Power Management Expert Frederik Dostal

A switching regulator converts an input voltage to a higher or lower output voltage. For this, an inductor is used to store energy temporarily. The size of this inductor depends on the switching frequency of the switching regulator as well as the expected current flow through the circuit.

Currents often have to be limited in electronic circuits. For example, in a USB port excessive current flow must be prevented so that the electrical circuit can be reliably protected. Likewise, in a power bank, battery discharge must be prevented. Discharging with too high of a current can lead to an impermissibly high voltage drop in the battery and an insufficient supply voltage to the downstream device. Thus, it is often necessary to limit a current flow to a specific value.

In nearly every electronic circuit today, several different supply voltages are needed. A suitable power management architecture must be designed for the different required voltage rails. This article shows three solutions.

There are thousands of different switching regulators on the market. Selection is based on specifications such as input voltage range, output voltage capability, maximum output current, and a slew of other parameters. This article explains current mode, a differentiating feature commonly listed in data sheets, and its advantages and disadvantages.

In many applications, it is important for the supply voltage to be continuously available no matter what the circumstances. This isn’t always easy to ensure. A new concept can provide an optimal solution for an uninterruptible power supply with an extremely compact design.

Power supplies are usually set to a fixed output voltage to supply an electrical load with energy. Certain applications, however, require a variable generated voltage. This article will show how output voltages of a power supply may be adapted on-the-fly using dedicated digital-to-analog converters (DACs) developed for such purposes.

Even switch-mode power supplies with a fixed switching frequency do not always show a continuing pattern of pulses. In some conditions, pulses are omitted for various reasons. This is important to consider for output ripple voltage and EMI effects. This article provides deeper insights into the topic.

A power supply’s source, in actual use, is never ideal. The real behavior, including parasitics, needs to be considered to build a reliable power system. When we use power supplies, we ensure that a DC-to-DC converter, such as a switching regulator, can withstand a certain input voltage range and that it can generate the required output voltage from it with sufficient current.