Patent Document

BACKGROUND 
     Point of load voltage regulators (VRs) are used to supply microprocessor loads. The microprocessors may have multiple loads (multiple operating voltages). The VRs are step down power converters (e.g., buck converters) that step down the system voltage to the voltage required by the microprocessor load. Systems today often utilize multi-core processors that require individual VRs per core for maximum performance per watt. This has caused a proliferation in the number of VRs used in microprocessor based systems. Therefore, miniaturization of the VRs and proximity to the load are essential to meet area constraints in these systems. 
     Fabricating the voltage regulators on silicon enables the VR to be miniaturized in close proximity to the load. However, the efficiency range of an on-die buck converter is relatively low (e.g., 77-83%). Furthermore, the buck converters require inductors which call for special additional stages in the silicon fabrication process like sputtering thereby increasing the cost. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The features and advantages of the various embodiments will become apparent from the following detailed description in which: 
         FIG. 1A  illustrates an example switched capacitor circuit providing a 2:1 transformation of an input voltage; 
         FIG. 1B  illustrates an example timing diagram of the operation of the switch pairs in the switched capacitor circuit of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 1C  illustrates an example equivalent circuit of the switched capacitor circuit of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2A  illustrates an example switched capacitor circuit that may be utilized to provide several transformation modes, according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 2B  illustrates an example timing diagram of the operation of the switch pairs in the switched capacitor circuit to provide a 3:1 transformation, according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 2C  illustrates a graph of an example regulation efficiency for the multi-mode switched capacitor circuit of  FIG. 2A , according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an example switched capacitor circuit that includes two switched capacitor circuits (blocks) having a single capacitor overlap, according to one embodiment; and 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an example configuration of a switched capacitor circuit with a plurality of blocks, according to one embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Switched capacitor circuits can be utilized as step down power converters. The switched capacitor circuits provide a lossless (or substantially lossless) voltage conversion at a ratio that is characteristic of the circuit topology. A resistive mechanism can be used to regulate its output voltage at a level lower than the converted level. The regulation mechanism is resistive similar to a linear regulator where voltage regulation is achieved by dissipating the excess power (lossy). 
       FIG. 1A  illustrates an example switched capacitor circuit  100  providing a 2:1 transformation (voltage conversion ratio) of an input voltage (provides output that is ½ of input). The circuit  100  may include four capacitors  105 ,  110 ,  115 ,  120 , and four switches  125 ,  130 ,  135 ,  140 . The switches may be one or more transistors. The capacitors  110 ,  115 ,  120  are connected in series. The input voltage (V in ) is provided across the three series connected capacitors  110 ,  115 ,  120 . The capacitor  105  (flying capacitor) is connected in parallel to one or more of the capacitors  110 ,  115 , and  120  respectively based on the operation of the switches  125 ,  130 ,  135 ,  140 . When the switches  125 ,  135  are closed and the switches  130 ,  140  are open the capacitor  105  is connected in parallel with capacitors  110 ,  115  and when switches  130 ,  140  are closed and the switches  125 ,  135  are open the capacitor  105  is in parallel to the capacitor  120 . The pairs of switches  125 / 135 ,  130 / 140  are switched on and off alternatively at a constant frequency. 
       FIG. 1B  illustrates an example timing diagram of the operation of the switch pairs for the switched capacitor circuit  100  to provide a 2:1 voltage conversion ratio. The switch pair  125 / 135  is on while the switch pair  130 / 140  is off and vice versa. The on cycle is approximately half of the duty cycle for each pair of switches. It should be noted that the signals are illustrated as on and off signals for ease of illustration. These signals may equate to voltages that are applied to transistors in order to have the transistor act as an open or closed switch respectively. The voltages applied to turn a switch on may be high while the voltage applied to turn the switch off may be low or could be the opposite. The level of the high and low voltages may be dependent on the implementation. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1A , the voltage output (V out ) is measured across capacitor  120 . This V out  is provided across the load (e.g., microprocessor). The resistance of the load (R L )  145  determines the current flowing through the load. The circuit  100  may provide a lossless (or substantially lossless) 2 to 1 voltage conversion ratio. 
       FIG. 1C  illustrates an example equivalent circuit  150 . The equivalent circuit  150  may provide closed loop voltage regulation and include a transformer  155  and a variable resistor  160 . The transformer  155  may step down V in  by a factor of 2 so that the downshifted voltage is half of V in , V down =V in /2. The 2:1 voltage conversion ratio may be lossless (or substantially lossless). The variable resistor  160  may provide regulation of V out  (further adjust the V down  down by dissipating the excess power). The regulation of V out  is lossy and accordingly affects the efficiency of the overall down-conversion. 
