Patent ID: 11949333
Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  Y | IPC H

Claim 10:
11. A controller for a buck voltage converter, the controller comprising:
a switching regulator circuit having a regulator input, a regulator output, a high side switch, and a low side switch, wherein the high side switch and the low side switch are coupled together in series and connected at a switching terminal;
a current comparison circuit having at least four comparators, each respective comparator having first and second comparator inputs and a comparator output, wherein each respective first comparator input is coupled to the switch terminal, and each respective second comparator input is coupled to a respective reference voltage source; and
a switching regulator control circuit coupled to the current comparison circuit, configured to receive a respective comparator output from each of the comparators, and configured to generate a control signal for alternatingly switching the high side switch and the low side switch off and on, such that the low side switch is off when the high side switch is on, and the high side switch is off when the low side switch is on, and wherein the switching regulator control circuit includes a latching circuit configured to latch a signal corresponding to at least one comparator output, such that an over-current condition at the switching terminal is detected;
wherein the comparators are configured to compare a sensed current at the switching terminal to a first set of current limit levels defining an upper current limit range, and to a second set of current limit levels defining a lower current limit range.