Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-20703, filed Jan. 29, 2001, is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a power supply apparatus that reduces its own current consumption at the time of a light load to thereby eliminate power wastage, to thereby improve an overall power conversion efficiency thereof.

Conventionally, for example, charge pump DC/DC converters and switching regulators are known as power supply apparatuses.

A charge pump DC/DC converter uses charge and discharge of a capacitor to convert an input voltage to a given output voltage.

A switching regulator switches an input voltage and converts the input voltage to a given output voltage.

However, since a charge pump DC/DC converter is designed taking in account of the maximum load for its operation, its own current consumption is the same even when a load condition changes. Therefore, it does not waste the power at the time of a heavy load, but it is inconvenient that its capacity becomes excessive at the time of a light load such that the power is wasted, and the overall power conversion efficiency is lowered.

On the other hand, a switching regulator has a large current consumption but a high power convention efficiency. Accordingly, its high power conversion efficiency is effective at the time of a heavy load. However, it is inconvenient that the overall power conversion efficiency is lowered because its own current consumption is large at the time of a light load.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above, the present invention may provide a power supply apparatus that reduces its own current consumption at the time of a light load, to thereby improve an overall power conversion efficiency thereof.

One aspect of the present invention relates to a power supply apparatus comprising: an input terminal; an output terminal; a charge pump DC/DC converter provided between the input terminal and the output terminal; and a series regulator connected in parallel with the charge pump DC/DC converter between the input terminal and the output terminal, wherein the charge pump DC/DC converter and the series regulator are selectively operated according to size of a load connected to the output terminal.

In this manner, in accordance with this aspect of the present invention, a charge pump DC/DC converter and a series regulator having different characteristics are combined, and the DC/DC converter and the series regulator are selectively operated according to size of a load to take out an output voltage on an operation side thereof.

More concretely, at the time of a heavy load, the DC/DC converter is operated. Although the DC/DC converter has a large current consumption of its own, it has a high conversion efficiency of an output power with respect to an input power. Accordingly, since a load current increases at the time of a heavy load, it is effective to use the DC/DC converter the power conversion efficiency of which is high, and its current consumption can be neglected since the load current is large.

On the other hand, at the time of a light load, the series regulator is operated. Although the series regulator has a small current consumption of its own, it has a low power conversion efficiency. Accordingly, at the time of a light load, when the series regulator is used, its low power conversion efficiency can be neglected because its current consumption is small.

Accordingly, since its current consumption can be lowered at the time of a light load compared to that at the time of a heavy load, the power conversion efficiency as a whole can be improved when it is used both at a heavy load and a light load.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a power supply apparatus comprising: an input terminal; an output terminal; a switching regulator provided between the input terminal and the output terminal; and a series regulator connected in parallel with the switching regulator between the input terminal and the output terminal, wherein the switching regulator and the series regulator are selectively operated according to size of a load connected to the output terminal.

In this manner, in accordance with this aspect of the present invention, a switching regulator and a series regulator having different characteristics are combined, and the switching regulator and the series regulator are selectively operated according to size of a load to take out an output voltage on an operation side thereof.

More concretely, when the load is heavy, the switching regulator is operated. Although the switching regulator has a large current consumption of its own, it has a high conversion efficiency of an output power with respect to an input power. Accordingly, since a load current increases at the time of a heavy load, it is effective to use the switching regulator the power conversion efficiency of which is high, and its current consumption can be neglected since the load current is large.

On the other hand, at the time of a light load, the series regulator is operated. Although the series regulator has a small current consumption of its own, it has a low power conversion efficiency. Accordingly, at the time of a light load, when the series regulator is used, its low power conversion efficiency can be neglected because its current consumption is small.

Accordingly, since its current consumption can be reduced at the time of a light load compared to that at the time of a heavy load, the power conversion efficiency as a whole can be improved when it is used both at heavy load and light load.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1

shows a block diagram of a structure of a power supply apparatus in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2

shows a circuit diagram of a concrete structure of a step-down charge pump circuit;

FIG. 3

shows a circuit diagram of a concrete structure of a series regulator;

FIGS. 4A and 4B

show diagrams that are used to describe an example of an operation of the step-down charge pump circuit;

FIGS. 5A and 5B

show diagrams that are used to describe another example of an operation of the step-down charge pump circuit;

FIG. 6

shows a block diagram of a structure of a power supply apparatus in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7

shows a circuit diagram of a concrete structure of a step-down switching regulator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

A power supply apparatus in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to FIG.

