David S Gerard

US Patent:

8629669, Jan 14, 2014

Filed:

Oct 14, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/904445

Inventors:

David Christian Gerard Tournatory - San Francisco CA, US
Seth Kahn - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Volterra Semiconductor Corporation - Fremont CA

International Classification:

G05F 1/40
G05F 1/56

US Classification:

323285, 323271, 323282

Abstract:

The disclosed embodiments of voltage regulators incorporate a current mode control architecture. In one embodiment, a comparator mechanism triggers a transition in a power switch when the error in the regulated output voltage is equal to a proportionally scaled value of current provided at an output filter. The voltage regulator includes a power switch having an input and an output. The power switch is configured to provide a first voltage during a first conduction period and a second voltage during a second conduction period. An output filter is coupled between the power switch output and an output terminal to be coupled to a load. A comparator mechanism has a reference input coupled to a reference voltage, a feedback input coupled to sense a feedback voltage at the output filter, a current sensing input coupled to sense a current sensing voltage corresponding to a current provided to the output filter, and an output in communication with the power switch input. The comparator mechanism is configured to trigger responsive to a difference between the feedback voltage and the reference voltage equaling the current sensing voltage. The triggering causes a transition of the power switch from the second conduction period to the first conduction period.

US Patent:

20150381026, Dec 31, 2015

Filed:

Jun 26, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/315691

Inventors:

- Redwood City CA, US
David Christian Gerard Tournatory - Redwood City CA, US

International Classification:

H02M 1/00

Abstract:

The present disclosure includes switching regulator circuits and methods. In one embodiment, cross coupled circuits are provided. In one embodiment, a first switching regulator stage has an output coupled to a first node, and a second switching regulator stage has an output coupled to a second node. The first switching regulator stage includes a feedback input coupled to the second node, and the second switching regulator stage includes a feedback input coupled to the first node. The first and second nodes may be coupled together through a capacitor.

US Patent:

20150145331, May 28, 2015

Filed:

Jun 26, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/315768

Inventors:

- Redwood City CA, US
David Christian Gerard Tournatory - Redwood City CA, US

International Classification:

H02M 1/14

US Classification:

307 26

Abstract:

The present disclosure includes circuits and methods for controlling the operation of a switching regulator. Closing and opening high side and low side switches may be controlled so that an inductor current may be used to charge and/or discharge an intermediate switching node when both switches are open. In one embodiment, delays between a low-to-high transition and a high-to-low transition of an AC stage may be cycled over multiple periods of a DC stage.

US Patent:

20150145495, May 28, 2015

Filed:

Jun 26, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/315672

Inventors:

- Redwood City CA, US
David Christian Gerard Tournatory - Redwood City CA, US

International Classification:

H02M 3/156

US Classification:

323282

Abstract:

The present disclosure includes circuits and methods for controlling the operation of a switching regulator. In one embodiment, the present disclosure includes a circuit comprising a switching regulator with a current control loop comprising a capacitor configured to store a first voltage during a first phase and configured to boost a voltage produced by an output current through a low side switching device by the first voltage in a second phase. Circuitry compares the boosted voltage to a control voltage produced by a control current through a replica device corresponding to the low side switching device.