Current Sensing Technique Using MOS Transistor Scaling With Matched Current Sources

This invention relates to a current sensing technique using MOS transistor scaling with matched current sources. More specifically, the invention relates to such a current sensing technique for current-programming trailing edge modulated buck converter controllers.

In conventional current programming step down converters, a method of sensing the inductor current at the output utilizes a sensing resistor in series with the inductor. The sensing resistor has a low impedance and a high power rating. This approach has several drawbacks: (1) special attention must be paid to the layout of the sensing resistor on the circuit board because metal trace resistance is on the same order of magnitude, (2) the sensing resistor consumes a considerable proportion of the output power because all of the output current must pass through the sensing resistor, and (3) the sensing resistor requires an additional pin on the converter controller integrated circuit chip package.

What is needed is a circuit for sensing the output current of a converter without requiring the entire output current to pass through a sensing resistor.

It is an object of the present invention to generate a scaled down version of the output current within the controller and to measure the scaled down version of the output current by using an internal sensing resistor.

Two current sources of small and equal magnitude pull currents from two identical bipolar PNP transistors. Two PMOS transistors supply current to the PNP transistors. The PMOS transistors are scaled so that the transistor on the output side of the circuit has an aspect ratio that is greater than the aspect ratio of the transistor on the sensing side of the circuit. The result is that the current on the sensing side is much smaller than, and proportional to, the current on the output side. The output current is the difference between the current through the PMOS transistor with the greater aspect ratio and the current through one of the small current sources. The sensing current, which passes through the internal sensing resistor, is the difference between the current flowing through the PMOS transistor with the lesser aspect ratio and the current flowing through the other small current source. The result is the current flowing through the sensing resistor is substantially proportional to and much smaller than the current flowing through the load.

The voltage across the sensing resistor is coupled to a control circuit which employs a feedback loop for monitoring the output voltage and the inductor current for maintaining a constant output voltage level. The control circuit controls the voltage level at the gate of the PMOS transistor on the output side of the circuit. When this transistor is turned on, the output inductor current ramps up. A scaled version of the inductor current flows through the sensing resistor. The ON-cycle peak current level through the inductor is determined by the voltage across the sensing resistor. When the PMOS transistor on the output side of the circuit is OFF, the inductor current ramps down. However, the voltage across the sensing resistor during the OFF-cycle plays no part in the feedback loop; all the information for switching is obtained during the ON-cycle (the inductor current ramp-up portion of the cycle).

The technique of this invention may be accomplished with a dual of the circuit described above, wherein two current sources of small and equal magnitude deliver current to two bipolar NPN transistors and wherein two scaled NMOS transistors draw current from the two bipolar transistors.

FIG. 1 shows a circuit schematic diagram according to the PMOS implementation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a circuit schematic diagram according to the NMOS implementation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The circuit shown in FIG. 2 is the dual of the circuit shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a circuit implementation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a current sensing circuit 10, a control circuit 30, Schottky diode SD, inductor L, capacitor C and load RL.

The current sensing circuit 10 comprises a voltage mirror circuit 20, a power supply node Vcc, a circuit ground node GND, a node A, a node B and a node C. The source of a first PMOS transistor M1 is coupled to the power supply node Vcc. The gate of the PMOS transistor M1 is coupled to be controlled by the control circuit 30. The drain of the PMOS transistor M1 is coupled to a first terminal of a switch S1 and to the node D. A second terminal of the switch S1 is coupled to the node B. A first terminal of a second switch S2 is coupled to the power supply node Vcc. A second terminal of the switch S2 is coupled to the output B. The operation of the switches S1 and S2 is controlled by the control circuit 30. The emitter of a PNP transistor Q1 is coupled to the node B. The source of a second PMOS transistor M2 is coupled to the power supply node Vcc. The gate of the second PMOS transistor M2 is coupled to the ground node GND. The drain of the second PMOS transistor M2 is coupled to the node A. The emitter of a second PNP transistor Q2 and the drain of an NMOS transistor M3 are also coupled to the node A. The base of the second PNP transistor Q2 is coupled to the base of the first PNP transistor Q1 and to the collector of the first PNP transistor Q1. The collector of the first PNP transistor Q1 is also coupled to a first terminal of a current source I1. A second terminal of the current source I1 is coupled to the circuit ground node GND. The collector of the second PNP transistor Q2 is coupled to the gate of the NMOS transistor M3 and to a first terminal of a second current source I2. A second terminal of the second current source I2 is coupled to the circuit ground node GND. A first terminal of a sensing resistor R is coupled to the source of the NMOS transistor M3 and to a node C. A second terminal of the sensing resistor R is coupled to the circuit ground node GND.

