US-12627231-B2 - Multi-phase power supply system and control of dynamic load

Abstract

An apparatus includes a controller. The controller is operative to determine a magnitude of first output current supplied from a first power converter to a dynamic load and determine a magnitude of second output current supplied from a second power converter to power the dynamic load. The controller controls a magnitude of the first output current with respect to a magnitude of the second content output current depending on a magnitude of total output current consumed by the dynamic load.

Inventors

• Darryl Tschirhart
• Danny Clavette
• Benjamim Tang

Assignees

• INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AG

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20230728

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An apparatus comprising: a controller operative to: determine a magnitude of first output current supplied from a first power converter to a dynamic load; determine a magnitude of second output current supplied from a second power converter to power the dynamic load; and control a magnitude of the second output current with respect to a magnitude of the first output current depending on a magnitude of total output current consumed by the dynamic load; wherein the magnitude of the total output current consumed by the dynamic load increases over time; wherein the controller is further operative to increase a percentage of the total output current supplied by the first power converter to the dynamic load during a first condition in which the magnitude of the total output current consumed by the dynamic load increases over time; and wherein the controller is further operative to decrease a percentage of the total output current supplied by the second power converter to the dynamic load during the first condition in which the magnitude of the total output current consumed by the dynamic load increases over time.
2. 2 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operative to: via the first power converter, regulate a magnitude of an output voltage of the first power converter with respect to a setpoint reference voltage, the output voltage operative to supply the first output current to the dynamic load.
3. 3 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the total output current is determined via summing the magnitude of the first output current and the magnitude of the second output current.
4. 4 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operative to, over time, vary a ratio of the magnitude of the second output current with respect to the magnitude of the first output current.
5. 5 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operative to, over time, vary a ratio of the magnitude of the second output current with respect to the magnitude of the first output current in accordance with a control function depending on the total magnitude of a measured signal.
6. 6 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operative to control output of a control signal to the second power converter, the control signal indicating an output current control setting in which to produce the second output current; and wherein the controller is further operative to determine the magnitude of the second output current supplied from the second power converter via emulation, the emulation based on the output current control setting.
7. 7 . The apparatus as in claim 6 , wherein the emulation of determining the magnitude of the second output current includes application of a scale factor to the output current control setting.
8. 8 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operative to: via a clamp function in a control loop of the second power converter, limit the magnitude of the second output current supplied from the second power converter to the dynamic load.
9. 9 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the controller includes: a first control function operative to: i) regulate a magnitude of an output voltage supplied to the dynamic load, and ii) produce a first control signal indicating a first magnitude of supplemental output current to supply to the dynamic load; a second control function operative to: i) receive the first control signal, ii) via the second power converter, produce the magnitude of the second output current to be a first portion of the supplemental output current as indicated by the first control signal, and iii) produce a second control signal indicating a second portion of the supplemental output current to supply to the dynamic load; and a third control function operative to: i) receive the second control signal, ii) via a third power converter, produce a magnitude of a third output current to be equal to the second portion of the supplemental output current as indicated by the second control signal.
10. 10 . The apparatus as in claim 9 , wherein the total number of control functions exceeds 3.
11. 11 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the controller includes: a first control function operative to: i) regulate a magnitude of an output voltage supplied to the dynamic load, ii) produce a first control signal indicating a first magnitude of supplemental output current to supply to the dynamic load, iii) produce a second control signal indicating a second magnitude of supplemental output current to supply to the dynamic load; a second control function operative to: i) receive the first control signal, ii) via the second power converter, produce the magnitude of the second output current to be equal to the first magnitude of supplemental output current as indicated by the first control signal; and a third control function operative to: i) receive the second control signal, ii) produce a magnitude of third output current from a third power converter to be equal to the second magnitude of supplemental output current as indicated by the second control signal.
12. 12 . The apparatus as in claim 11 , wherein the total number of control functions exceeds 3.
13. 13 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the controller includes: a first control function operative to: i) regulate a magnitude of an output voltage supplied to the dynamic load, and ii) produce a first control signal indicating a first magnitude of supplemental output current to supply to the dynamic load; a second control function operative to: i) receive the first control signal, ii) via the second power converter, produce the magnitude of the second output current to be a first portion of the supplemental output current as indicated by the first control signal, and a third control function operative to: i) receive the first control signal, ii) via a third power converter, produce a magnitude of a third output current to be a second portion of the supplemental output current as indicated by the first control signal.
14. 14 . The apparatus as in claim 13 , wherein the total number of control functions exceeds 3.
15. 15 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the first power converter is operative to supply the first output current to an integrated voltage regulator associated with the dynamic load, the integrated voltage regulator operative to convert the first output current into third output current supplied to a core portion of the dynamic load; and wherein the second power converter is operative to supply the second output current to the core portion of the dynamic load.
16. 16 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the magnitude of total output current consumed by the dynamic load includes a summation of the magnitude of the first output current and the magnitude of the second output current.
17. 17 . The apparatus as in claim 16 , wherein the controller is further operative to: in response to detecting that the magnitude of the total output current consumed by the dynamic load falls within a first range at a first instant of time, control the magnitude of the first output current to be greater than the magnitude of the second output current.
18. 18 . The apparatus as in claim 17 , wherein the controller is further operative to: in response to detecting that the magnitude of the total output current consumed by the dynamic load falls within a second range at a second instant of time, control the magnitude of the second output current to be greater than the magnitude of the first output current.
19. 19 . The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operative to: via the first power converter, regulate a magnitude of an output voltage of the first power converter with respect to a setpoint reference voltage, the output voltage operative to supply the first output current to the dynamic load.
20. 20 . An apparatus comprising: a controller operative to: determine a magnitude of first output current supplied from a first power converter to a dynamic load; determine a magnitude of second output current supplied from a second power converter to power the dynamic load; and control a magnitude of the second output current with respect to a magnitude of the first output current depending on a magnitude of total output current consumed by the dynamic load; wherein the controller is further operative to: receive a first signal indicating the magnitude of the first output current; receive a second signal indicating the magnitude of the second output current; sum the first signal and the second signal to produce a third signal indicative of the magnitude of the total output current consumed by the dynamic load; multiply the first signal by a gain value, K, to produce an output current control signal supplied to the second power converter to control the magnitude of the second output current; and wherein the controller is operative to select the magnitude of the gain value K depending on which of multiple output current ranges the magnitude of the total output current resides.

