Multiphase digital pulsewidth modulator

• Published in: IEEE transactions on power electronics Vol. 21; no. 3; pp. 842 - 846
• Main Authors: Foley, R., Kavanagh, R., Marnane, W., Egan, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.05.2006; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Adjustable; Applied sciences; Clocks; DC-DC power conversion; Digital; digital control; Digital modulation; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA); Frequency; Modulation coding; Modulators; Multiphase; Power electronics, power supplies; Pulse duration modulation; Pulse generation; Pulse modulation; Pulse width modulation; Signal generators; Signal resolution; Space vector pulse width modulation; Strategy; switched-mode power supplies; Waveform; Modulator; Experimental test; DC-DC power conversion; Circuit design; Power electronics; Field programmable gate array; Calibration; Power conversion; DC-DC power convertors; Digital control; Experimental result; field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA); Switching power supply; Digital circuit; Pulse duration modulation; switched-mode power supplies
• ISSN: 0885-8993; 1941-0107
• DOI: 10.1109/TPEL.2006.875569

This letter describes a digital pulsewidth modulator that enables the generation of a large, adjustable number of pulsewidth modulated (PWM) outputs of programmable duty cycle and dead time, yet requiring just a small, fixed architecture. The design achieves a resolution of 255 ps using a composite PWM strategy that also minimizes clock frequency and area. It provides a practical solution to the problem of efficiently generating multiple high-resolution gate-drive signals and is particularly suited to the next generation of synchronously switched multiphase voltage regulator modules