Three-dimensional power stage and adaptive pipeline control

摘要

A digital linear voltage regulator includes a power stage (208), arranged in a hierarchical grouping of power stage units. The power stage (208) is configured to deliver power to a load (212). The digital linear voltage regulator further includes a mixed-signal controller (206), configured to control each power stage unit in the power stage (208) by conditionally adjust a number of active power stage units in the power stage (208) based on a comparison of a feedback voltage of the load (212) and a reference voltage; wherein the hierarchical grouping of power stage units comprises N levels; wherein the power stage (208) comprises a number of MN Nth level units, and an Nth level unit comprising a number of MN−1 (N−1)th level units; and wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to 3, and MN and MN−1 are integers greater than or equal to 1.