Patent ID: 8294438

Claim:
system comprising: one or more processors; and a voltage regulator coupled to the one or more processors to provide the one or more processors with a regulated DC voltage, the voltage regulator comprising: a reverse-coupled inductor having first and second windings, said regulator to have: a multi-phase mode wherein current is to be driven in the first winding and induced through the second winding during a first phase and driven through the second winding and induced through the first winding during a second phase, and a phase shed mode wherein current is not to be driven through the second winding but is to be induced through it when current is driven through the first winding; and a circuit to turn on a switch to provide a low resistance path for the induced current through the second winding during the phase shed mode, wherein the circuit comprises delay devices to delay turn-on of the switch after current is started to drive in the first winding.