Digital hybrid control for stable buck converters
This technology improves the stability of buck converters — the circuits that efficiently step down voltage in power supplies — by using two separate ramp signals in the control loop rather than relying on a precise measurement of the inductor current. One ramp stabilizes the output voltage feedback and the other handles the current feedback, and together they prevent a common failure mode called ripple oscillation that shows up when low-ESR capacitors are used. Critically, the inductor current does not need to be measured precisely; it can be estimated from the input voltage, making the design simpler and more tolerant of component variation. A drift-correction mechanism keeps that estimation accurate over time.
What you could build
A power management IC or reference design for DC-DC buck converters targeting consumer electronics, server power supplies, and embedded systems; buyers would be semiconductor companies and power supply module manufacturers seeking a drop-in stability solution for low-ESR capacitor designs.
Who in Virginia should care
Defense electronics and power supply manufacturers in Northern Virginia, or semiconductor IP licensing firms serving the broader mid-Atlantic tech corridor.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Lee, Fred C., Mattavelli, Paolo, Cheng, Kuang-Yao, Yu, Feng Hao
- Granted
- November 5, 2013
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 8575911
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology. Email us for an introduction prosim@harbor.capital.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.