Patent ID: 6897641

Claim:
An n-phase buck converter (where n is an integer greater than one) operating at a switching frequency f for converting power from a voltage source having a voltage output and a voltage return to an output load having a load input and a load return, the load return being connected to the voltage return of the voltage source, and having zero output ripple comprising a quantity n of buck converter sections, each of the n buck converter sections comprising an inductor having at least a first winding, the at least a first winding having a first terminal and a second terminal, an input switch connecting the voltage output of the voltage source to the first terminal of the at least a first winding of the inductor during the time that the input switch is closed, and a catch switch connecting the first terminal of the at least a first winding of the inductor to the voltage return of the voltage source during the time that the catch switch is closed, the input switch and the catch switch being constrained such that one and only one of the input switch and the catch switch is closed at any instant of time, and an output capacitor having a first terminal connected to all of the n second terminals of the at least a first windings of the n inductors and to the load input of the output load, and the output capacitor having a second terminal connected to the voltage return of the voltage source, wherein, at any instant of time during quiescent operation, a quantity m of the n input switches is closed (where m is an integer greater than one and less than n), wherein a switching period P is defined as the reciprocal of the switching frequency f, wherein each of the n input switches has the same duty cycle D where D is defined as the ratio of the time that the input switch is closed to the switching period P, and wherein D is equal to the ratio of m to n.