1

.

As shown in

FIG. 1

, the power supply apparatus in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention is equipped with a charge pump step-down DC/DC converter

1

and a series regulator

2

connected in parallel between an input terminal

4

and an output terminal

7

, The step-down DC/DC converter

1

and the series regulator

2

are selectively operated based on a light load judging signal S

1

, and an output voltage on the operating side is taken out from an output terminal

3

.

The step-down DC/DC converter

1

uses charge and discharge of a capacitor to convert an input voltage Vin that is input in the input terminal

4

into a given output voltage Vout, and is formed from a step-down charge pump circuit

11

and a driving circuit

12

that drives the step-down charge pump circuit

11

.

The step-down charge pump circuit

11

is formed from, for example, as shown in

FIG. 2

, a first charge pump circuit

11

A that is composed of switching MOS transistors Q

1

to Q

4

and a capacitor C

1

, a second charge pump circuit

12

A that is composed of switching MOS transistors Q

11

to Q

14

and a capacitor C

2

, a switching MOS transistor Q

5

that is capable of connecting the first charge pump circuit

11

A and the second charge pump circuit

12

A, and a capacitor C

3

for output.

The above is described in a greater detail. The MOS transistor Q

1

has a source that is connected to the input terminal

4

and a drain that is connected to a source of the MOS transistor Q

3

through the capacitor C

1

. A drain of the MOS transistor Q

3

is connected to an output terminal

7

. Also, the MOS transistor Q

2

has a source that is connected to the drain of the MOS transistor Q

1

and a drain that is connected to the output terminal

7

. Furthermore, the MOS transistor Q

4

has a drain that is connected to the source of the MOS transistor Q

3

and a source of the MOS transistor Q

5

, and has a source that is grounded. The capacitor C

3

is connected between the output terminal

7

and the ground.

The MOS transistor Q

11

has a source that is connected to the input terminal

4

and a drain that is connected to a source of the MOS transistor Q

13

through the capacitor C

2

and also to a drain of the MOS transistor Q

5

. A drain of the MOS transistor Q

13

is connected to the output terminal

7

. Also, the MOS transistor Q

12

has a source that is connected to the drain of the MOS transistor Q

11

and a drain that is connected to the output terminal

7

. Furthermore, the MOS transistor Q

14

has a drain that is connected to the source of the MOS transistor Q

13

and a source thereof connected to the ground.

Given driving signals are input from the driving circuit

12

shown in

FIG. 1

to respective gates of the MOS transistors Q

1

to Q

5

and Q

11

to Q

14

, so that the MOS transistors Q

1

to Q

5

and Q

11

to Q

14

are controlled to turn on and off by the driving signals.

The driving circuit

12

generates driving signals that drive the MOS transistors Q

1

to Q

5

and Q

11

to Q

14

of the step-down charge pump circuit

11

based on an oscillation signal provided by an oscillation circuit (not shown) according to a mode that is set by a mode setting signal S

2

which is input in a mode setting terminal

5

.

Modes that can be set by the mode setting signal S

1

include a mode of complementarily driving or non-complimentarily driving the step-down charge pump circuit

11

, and a mode of a step-down amplification of input voltage (for example, at 1/1 amplification, 1/2 amplification, 2/3 amplification or the like).

Also, the driving circuit

12

can stop its operation or prohibit its output based on an inverted signal S

3

that is provided by inverting the light load judging signal S

2

input in a control input terminal

6

by an inverter

3

.

The series regulator

2

receives an input voltage Vin, and continuously controls its output voltage Vout so that the output voltage Vout becomes a given voltage, and has a structure shown in

FIG. 3

, for example.

