Patent ID: 7245113
Filing Date: 2007-07-17
Classification: H02M,Y02B

Abstract:
1. A voltage regulator, comprising: a voltage input for receiving an input voltage; circuitry for regulating the input voltage to provide an output voltage, said circuitry including at least a high side switch and a low side switch; a skip mode controller for controlling the high side switch and the low side switch to decrease conduction losses and switching losses within the voltage regulator; wherein when the high side switch is in an off state, the skip controller turns on the high side switch responsive to a clock signal pulse and when a sum of a current sense amplifier signal and a slope compensation signal are lower than a voltage feedback signal; wherein when the high side switch is in an on state, the skip controller turns off the high side switch responsive to either (1) the voltage regulator operating in a continuous current mode and the sum of the current sense amplifier signal and the slope compensation signal being higher than the voltage feedback signal or (2) the voltage regulator operating in a discontinuous current mode and an inductor current of the voltage regulator reaching a skipping current limit threshold; wherein when the low side switch is in an off state, the skip controller turns on the low side switch responsive to the voltage regulator operating in a discontinuous current mode and an inductor current of the voltage regulator reaching the skipping current limit threshold; and wherein when the low side switch is in an on state, the skip controller turns off the low side switch responsive to the inductor current dropping below a zero level.