Description

BACKGROUND One type of conventional power converter is a buck converter. In general, to maintain an output voltage within a desired range, a controller associated with the buck converter compares the magnitude of a generated output voltage to a setpoint reference voltage. Based on a respective error voltage, the controller modifies a respective switching frequency and/or pulse width modulation associated with activating high side switch circuitry and low side switch circuitry in the buck converter to maintain a magnitude of the output voltage. In certain instances, the controller controls operation of the buck converter and generation of the output voltage based on an amount of output current supplied by a generated output voltage to a load. For example, conventional techniques include receiving a so-called VID (Voltage Identification) from a load such as a processor being powered by the output voltage. The VID indicates a setpoint voltage in which to produce the output voltage to power the load. The magnitude of the VID setting (such as setpoint reference voltage) may vary depending on a magnitude of the output current. In a manner as previously discussed, the controller of the power supply can be configured to regulate a magnitude of the output voltage supplied to the load based on a target setpoint voltage derived from the received VID value. BRIEF DESCRIPTION Implementation of clean energy (or green technology) is very important to reduce our impact as humans on the environment. In general, clean energy includes any evolving methods and materials to reduce an overall toxicity to the environment as caused by energy consumption. This disclosure includes the observation that raw energy, such as received from green energy sources or non-green energy sources, typically needs to be converted into an appropriate form (such as desired AC voltage, DC voltage, etc.) before it can be used to power end devices such as servers, computers, mobile communication devices, etc. Regardless of whether energy is received from green energy sources or non-green energy sources, it is desirable to make most efficient use of raw energy provided by such systems to reduce our impact on the environment. This disclosure contributes to reducing our carbon footprint (and green energy) via more efficient energy conversion. This disclosure further includes the observation that an important aspect of designing a power system is to consider provide optimal delivery of power via control of multiple power converter phases. More specifically, a controller as discussed herein is operative to: determine a magnitude of first output current supplied from a first power converter to a dynamic load; determine a magnitude of second output current supplied from a second power converter to power the dynamic load; and control a magnitude of the first output current with respect to a magnitude of the second content output current depending on a magnitude of total output current consumed by the dynamic load. Via the first power converter, the controller regulates a magnitude of an output voltage of the first power converter with respect to a setpoint reference voltage. The output voltage supplies the first output current to the dynamic load. In accordance with further examples, the total output current is equal to the magnitude of the first output current plus the magnitude of the second output current. Yet further, the controller as discussed herein can be configured to, over time, vary a ratio of the magnitude of the second output current with respect to the magnitude of any measured signal such as the first output current or vice versa in accordance with a control function depending on the total magnitude of output current consumed by the dynamic load. In still further examples, the controller can be configured to receive a first signal indicating a magnitude of first output current and receive a second signal indicating the magnitude of the second output current. The controller or other suitable entity sums the first signal and the second signal to produce a third signal indicative of the magnitude of total output current consumed by the dynamic load. The controller or other suitable entity then multiplies the third signal by a gain value, K, to produce an output current control signal supplied to the second power converter to control the magnitude of the second output current. The controller can be configured to select the magnitude of the gain value, K, depending on which of multiple output current ranges the magnitude of the total output current resides. The magnitude of the gain value K may be a function of a magnitude of the third signal. In yet further examples, the controller is further operative to control output of a control signal to the second power converter; the control signal indicates an output current control setting in which to produce the second output current. The controller can be configured to determine the magnitude of the secon