More particularly, in the series regulator

2

, a MOS transistor Q

21

is connected between an input terminal

4

and an output terminal

7

, and a resistor R

1

, a resistor R

2

and a switch SW

1

are serially connected between the output terminal

7

and a ground. An error amplifier

21

compares a divided voltage obtained by dividing the output voltage Vout by the resistors R

1

and R

2

with a reference voltage, and applies an output voltage according to the comparison to a gate of the MOS transistor Q

21

to thereby control the on-resistance of the MOS transistor Q

21

, so that a given output voltage can be obtained.

The error amplifier

21

controls to turn on and off its output voltage by the light load judging signal S

1

input in the control input terminal

6

. Also, the switch SW

1

is controlled to open or close by the light load judging signal S

1

.

Next, an operation of the first embodiment having the composition described above is described with reference to the drawings.

When the load in the first embodiment is heavy, the light load judging signal S

1

becomes, for example, an “L” level. As a result, the light load judging signal S

1

is input unchanged in the error amplifier

21

and the switch SW

1

of the series regulator

2

, and it is inverted by the inverter

3

to an “H” level and then input in the driving circuit

12

of the step-down DC/DC converter

1

.

As a result, on the side of the step-down DC/DC converter

1

, the driving circuit

12

is placed in an operation state or in a state in which driving signals can be output. Accordingly, given driving signals from the driving circuit

12

according to the mode set by the mode setting signal S

2

are input in the corresponding gates of the MOS transistors Q

1

to Q

5

and Q

11

to Q

14

. As a result, the step-down charge pump circuit

11

operates according to the set mode, and generates a given output voltage Vout, which is output to the output terminal

7

.

Meanwhile, on the side of the series regulator

2

, outputs from the error amplifier

21

are prohibited, and the switch SW

1

is placed in an open state, such that the series regulator

2

does not operate, or does not generate any output voltage.

Next, when the load in the first embodiment is light, the light load judging signal S

1

becomes, for example, an “H” level. As a result, the light load judging signal S

1

is input unchanged in the error amplifier

21

and the switch SW

1

of the series regulator

2

, and it is inverted by the inverter

3

to an “L” level and then input in the driving circuit

12

of the step-down DC/DC converter

1

.

As a result, on the side of the step-down DC/DC converter

1

, the driving circuit

12

is placed in a state in which its operation is stopped or in a state in which outputs of driving signals are prohibited. Accordingly, the driving circuit

12

does not output any driving signals, such that the step-down charge pump circuit

11

stops its operation and any output voltage is generated.

Meanwhile, on the side of the series regulator

2

, it is placed in a state in which an output voltage from the error amplifier

21

can be output, and the switch SW

1

is placed in a closed state, such that the series regulator

2

is placed in an operation state, and its output voltage is output to the output terminal

7

.

Next, one example in which the step-down charge pump circuit

11

operates according to a mode set by the mode setting signal S

2

is described with reference to

FIGS. 4A

,

4

B,

5

A and

5

B.

First, one case is described with reference to

FIGS. 4A and 4B

where a mode is set in a complementary operation and at a step-down voltage in 1/1 amplification.

In this case, the first and second charge pump circuits

11

A and

11

B are placed in a state shown in

FIG. 4A

in a first period, and in a state shown in

FIG. 4B

in a second period. The operations in the first period and the second period are alternately repeated.

In other words, in the first period, in the first charge pump circuit

11

A, only the MOS transistors Q

2

and Q

4

are turned on by the driving circuit

12

, and a charged voltage of the capacitor C

1

in the second period in a previous round becomes to be an output voltage Vout (see FIG.

4

A).

Also, in the same first period, in the second charge pump circuit

11

B, only the MOS transistors Q

11

and Q

14

are turned on by the driving circuit

12

, and the capacitor C

2

is charged with an input voltage Vin (see FIG.

4

A).

In contrast, in the second period, in the first charge pump circuit

11

A, only the MOS transistors Q

1

and Q

4

are turned on by the driving circuit

12

, and the capacitor C

2

is charged with an input voltage Vin (see FIG.

4

B).

Also, in the same second period, in the second charge pump circuit

11

B, only the MOS transistors Q

12

and Q

14

are turned on by the driving circuit

12

, and a charged voltage of the capacitor C

2

in the first period becomes to be an output voltage Vout (see FIG.

