体元件工业有限责任公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20251105

Priority Date

20251010

Claims (20)

1. 1. A multi-phase controller for a voltage regulator module, the multi-phase controller comprising: A current mode regulation circuit configured to generate a PWM control signal based on a load condition of the voltage regulator module; A pulse divider coupled to receive the PWM control signal from the current mode regulation circuit and configured to divide pulses into a plurality of power levels, including a first group of pulses to a first power level and a second group of pulses to a second power level, and selectively enable or disable the second group of pulses to the second power level based on the load condition of the voltage regulator module, and A current sense circuit is coupled to receive a plurality of current monitoring signals from the plurality of power stages and configured to provide a summation signal to the current mode adjustment circuit based on the plurality of current monitoring signals and to replace a second current monitoring signal from the second power stage with a first current monitoring signal from the first power stage during a replacement period after recovery of the second set of pulses to the second power stage after a pulse disable period.
2. 2. The multiphase controller of claim 1, wherein the current sensing circuit is configured to resume using the second current monitoring signal to generate the summation signal after the replacement period is completed.
3. 3. The multiphase controller of claim 1, wherein the replacement period is at 2.5 To 6.0 Within a range of (2).
4. 4. A multiphase controller as recited in claim 3, wherein the replacement period is programmable.
5. 5. The multiphase controller of claim 1, wherein the current sensing circuit is coupled to receive corresponding N current monitoring signals from N power stages, and wherein the N is in the range of 2 to 48.
6. 6. The multiphase controller of claim 1, wherein the current sensing circuit comprises: A summing circuit configured to generate the summed signal based on a plurality of channel signals corresponding to the plurality of current monitoring signals; A first channel configured to provide a first channel signal to the summing circuit based on the first current monitoring signal from the first power stage; A second channel configured to provide a second channel signal to the summing circuit based on a selected one of the first current monitoring signal from the first power stage and the second current monitoring signal from the second power stage when enabled, and The controller is redirected to the location of the controller, the redirection controller is configured to: Disabling the second channel in response to a stop of the second set of pulses to the second power level; Enabling the second channel in response to the recovery of the second set of pulses to the second power level; Instructing the second channel to select the first current monitoring signal during the replacement period occurring after the recovery of the second set of pulses, and After the replacement period expires, the second channel is instructed to select the second current monitoring signal.
7. 7. The multiphase controller of claim 6, wherein the redirection controller is configured to instruct the second channel to select the first current monitoring signal after a waiting period following the stopping of the second set of pulses to the second power level.
8. 8. The multiphase controller of claim 6, wherein: the first channel of the current sensing circuit includes a first resistor and a first transconductance amplifier; The first resistor is configured to convert the first current monitoring signal to a first voltage signal; the first transconductance amplifier is configured to provide the first channel signal to the summing circuit based on the first voltage signal, and The second channel of the current sensing circuit includes a second resistor and a second transconductance amplifier; The second resistor is configured to convert the second current monitoring signal to a second voltage signal; a multiplexer coupled to pass one of the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal in response to the redirection controller; The second transconductance amplifier is configured to provide the second channel signal to the summing circuit based on a multiplexer output.
9. 9. A voltage regulator module includes a plurality of power stages and a multi-phase controller; each power stage includes a high side switching transistor, a low side switching transistor, and a current monitoring circuit; The current monitoring circuit is configured to provide a current monitoring signal representative of a total current through the high side switching transistor and the low side switching transistor; The multiphase controller comprises a current mode regulating circuit, a pulse distributor and a current sensing circuit; The current mode regulation circuit is configured to generate a PWM control signal based on a load condition of the voltage regulator module; the pulse divider is coupled to receive the PWM control signal from the current mode regulation circuit and is configured to divide pulses to the plurality of power levels, including dividing a first set of pulses to a first power level and a second set of pulses to a second power level, and selectively enabling or disabling the second set of pulses to the second power level based on the load condition of the voltage regulator module, and The current sensing circuit is coupled to receive a plurality of current monitoring signals from the plurality of power stages and is configured to provide a summation signal to the current mode adjustment circuit based on the plurality of current monitoring signals and to replace a second current monitoring signal from the second power stage with a first current monitoring signal from the first power stage during a replacement period after recovery of the second set of pulses to the second power stage after a pulse disable period.
10. 10. The voltage regulator module of claim 9, wherein the current sensing circuit is further configured to resume using the second current monitoring signal to generate the summation signal after the replacement period is completed.
11. 11. The voltage regulator module of claim 9, wherein the replacement period is at 2.5 To 6.0 Within a range of (2).
12. 12. The voltage regulator module of claim 11, wherein the replacement period is programmable.
13. 13. The voltage regulator module of claim 9, wherein the current sense circuit is coupled to receive corresponding N current monitoring signals from N power stages, and wherein the N is in the range of 2 to 48.
14. 14. The voltage regulator module of claim 9, wherein the current sensing circuit comprises: A summing circuit configured to generate the summed signal based on a plurality of channel signals corresponding to the plurality of current monitoring signals; A first channel configured to provide a first channel signal to the summing circuit based on the first current monitoring signal from the first power stage; A second channel configured to provide a second channel signal to the summing circuit based on a selected one of the first current monitoring signal from the first power stage and the second current monitoring signal from the second power stage when enabled, and The controller is redirected to the location of the controller, the redirection controller is configured to: Disabling the second channel in response to a stop of the second set of pulses to the second power level; Enabling the second channel in response to the recovery of the second set of pulses to the second power level; Instructing the second channel to select the first current monitoring signal during the replacement period occurring after the recovery of the second set of pulses, and After the replacement period expires, the second channel is instructed to select the second current monitoring signal.
15. 15. The voltage regulator module of claim 14, wherein the redirection controller is configured to instruct the second channel to select the first current monitoring signal after a waiting period following the stopping of the second set of pulses to the second power level.
16. 16. The voltage regulator module of claim 15 wherein: the current monitoring circuit of the second power stage is configured to enter a sleep state in response to the second power stage not receiving the second set of pulses within a delay period, and The waiting period for instructing the second channel to select the first current monitoring signal is less than the delay period for the current monitoring circuit to enter the sleep state.
17. 17. The voltage regulator module of claim 14, wherein: the first channel of the current sensing circuit comprises: A first resistor configured to convert the first current monitoring signal into a first voltage signal, and A first transconductance amplifier configured to provide the first channel signal to the summing circuit based on the first voltage signal, and The second channel of the current sensing circuit comprises: a second resistor configured to convert the second current monitoring signal to a second voltage signal; A multiplexer coupled to pass one of the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal in response to the redirection controller, and A second transconductance amplifier configured to provide the second channel signal to the summing circuit based on a multiplexer output.
18. 18. A method of operating a multi-phase controller for a voltage regulator module, the method comprising: generating a PWM control signal using a current mode regulation circuit based on a load condition of the voltage regulator module; distributing pulses to a plurality of power levels based on the PWM control signal, including distributing a first set of pulses to a first power level and a second set of pulses to a second power level; selectively enabling and disabling the second set of pulses to the second power level based on the load condition of the voltage regulator module; receiving a plurality of current monitoring signals from the plurality of power stages; Generating a summation signal based on the plurality of current monitoring signals; in response to recovery of the second set of pulses to the second power stage after a disabled period of the second set of pulses, replacing a second current monitoring signal from the second power stage with a first current monitoring signal from the first power stage during a replacement period to generate the summed signal, and The summation signal is provided to the current mode adjustment circuit for adjusting the voltage regulator module.
19. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising resuming use of the second current monitoring signal to generate the summation signal after the replacement period following the resumption of the second set of pulses to the second power level.
20. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the replacement period is at 2.5 To 6.0 Within a range of (2).

