Frequency modulation based voltage controller configuration

Abstract

A voltage converter can be switched among two or more modes to produce an output voltage tracking a reference voltage that can be of an intermediate level between discrete levels corresponding to the modes. One or more voltages generated from a power supply voltage, such as a battery voltage, can be compared with the reference voltage to determine whether to adjust the mode. The reference voltage can be independent of the power supply voltage. Further, the voltage converter may implement frequency modulation and a pulse skipping mode to improve the efficiency of switching operational states of the voltage converter.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A voltage converter comprising:
 a switch matrix configurable into a plurality of states based at least in part on one or more switch control signals, a voltage level of an output voltage of the switch matrix being based at least in part on a configuration of the switch matrix; and   an oscillator configured to generate an oscillator signal based at least in part on an amount of current received from a voltage controlled current source, the amount of current being based at least in part on a difference between a first voltage corresponding to the output voltage of the switch matrix and a second voltage corresponding to an input to the voltage converter, the oscillator signal varying based at least in part on the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage.   
     
     
         3 . The voltage converter of  claim 2  wherein the switch matrix includes a plurality of switches, the voltage level of the output voltage being based at least in part on a configuration of one or more of the plurality of switches. 
     
     
         4 . The voltage converter of  claim 3  further comprising a capacitive element in electrical communication with at least one of the plurality of switches of the switch matrix, the capacitive element configured to charge based at least in part on a first state of the at least one of the plurality of switches, the capacitive element configured to discharge based at least in part on a second state of the at least one of the plurality of switches. 
     
     
         5 . The voltage converter of  claim 2  wherein a frequency of the oscillator signal varies responsive to a change in the amount of current received from the voltage controlled current source. 
     
     
         6 . The voltage converter of  claim 2  wherein a frequency of the oscillator signal varies responsive to a change in the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage. 
     
     
         7 . The voltage converter of  claim 2  wherein at least one of a frequency of the oscillator signal or the amount of current received from the voltage controlled current source increases responsive to an increase in the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage. 
     
     
         8 . The voltage converter of  claim 2  wherein at least one of a frequency of the oscillator signal or the amount of current received from the voltage controlled current source decreases responsive to a decrease in the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage. 
     
     
         9 . The voltage converter of  claim 2  further comprising a clock generator configured to generate one or more clock signals for the switch matrix, the one or more clock signals being based at least in part on the oscillator signal. 
     
     
         10 . The voltage converter of  claim 2  wherein voltage converter is configured to transition into a pulse skipping mode based at least in part on the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage. 
     
     
         11 . A wireless device comprising:
 a power amplifier configured to amplify a radio frequency input signal; and   a voltage converter including a switch matrix and an oscillator, the switch matrix configurable into a plurality of states based at least in part on one or more switch control signals, the switch matrix configured to provide the radio frequency input signal to the power amplifier, a voltage level of the radio frequency input signal being based at least in part on a configuration of the switch matrix, the oscillator configured to generate an oscillator signal based at least in part on an amount of current received from a voltage controlled current source, the amount of current being based at least in part on a difference between a first voltage corresponding to the radio frequency input signal and a second voltage corresponding to an input to the voltage converter, and the oscillator signal varying based at least in part on the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage.   
     
     
         12 . The wireless device of  claim 11  wherein the switch matrix includes a plurality of switches, the voltage level of the radio frequency input signal being based at least in part on a configuration of one or more of the plurality of switches. 
     
     
         13 . The wireless device of  claim 12  wherein the voltage converter further includes a capacitive element in electrical communication with at least one of the plurality of switches of the switch matrix, the capacitive element configured to charge based at least in part on a first state of the at least one of the plurality of switches, and the capacitive element configured to discharge based at least in part on a second state of the at least one of the plurality of switches. 
     
     
         14 . The wireless device of  claim 11  wherein a frequency of the oscillator signal varies responsive to at least one of a change in the amount of current received from the voltage controlled current source or a change in the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage. 
     
     
         15 . The wireless device of  claim 11  wherein at least one of a frequency of the oscillator signal or the amount of current received from the voltage controlled current source increases responsive to an increase in the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage. 
     
     
         16 . The wireless device of  claim 11  wherein the voltage converter further includes a clock generator configured to generate one or more clock signals for the switch matrix, the one or more clock signals being based at least in part on the oscillator signal. 
     
     
         17 . The wireless device of  claim 11  wherein the voltage converter is configured to transition into a pulse skipping mode based at least in part on the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage. 
     
     
         18 . A multi-chip module comprising:
 a power amplifier die including one or more power amplifiers, the one or more power amplifiers configured to amplify a radio frequency input signal; and   a controller die including a power amplifier bias controller and a voltage converter, the power amplifier bias controller configured to control a bias signal applied to the one or more power amplifiers, the voltage converter including a switch matrix and an oscillator, the switch matrix configurable into a plurality of states based at least in part on one or more switch control signals, the switch matrix configured to provide the radio frequency input signal to the power amplifier, a voltage level of the radio frequency input signal being based at least in part on a configuration of the switch matrix, the oscillator configured to generate an oscillator signal based at least in part on an amount of current received from a voltage controlled current source, the amount of current being based at least in part on a difference between a first voltage corresponding to the radio frequency input signal and a second voltage corresponding to an input to the voltage converter, the oscillator signal varying based at least in part on the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage.   
     
     
         19 . The multi-chip module of  claim 18  wherein a frequency of the oscillator signal varies responsive to a change in a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage. 
     
     
         20 . The multi-chip module of  claim 18  wherein the switch matrix includes a plurality of switches, the voltage level of the radio frequency input signal being based at least in part on a configuration of one or more of the plurality of switches. 
     
     
         21 . The wireless device of  claim 20  wherein the voltage converter further includes a capacitive element in electrical communication with at least one of the plurality of switches of the switch matrix, the capacitive element configured to charge based at least in part on a first state of the at least one of the plurality of switches, the capacitive element configured to discharge based at least in part on a second state of the at least one of the plurality of switches.