     Accordingly, the switched capacitor circuit  100  may be used for stepping up or down voltages at very high efficiencies where line regulation is not a criterion. The switched capacitor circuit  100  may be utilized as a voltage regulator (VR) for low power applications. However, the switched capacitor circuit  100  may not suitable to generate a regulated output voltage for medium or high power applications especially with a wide range of input voltages due to the lossy regulation mechanism (resistance). 
       FIG. 2A  illustrates an example switched capacitor circuit  200  that may be utilized to provide several transformation modes. The circuit  200  may include four capacitors  205 ,  210 ,  215 ,  220 , and six switches  225 ,  230 ,  235 ,  240 ,  245 ,  250 . The switches may be one or more transistors. The capacitors  210 ,  215 ,  220  are connected in series and the input voltage (V in ) is provided across these three series connected capacitors  210 ,  215 ,  220 . The capacitor  205  (flying capacitor) is connected in parallel to one of the capacitors  210 ,  215 , and  220  respectively based on the operation of the switches  225 ,  230 ,  235 ,  240 ,  245 ,  250 . When the switches  235 ,  245  are closed and the other switches are open the capacitor  205  is connected in parallel with the capacitor  210 . When switches  230 ,  240  are closed and the other switches are open the capacitor  205  is connected in parallel to the capacitor  215 . When switches  225 ,  250  are closed and the other switches are open the capacitor  205  is connected in parallel to the capacitor  220 . The pairs of switches  235 / 245 ,  230 / 240 ,  225 / 250  are switched on and off alternatively at constant frequencies. The voltage output (V out ) is the voltage stored in the capacitor  220 . This V out  is provided to the load (e.g., microprocessor). The circuit  200  may provide a lossless (or substantially lossless) 3 to 1 voltage conversion ratio (V down =V in /3). 
       FIG. 2B  illustrates an example timing diagram of the operation of the switch pairs in the switched capacitor circuit  200  to provide a 3:1 voltage conversion ratio. The switch pair  235 / 245  is on for approximately 25% duty cycle, followed by the switch pair  230 / 240  that is on for approximately 25% duty cycle, followed by the switch pair  225 / 250  that is on for approximately 50% duty cycle. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 2A , the circuit  200  can be converted from a 3:1 voltage conversion ratio to a 3:2 voltage conversion ratio (V down =2V in /3) by reconfiguring the placement of the load (where V out  is provided from). If the load was configured to be across the capacitors  215 ,  220  the V out  would be the voltage stored in the capacitors  215 ,  220 . The 3:2 voltage conversion ratio may be provided using the same switching cycles defined with respect to the 3:1 voltage conversion ratio ( FIG. 2B ). While not illustrated the load may be switched from being in parallel with capacitor  220  to being in parallel to the capacitors  215 ,  220  by utilizing some type of switching mechanism. 
     The circuit  200  may also be used to provide a 2:1 voltage conversion ratio (V down =V in /2) if the switches  240  and  245  are deactivated (remain open) and the switch pairs  230 / 235  and  225 / 250  are switched on and off alternatively at a constant frequency (e.g., as described with respect to  FIG. 1B ). 
     The circuit  200  may be switched between the various modes (voltage conversion ratios) described above. The switching between modes may be based on what V in  is received and what V out  is desired. Since the conversion ratio is lossless (or substantially lossless) selecting an appropriate mode dependent of V in  enables the resistive regulation (lossy) to be minimized. The appropriate mode selected would provide V down  closest to the desired V out , without going below the desired regulated V out . For example, if the desired V out  was 2V and the V in  could range from 3V-8V, the appropriate mode to select may be: (1) 3:2 for V in  from 3-4V to provide V down  from 2-2.67V, (2) 2:1 for V in  from 4-6V to provide V down  from 2-3V, and (3) 3:1 for V in  from 6-8V to provide V down  from 2-2.67V. 
     Utilizing a fixed voltage conversion ratio switched capacitor circuit would either be inefficient because it relied heavily on the lossy resistance mechanism to regulate V out  or would not be able to provide the necessary V out  for certain V in  regions. In the above noted example, the 2:1 voltage conversion ratio for V in  over 6V (e.g., 8V) would result in V down  (e.g., 4V) that still required substantial reduction/regulation (e.g., from 4V to 2V) be provided by the resistive regulation mechanism (lossy) which would result in an inefficient regulation. The 3:1 voltage conversion ratio for V in  less than 6V (e.g., 4.5V) would result in V down  (e.g., 1.5V) below the desired V out . 
