Predictive digital peak current mode controller for DC-DC converters capable of operating over the full 0-100% duty cycle range

In this paper, a high performance fully digital peak current mode controller for DC-DC converters which supports the full duty cycle range from 0-100% is presented. Support for low duty cycle is very important during short circuit or converter overload and support for high duty cycle is important for faster response during a transient and for providing a larger output voltage range. The digital current controller is based on a new method, which estimates the inductor current in the middle of the falling current slope. The estimated inductor current is based on sampling the inductor current in either the rising or falling inductor current depending on the duty cycle of the switching period. The controller uses the estimated inductor current to calculate the inductance of the inductor in order to optimally predict and control the current loop. The controller can be used in both continuous (CCM) and discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) and supports high switching frequencies even with low cost A/D converters. The proposed controller is implemented in a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) to control a 450 W buck converter and the experimental results verify the controller's capability to operate in the full duty cycle range of 0-100%. The experimental results furthermore demonstrate the achievement of a very fast digital controller with a crossover frequency about 1/10 of the switching frequency, which is comparable to that obtained by analog peak current mode control.