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Control-circuit-and-method-for-maintaining-high-efficiency-over-broad-current-ranges-in-a-switching-regulator-circuit

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Details

Inventors: Wilcox, Milton E.; Flatness, Randy G.;
Assignee: Linear Technology Corporation (Milpitas, CA)
Primary Examiner: Wong; Peter S.
Assistant Examiner: Patel; Rajnikant B.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fish & Neave

A circuit and method for controlling a switching voltage regulator having (1) a switch including one or more switching transistors and (2) an output adapted to supply current at a regulated voltage to a load including an output capacitor. The circuit and method generates a control signal to turn said one or more switching transistors OFF under operating conditions when the voltage at the output is capable of being maintained substantially at the regulated voltage by the charge on the output capacitor. Such a circuit and method increases the efficiency of the regulator circuit particularly at low average current levels.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a high efficiency switching regulator.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a control circuit and method for maintaining high efficiency over broad current ranges, including low output currents, in a switching regulator circuit.
In accordance with these and other objects of the invention, there is provided a circuit and method for controlling a switching voltage regulator having (1) a switch including one or more switching transistors and (2) an output adapted to supply current at a regulated voltage to a load including an output capacitor.
The circuit and method generates a control signal to turn the one or more switching transistors OFF under operating conditions when the voltage at the output is capable of being maintained substantially at the regulated voltage by the charge on the output capacitor (e.
g.
, during low output currents).
During such periods of time, the load does not consume power from the input power source.
Therefore, the regulator efficiency is increased.
If desired, other components in the switching regulator, in addition switching transistors, can also be intentionally held OFF to conserve additional power.
This additional feature of the present invention can further increase the efficiency of the overall regulator circuit.
The circuit and method of the present invention can be used to control various types of switches in switching regulator circuits, including switches that use either one or more power transistors.
Additionally, the circuit and method can be used to control switches in various types of switching regulator configurations, including voltage step-down, voltage step-up and polarity-inversing configurations.
Additionally, the circuit and method of the present invention can vary the OFF time of the switching transistor in response to the input and output voltages of the switching regulator.
This feature of the present invention reduces the emission of audible noise from the switching regulator during low input voltage conditions

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