A cathode of a Schottky diode SD and a first terminal of an inductor L are coupled to the node D. An anode of the Schottky diode SD is coupled to the ground node. A second terminal of the inductor L is coupled to a first terminal of a capacitor C and coupled to a first terminal of a load RL. A second terminal of the capacitor C and a second terminal of the load RL are coupled to the ground node GND.

The node C is also coupled to a non-inverting input to a comparator U1 of the control circuit 30. An inverting input of the comparator U1 is coupled to receive a voltage signal ERROR that is representative of a difference between a voltage across the load RL and a desired voltage across the load RL. The output from the comparator U1 is coupled to a RESET input to a flip-flop U2 of the control circuit 30. A SET input of the flip-flop U2 is coupled to receive a clock signal CLK. An output Q of the flip-flop U2 is coupled to an input to a pre-driver circuit U3 of the control circuit 30. The output Q of the flip-flop U2 is also coupled to control the switch S1. An output Q is coupled to control the switch S2. An output from the pre-driver circuit U3 is coupled to control the gate of the transistor M1. The output of the pre-driver circuit is an inverting output. The control circuit 30 employs a feedback loop which monitors the output voltage level and the inductor current for maintaining the output voltage across the load RL at a constant level. It will be apparent that the switches S1 and S2 may be implemented with transistors.

The two current sources I1 and I2, may be any circuits known in the art for sourcing current. The two current sources I1, I2, preferably carry equal currents, however, it is not necessary that they be equal in order to practice the invention. The aspect ratios of the PMOS transistors M1 and M2, are such that the aspect ratio of M1 is greater than the aspect ratio of M2. In the preferred embodiment, the ratio of aspect ratios is 5000-to-1 to achieve a current ratio of 5000-to-1. This ratio may be achieved by M1 comprising 500 transistors having width=100 micrometers and length=2 micrometers, in parallel and M2 comprising 10 of those same transistors in series. The PNP transistors Q1 and Q2 have substantially equal characteristics.

The two current sources I1 and I2, of small and preferably equal magnitude, pull currents, for example, of 1 micro-amp each, from the two equivalent PNP transistors Q1 and Q2. The base of the transistor Q1 is coupled to its collector and to the base of the transistor Q2 to provide base currents for both transistors. With the transistors Q1 and Q2 operating in their linear regions, and with nearly equal emitter currents, the voltage from base to emitter of both of the transistors Q1 and Q2 is nearly equal. The emitter currents differ by a factor of 1/(1+beta) where beta is the ratio of base to emitter current and is usually large enough that 1/(1+beta) is small. The result is that the voltage at the node A is nearly equal to the voltage at the node D. When the transistor M1 is on, the switch S1 is closed. Because the voltage at the node A, which is coupled to the drain of the transistor M2, is nearly equal to the voltage at the node D, which is coupled to the drain of the transistor M1, the voltage at the drain of the transistor M1 is nearly equal to the voltage at the drain of the transistor M2. Because the source of the transistor M1 is coupled to the supply voltage Vcc and the source of the transistor M2 is coupled to the supply voltage Vcc, the voltage at the source of the transistor M1 is equal to the voltage at the source of the transistor M2. Because the gate of the transistor M2 is coupled to the ground node GND and, when the transistor M1 is ON, the gate of the transistor M1 is coupled to the ground node GND, the voltage level at the gate of the transistor M1 is equal to the voltage at the gate of the transistor M2 when the transistor M1 is ON. The aspect ratio of the transistor M1 is greater than the aspect ratio of the transistor M2. It follows that, during the period when the transistor M1 is ON, the drain current of the transistor M2 is proportional to, but smaller that the drain current of the transistor M1. By summing the currents at the node A, the current through the sensing resistor R is equal to the difference between the drain current of the transistor M2 and the emitter current of the transistor Q2. By summing the currents at the node B, the output current through the inductor L is equal to the difference between the drain current of the transistor M1 and the emitter current of the transistor Q1. Because the current through the current source I1 is nearly equal to the emitter current of the transistor Q1, the current through the current source I2 is nearly equal to the emitter current of the transistor Q2, the current sources I1 and I2 source equal currents, and the drain current of the transistor M2 is proportional to, but smaller than, the drain current of the transistor M1, it follows that the current through the sensing resistor R is substantially proportional to, but smaller than the output current through the inductor L. Therefore, the output current can be monitored by monitoring the smaller, but proportionate, current through the sensing resistor R.

