Patent ID: 7911194

Claim:
A modulation controller and gate driver combination, comprising: a modulation controller comprising an error amplifier which receives a reference voltage and an output voltage signal from a switching regulator being controlled by said controller; at least one comparator, and a pulse timing circuit having a first input coupled to an output of said comparator and a second input coupled to a receive a mode indicating signal operable to indicate intervals when a load driven by said regulator is in a low power mode, wherein an output of said pulse timing circuit is operable to provide a pulse width modulation (PWM) mode signal having at least three (3) levels including at least one intermediate level, and a driver for driving output switches of said switching regulator, comprising an input stage operable to receive said PWM mode signal and at least one detection circuit operable to detect said PWM mode signal, and an output stage coupled to receive outputs from said input stage and said detection circuit, said output stage operable for recognizing when said PWM mode signal is at or transitioning to or from said intermediate level to another level and responsive thereto providing a plurality of output signals to said output switches operable to switch said regulator into at least one low power operational mode.