TB085

A Simple Circuit for Driving Microcontroller Friendly PWM Generators

Author: Keith Curtis Microchip Technology Inc. Because the MCP1630 does not contain an on-chip oscillator, its application in non-intelligent or dumb power supply designs, is limited. However, marrying the MCP1630 with a small pin-count microcontroller solves the oscillator problem and opens up possibilities for other features such as: Variable pulse frequency soft-start External shutdown control Under-voltage lockout Over temperature shutdown

INTRODUCTION
The recent interest in intelligent power supplies has driven the development of a new class of microcontroller friendly PWM generators. These PWM generators are the mixed signal control blocks for Switch mode power supplies. One such device is the MCP1630. The MCP1630 contains the 3 main elements for designing a switching power supply as a peripheral to a microcontroller: a set/reset flip-flop, a high-speed voltage comparator and an op amp to implement the error amplifier (see Figure 1). The microcontroller controls the MCP1630 through its clock input. The frequency of the clock determines the pulse frequency of the PWM output, and the duty cycle of the clock limits the maximum PWM duty cycle of the output. Control of the duty cycle between 0 and the maximum set by the clock input is determined by the current feedback to the comparator and the output of the error amplifier (see Figure 2).

THEORY OF OPERATION
This technical brief will examine a design which combines the PIC10F206, a 6-pin SOT-23 microcontroller, with the MCP1630. The power supply design presented is a full proportional-feedback continuous inductor current, current-mode, boost power supply generating 15V out at .25 amps from a 9 VDC input. The PIC10F206 generates the clock for the MCP1630 and through that control, implements the previous list of features.

FIGURE 1:
Vsupply

TYPICAL SWITCH MODE POWER SUPPLY BLOCK DIAGRAM

MCP1630 Flip-Flop Clock Input

R S Q Q

Voutput

Op Amp
+

Reference

Comparator Microcontroller

2004 Microchip Technology Inc.

DS91085A-page 1

TB085
FIGURE 2: MCP1630 HIGH-SPEED PWM
VIN 0.1 A UVLO OSC IN VIN S Q VEXT Overtemperature VIN

GND 100 k

CS COMP VIN VREF EA + FB + Comp -

Latch Truth Table S 2R R 2.7V Clamp 0 0 1 1 R 0 1 0 1 Q Qn 1 0 1

HARDWARE
The PIC10F206 is well suited for this function. It has an on-chip voltage comparator for the under-voltage detect and it has sufficient I/O to control the MCP1630 and monitor the external inputs. The microcontroller monitors the inputs and generates the 250 kHz clock, all in software. Because the controls are simple, the control circuit only needs the microcontroller and a few components to implement all the control functions. Figure 3 shows the resulting schematic. Microcontroller inputs are connected to a divided supply voltage, a digital temperature sensor and the shutdown input. The remaining output is the output driving the MCP1630 clock input. For under-voltage detection, the divided supply voltage is routed to the non-inverting input of the comparator. The inverting input is tied internally to the on-chip 0.6V reference. The software then monitors the comparator output to detect an under-voltage condition.

The temperature sensor is implemented using a digital output device that pulls its output low when the threshold temperature is exceeded. The software monitors the input to detect an over-temperature condition and shuts down the pulse output if the temperature goes to high. When the temperature falls back below the threshold temperature, the sensor output returns high and the software soft-starts the pulse output. Hysteresis built in the temperature sensor prevents chattering and the sensors trip temperature is preset when the sensor is manufactured. The shutdown input, GP1, is tied to whatever remote start-up logic is desired. The software polls the input to determine if a shutdown is requested and terminates the pulse output if the input is low. Raising the input restarts the supply.

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2004 Microchip Technology Inc.

FIGURE 3:

+9V

U5 LM3480-5 +5V C5 0.1 F +9V +C17 22 F 1 F C13 Out In Com 3 C6 0.1 F

2004 Microchip Technology Inc.

L1 +5V C1 0.1 F C7 0.1 F J2 U2 MCP1630 7 VDD DRVR 1 R9 100 C12 1500 pF 6 3 CFB 2 VFB R8 0.56 R6 2.4K 1 C14 1.0 F C15 1.0 F C16 1000 pF 2 3 4 15 VDC Output +5V U1 5 PIC10F206 VDD 1 4 GP0/C+ GP2/T0CKI/CO 3 GP3/MCLR 6 GP1/CVSS 4 OSC 8 VREF 1 COMP VSS 5 2 D1 B230 3 Q1 IRLML2502 2 +5V C11 R10 100K .1 F .033 F +5V C8 0.1 F C3 100 pF 220 F C10 R7 510 U4 4 TC6501 5 Tovr GND 1 GND 2 VDD Hyst 3 2 C9 1 F 1 VIN VOUT VSS 3 U3 MCP1525

+9V

+5V

J1

R1 10K

R2 8.2K

Input

SWITCH MODE POWER SUPPLY SCHEMATIC

R3 1K

C2 1000 pF

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TB085

TB085
SOFTWARE
The software monitors the inputs and generates the output pulse using a simple bit-set/bit-clear loop, expanded to interleave all the input testing. By keeping the bit-set to bit-set time to 4 cycles, the output duty cycle is locked to 25% for a 250 kHz clock. The latency time for a shutdown is 16 cycles. Figure 4 shows the code listing.

FIGURE 6:

CODE LISTING 2
;table of 32 ;set to last

FIGURE 4:
loop BSF BCF BTFSS GOTO BSF BCF BTFSS GOTO BSF BCF BTFSS GOTO BSF BCF GOTO

CODE LISTING 1
;generate a pulse ;test 4 low Vin ;if low shutdown ;generate a pulse ;test 4 hi temp ;if hi shutdown ;generate a pulse ;test 4 shutdown ;if shutdown ;generate a pulse ;infinate loop

PWM PWM CMPOUT Low_volt PWM PWM GP1 High_temmp PWM PWM GP3 shtdwn PWM PWM loop

The soft-start function is generated by ramping up the number of output pulses. At start-up, a single pulse is followed by a long delay. Next, 2 pulses are followed by a shorter delay, then 3, 4 and so on until the pulse chain is continuous. The soft-start code is implemented as a table of bit-set/ bit-clear/delay instructions, similar to code listing 1 with a delay and control section. Figure 5 shows the timing of soft-start and Figure 6 is an excerpt from the actual code.

Soft_Start MOVLW .32 MOVWF counter MOVLW Last-Table MOVWF pointer Loop MOVF counter,w MOVWF count Delay NOP DECFSZ count,f GOTO Delay MOVF pointer,w ADDWF PCL,f Table BSF PWM BCF PWM GOTO $+1 |-----------;29 copies BSF PWM BCF PWM GOTO $+1 Last BSF PWM BCF PWM GOTO $+1 DECF pointer,f DECF pointer,f DECF pointer,f DECFSZ counter,f GOTO Loop loop_forever

;reload delay ;generate delay ;decrement count ;repeat til done ;get pntr 4 jump ;jump

;32 pulse ;2 cycle delay of pulse + delay ;2nd pulse

;add a pulse

;decrease delay ;if 10, continue ;if 0, goto main

CONCLUSION
Using a combination of software and simple hardware, an efficient control for a PWM generator is implemented with many of the features found in more complex controllers. The result is a modular building-block style design with many advanced features that can be easily customized for a customers needs.

FIGURE 5:
PWM Clock

PWM CLOCK

TABLE 1:
GPR Program

MEMORY USAGE
3 bytes 153 words

2004 Microchip Technology Inc.

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