Description

Multi-phase controller, voltage regulator module, and method of operating a multi-phase controller for a voltage regulator module Cross Reference to Related Applications The present application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 63/717,600 filed on 7 at 11/2024, which provisional patent application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Technical Field The present disclosure relates generally to multi-phase voltage regulator modules, and in particular, to a system and method for facilitating entry into and exit from ultra-light load modes of a multi-phase voltage regulator module. Background In the field of electronics, voltage regulator modules may be used to provide power to a processor included within a computing device (such as a desktop computer, laptop computer, notebook computer, tablet computer, or smart phone). In recent years, government agencies around the world have established and will continue to establish strict rules and regulations regarding power consumption of such devices. For example, according to committee regulations (europe) No. 617/2013, desktop and notebook computers must have a low power state that can be activated automatically (such as to enter a sleep state after fifteen minutes of inactivity) or immediately by the end user. When connected to the mains, the power consumption in the low power state should not exceed 0.5W. Because of such rules and regulations regarding power consumption of computing devices, system level designers of such computing devices may require voltage regulator modules included therein to accommodate various sleep states and low power states. Furthermore, the voltage regulator module itself must remain efficient and consume little power during light load conditions. The inventors of various embodiments of the present disclosure have recognized that various components within the voltage regulator module may be disabled during light load conditions to reduce the power consumption of the voltage regulator module itself during light load conditions. The inventors of various embodiments of the present disclosure have also recognized that disabling certain components within a voltage regulator module may cause response time and/or stability issues when exiting light load or ultra-light load conditions. Embodiments of the present disclosure may address one or more of these challenges. Disclosure of Invention Examples herein implement a multi-phase controller for a voltage regulator module that facilitates fast and stable exit from light load operation. According to one embodiment, a multi-phase controller includes a current mode regulation circuit configured to generate a PWM control signal based on a load condition of the voltage regulator module, a pulse divider coupled to receive the PWM control signal from the current mode regulation circuit and configured to (i) distribute pulses to a plurality of power stages including a first set of pulses to a first power stage and a second set of pulses to a second power stage, and (ii) selectively enable or disable the second set of pulses to the second power stage based on the load condition of the voltage regulator module, and a current sensing circuit coupled to receive a plurality of current monitoring signals from the plurality of power stages and configured to (i) provide a summation signal to the current mode regulation circuit based on the plurality of current monitoring signals, and (ii) replace the second monitoring signal from the first power stage with the second monitoring signal from the first power stage for a replacement period after a recovery of the second set of pulses to the second power stage after a pulse disable period. In some embodiments, the current sensing circuit is configured to resume using the second current monitoring signal to generate the summation signal after the replacement period is completed. In the same or different embodiments, the replacement period is at 2.5To 6.0Within a range of (2). In the same or different embodiments, the replacement period is programmable. In the same or different embodiments, the current sensing circuit is coupled to receive N current monitoring signals from corresponding N power stages, and wherein the N are in the range of 2 to 48. In the same or different embodiments, the current sensing circuit includes a summing circuit configured to generate a summing signal based on a plurality of channel signals corresponding to the plurality of current monitoring signals, a first channel configured to provide a first channel signal to the summing circuit based on the first current monitoring signal from the first power stage, a second channel configured to provide a second channel signal to the summing circuit based on a selected one of the first current monitoring signal from the first power stage and the second current monitoring signal from the second power stage when enabled, and a redirection controller configured to (i