Method and apparatus for reducing the power consumption of a...

Details Method and apparatus for reducing the power consumption of a... Method and apparatus for reducing the power consumption of a...

1998-09-03

2001-10-23

Berhane, Adolf Denske (Department: 2838)

Electricity: power supply or regulation systems

Output level responsive

Using a three or more terminal semiconductive device as the...

C323S282000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06307355

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of voltage regulators and more particularly to the field of power management of voltage regulators.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An important objective in the design of many electronic systems is to reduce or limit power consumption. For example, most portable computers are designed with the capability to employ one or more power management techniques to extend battery life. One such power management technique is to remove power from an electronic device within the portable computer when that device is expected to be idle for a certain period of time. At least two approaches to removing power from a specific electronic device in a portable computer have been used. These two approaches are illustrated in
FIGS. 1
a
and
1
b.
FIG. 1
b
is a simplified block diagram of portable computer
100
including power supply
101
, voltage regulator
102
, electronic device
103
, and power management controller
104
. Electronic device
103
receives a stable supply voltage through voltage input terminal
105
. Voltage regulator
102
provides the stable supply voltage on output voltage terminal
106
. Voltage input terminal
107
of voltage regulator
102
is coupled through switch
108
to power supply output terminal
109
of power supply
101
. Switch
108
is controlled by power management controller
104
such that power is removed from voltage regulator
102
, and therefore from electronic device
103
, when a control signal provided on control signal output terminal
110
is asserted.
One problem with the approach illustrated in
FIG. 1
a
is that the time required to restore the stable supply voltage to electronic device
103
includes a delay between the time that power is restored to voltage regulator
102
and the time that voltage regulator
102
provides a stable supply voltage on output voltage terminal
106
. This delay typically includes the time required to charge an output capacitor within voltage regulator
102
. This problem can be avoided with the approach illustrated in
FIG. 1
b.
FIG. 1
b
is a simplified block diagram of portable computer
150
including power supply
151
, voltage regulator
152
, electronic device
153
, and power management controller
154
. Electronic device
153
receives a stable supply voltage through voltage input terminal
155
. Voltage regulator
152
provides the stable supply voltage on output voltage terminal
156
. Voltage input terminal
157
of voltage regulator
152
is coupled to power supply output terminal
158
of power supply
151
. Switch
159
is controlled by power management controller
154
such that power is removed from electronic device
153
, but not voltage regulator
152
, when a control signal provided on control signal output terminal
160
is asserted.
One problem with the approach illustrated in
FIG. 1
b
is that voltage regulator
152
continues to consume power even when electronic device
153
is idle. In response to this problem, a novel approach to reducing the power consumption of a voltage regulator has been developed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A voltage regulator having an output stage for providing an output voltage, a first switch for charging the output stage, and a second switch for discharging the output stage is disclosed. The voltage regulator also includes an input terminal for receiving a control signal and a third switch for preventing the second switch from closing when the control signal is asserted.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3978393 (1976-08-01), Wisner et al.
patent: 4395675 (1983-07-01), Toumani
patent: 5481178 (1996-01-01), Wilcox et al.
patent: 5627460 (1997-05-01), Bazinet et al.
patent: 5777461 (1998-07-01), Massie et al.

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