       FIG. 2C  illustrates a graph of an example voltage regulation efficiency for the multi-mode switched capacitor circuit  200  for the above noted examples. The 3:2 voltage conversion ratio (mode) may provide approximately 100% efficiency for V in =3V since V down  generated is the desired V out  (V down =V out =2V) and then the efficiency falls from there as V in  increases and resistive regulation (lossy) is required. The 2:1 mode may not be used for V in &lt;4V since it would produce V down &lt;2V (V out ). For V in =4V it may provide 100% efficiency (V down =V out ), with the efficiency falling as V in  increases. The 3:1 mode may not be used for V in &lt;6V since it would produce V down &lt;2V. For V in =6V it may provide approximately 100% efficiency (V down =V out ), with the efficiency falling as V in  increases. 
     Selecting the appropriate mode based on V in  may enable the circuit  200  to be used over the entire range of V in  with an efficiency that is approximately 100% at several points and never falls too far. The mode that the circuit  200  is operated in may be controlled by the signals provided thereto (e.g., the switching signals for switches  225 - 250 , the signals that control where the load is connected). A controller (not illustrated) may be utilized to detect V in  and select the appropriate mode. The controller may provide the appropriate switch signals or may control the switching signals that are provided (e.g., gate other signals). 
     Additional voltage conversion ratios may be obtained by utilizing a plurality of switched capacitor circuits (e.g.,  200 ) connected together. The circuits can be utilized as the basic building blocks with the blocks being connected in series. The adjacent blocks may have one or two of the series connected capacitors overlapping. To utilize blocks at a 2:1 conversion rate the blocks may only overlap one capacitor. The voltage conversion ratios (modes) of the individual blocks may be selected separate from each other to provide additional voltage conversion ratios (e.g., the mode for each of the blocks need not be the same). 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an example switched capacitor circuit  300  that includes two switched capacitor circuits (blocks)  305 ,  310  having a single capacitor overlap. The five series connected capacitors are illustrated outside of each of the blocks for ease of illustration. Each node on the right is connected to the corresponding node on the left. The blocks  305 ,  310  each have nodes C and D to reflect the fact that the middle capacitor is overlapped between the blocks  305 ,  310 . V in  is provided at point A and ground is provided at point F. V out  is measured across the lower three capacitors. 
     Using this arrangement and operating the blocks in either 2:1 or 3:1 conversation mode (assuming no rearranging of the load as required for 3:2 conversion) may result in four different voltage conversion ratios. For example, if block  305  is operating in 2:1 mode and block  310  is operating in 3:1 mode the circuit  300  may provide a transformation ration of 4:3 (V down =75% Vin). If both blocks  305 ,  310  are operating in 2:1 mode the overall transformation ratio may be 3:2 (V down =66% Vin). If both blocks  305 ,  310  are operating in 3:1 mode the overall transformation ratio may be 5:3 (V down =60% Vin). If block  305  is operating in 3:1 mode and block  310  is operating in 2:1 mode the circuit  300  may provide a transformation ration of 2:1 (V down =50% Vin). 
     The circuit  300  may select an appropriate overall voltage conversion ratio based on the input voltage received and the mode selected for each of the blocks may be based thereon. For example, if a determination was made that the appropriate voltage conversion ratio for the circuit  300  to operate at was 4:3, the first block  305  would operate in 2:1 mode and the second block  310  would operate in 3:1 mode. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an example configuration of a switched capacitor circuit  400  with a plurality of blocks  410  ( 410 - 1 ,  410 - 2  . . .  410 -N) where successive blocks share a capacitor. For ease of illustration only the contents of successive blocks  410 - 1  and  410 - 2  are illustrated and block  410 -N is included simply to illustrate that up to N blocks could be included in circuit  400 . As illustrated, the blocks  410 - 1  and  410 - 2  have one capacitor overlap. If each of the successive blocks (e.g.,  410 - 1  and  410 - 2 ) were not going to be operated in a 2:1 configuration then there may be a 2 capacitor overlap. The load may be provided between ground and any of the nodes between capacitors (illustrated as being connected to X which can be any of the nodes from node A on). The overall voltage conversion ratio provided depends on the number of blocks, the mode each block is operated at and the placement of the load. 
     Although the disclosure has been illustrated by reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent that the disclosure is not limited thereto as various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope. Reference to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described therein is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” appearing in various places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. 
     The various embodiments are intended to be protected broadly within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Technology Category: 5