The control circuit 30 generates a fixed frequency control signal having a variable duty cycle. The duty cycle of the control signal is dependent upon the value of the voltage level at the node C and upon the difference between the output voltage across the load RL and a desired output voltage level as represented by the signal ERROR. The control circuit operates the switches S1 and S2 from the outputs Q and Q of the flip-flop U2, respectively. The output of the pre-driver circuit U3 controls the operation of the transistor M1. The control circuit operates the switches S1 and S2 and the voltage level at the gate of the transistor M1 such that when the transistor M1 is on, the switch S1 is closed and the switch S2 is open; when the transistor M1 is off, the switch S1 is open and the switch S2 is closed. When the transistor M1 is ON, the current through the inductor L ramps up. A corresponding, but scaled down voltage at the node C also ramps up. The ON time is determined by the peak inductor current which is sensed at the node C. Once the current through the inductor L reaches a predetermined level based upon the voltage signal ERROR, the control circuit turns the transistor M1 OFF. The current through the inductor L then ramps down and the drain of the transistor M1 is driven below ground by the inductor current passing through the blocking diode SD. Without the two switches S1 and S2, the circuit would tend to pull the drain of the transistor M2 to ground and result in a large current through the sensing resistor R. The addition of the switches S1 and S2 prevents this from occurring.

A slope compensation circuit (not shown) is coupled to deliver a slope compensation current to the node C. The slope compensation current is a positive ramp that is at least 90% of the clock signal CLK period. This serves to stabilize the feedback loop.

FIG. 2 shows an NMOS implementation of the circuit of the present invention. The circuit operates as the circuit in FIG. 1 except that the circuit in FIG. 2 is essentially the dual of the circuit in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows the current sensing circuit 100. The node D' is coupled to the output circuitry, as illustrated in FIG. 1, including the inductor L, the diode SD, the capacitor C and the load RL. The node C' is coupled to the control circuitry 30, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Because FIG. 2 shows an NMOS implementation, the inputs to the comparator U1 are reversed, such that the non-inverting input is coupled to the signal ERROR and the inverting input is coupled to the node C'. The outputs of the control circuit 30 are coupled to control the gate of the transistor M1' and the switches S1' and S2' in a similar fashion, as described above, with respect to the circuit of FIG. 1.

The current sensing circuit 100 of FIG. 2 comprises a voltage mirror 200, a power supply node Vcc', a second supply node Vss', a node A', a node B', a node C' and an output node D'. The source of the NMOS transistor M1' is coupled to the supply node Vss'. The gate of the NMOS transistor M1' is coupled to be controlled by the control circuit 30. The drain of the NMOS transistor M1' is coupled to a first terminal of a switch S1' and to the output node D'. A second terminal of the switch S1' is coupled to the node B'. A first terminal of a second switch S2' is coupled to the supply node Vss'. A second terminal of the switch S2' is coupled to the node B'. An emitter of an NPN bipolar transistor Q1' is coupled to the node B'. The source of a second NMOS transistor M2' is coupled to the supply node Vss'. The gate of the second NMOS transistor M2' is coupled to the power supply node Vcc'. The drain of the second NMOS transistor M2' is coupled to the node A'. The emitter of a second NPN bipolar transistor Q2' and the drain of an PMOS transistor M3' are coupled to the node A'. The base of the second NPN transistor Q2' is coupled to the base of the first NPN transistor Q1' and to the collector of the first NPN transistor Q1'. The collector of the first NPN transistor Q1' is also coupled to a first terminal of the current source I1'. A second terminal of a current source I1' is coupled to the power supply node Vcc'. The collector of the second NPN transistor Q2' is coupled to the gate of the PMOS transistor M3' and to a first terminal of a second current source I2'. A second terminal of the second current source I2' is coupled to the power supply node Vcc'. A first terminal of a sensing resistor R' forms the node C' and is coupled to the source of the PMOS transistor M3'. A second terminal of the sensing resistor R' is coupled to the power supply node Vcc'.

The two current sources I1' and I2', may be any circuits known in the art for sourcing current. The two current sources I1' and I2', carry equal currents. The aspect ratios of the NMOS transistors M1' and M2', are such that the aspect ratio of the transistor M1' is greater than the aspect ratio of the transistor M2'. In the preferred embodiment, the ratio of aspect ratios is 5000-to-1 to achieve a current ratio of 5000-to-1. This ratio may be achieved by the transistor M1' comprising 500 transistors having width=100 micrometers and length=2 micrometers, in parallel and the transistor M2' comprising 10 of those same transistors in series. The NPN transistors Q1' and Q2' have substantially equal characteristics.

The node C' is coupled to receive a slope compensation current and coupled to the inverting input of the comparator U1' of the control circuit 30. The non-inverting input of the comparator U1' is coupled to receive the signal ERROR. The control circuit 30 controls the state of the switches S1' and S2'. As in FIG. 1, the switches S1' and S2' may be implemented with transistors.

The present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments incorporating details to facilitate the understanding of the principles of construction and operation of the invention. Such reference herein to specific embodiments and details thereof is not intended to limit the scope of the claims appended hereto. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made in the embodiment chosen for illustration without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Specifically, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the device of the present invention could be implemented in several different ways and the apparatus disclosed above is only illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention and is in no way a limitation. For example, it would be within the scope of the invention to vary the values of the various components disclosed herein.