Patent attributes
A fully integrated DC-DC converter utilizes digitally controlled dual output stages to achieve fast load transient recovery is presented. The DC-DC converter includes a main converter output stage connected in parallel with an auxiliary output stage. The main output stage is responsible for steady-state operation and is designed to achieve high conversion efficiency using large inductor and power transistors with low on-resistance. The auxiliary stage is responsible for transient suppression and is only active when a load transient occurs. The auxiliary output stage performs well with inductor and power transistors much smaller than those of the main switching stage and thus achieves well balanced power conversion efficiency and dynamic performance with a much smaller area penalty than previously described dual-output-stage converters.