4

B).

Next, one case is described with reference to

FIGS. 5A and 5B

where a mode is set in a complementary operation and at a step-down voltage in 1/2 amplification.

In this case, the first and second charge pump circuits

11

A and

11

B are placed in a state shown in

FIG. 5A

in a first period, and in a state shown in

FIG. 5B

in a second period. The operations of the first period and the second period are alternately repeated. A detailed description thereof is omitted here.

As described above, in the first embodiment, the charge pump step-down DC/DC converter

1

is operated when the load is heavy. Although the step-down DC/DC converter

1

has a large current consumption of its own, for example, at 100 &mgr;A, it has a high conversion efficiency of an output power with respect to an input power (a power conversion efficiency), for example, at 90%. Accordingly, since a load current increases at the time of a heavy load, it is effective to use the step-down DC/DC converter

1

whose power conversion efficiency is high, and its current consumption can be neglected since the load current is large.

On the other hand, at the time of a light load, the series regulator

2

is operated. Although the series regulator

2

has a small current consumption of its own, for example, at 1 &mgr;A, it has a low power conversion efficiency, for example, at 60%. Accordingly, at the time of a light load, when the series regulator

2

is used, its low power conversion efficiency can be neglected because its current consumption is small.

Accordingly, in accordance with the first embodiment, since its current consumption can be reduced at the time of a light load compared to at the time of a heavy load, the power conversion efficiency as a whole can be improved when it is used both at heavy load and light load. For this reason, in particular, when a battery-operated electronic appliance is operated in a stand-by state, wasteful power consumption of the battery can be prevented, and the battery can be used for a longer time.

It is noted that, in the first embodiment, the step-down DC/DC converter

1

and the series regulator

2

are selectively operated to take out an output voltage at an operation side thereof. Accordingly, it is necessary to prevent occurrence of a period in which no output voltage is generated when the operations are switched from one to the other. A device that copes with this point is described.

First, a case in which an operation of the step-down DC/DC converter

1

is switched to an operation of the series regulator

2

is described.

In this instance, the light load judging signal S

1

changes from an “L” level to an “H” level, which immediately sets a state in which the error amplifier

21

on the side of the series regulator

2

can output an output voltage, and the switch SW

1

is closed. As a result, the series regulator

2

immediately starts its operation.

Meanwhile, an appropriate device may be used to detect a change in the light load judging signal S

1

. A timer (not shown) is started upon detection thereof and counts a given time, and a finish signal is generated after the counting is completed. Then, the finish signal is used to set a state in which the driving circuit

12

on the side of the step-down DC/DC converter

1

stops its operation or a state in which outputs of the driving signals are prohibited. As a result, the step-down DC/DC converter starts its operation after the operation of the series regulator

2

becomes stable.

The operation described above prevents occurrence of a period in which no output voltage is generated when an operation of the step-down DC/DC converter

1

is switched to an operation of the series regulator

2

.

Next, conversely, a case in which an operation of the series regulator

2

is switched to an operation of the step-down DC/DC converter

1

is described.

In this instance, the light load judging signal S

1

changes from an “H” level to an “L” level, which is converted by the inverter

3

and input in the driving circuit

12

on the side of the step-down DC/DC converter

1

. As a result, the driving circuit

12

immediately shifts to an operation state or a state in which driving signals can be output, and the step-down DC/DC converter

1

immediately starts its operation.

Meanwhile, an appropriate device may be used to detect a change in the light load judging signal S

1

. A timer is started upon detection thereof and counts a given time, and a finish signal is generated after the counting is completed. Then, the finish signal is used to set a state in which the error amplifier

21

on the side of the series regulator

2

does not output an output voltage, and the switch SW

1

is opened. As a result, the series regulator

2

stops its operation after the operation of the step-down DC/DC converter

1

becomes stable.

The operation described above prevents occurrence of a period in which no output voltage is generated when an operation of the series regulator

2

is switched to an operation of the step-down DC/DC converter

1

.

Next, a power supply apparatus in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to FIG.

6

.

As shown in

FIG. 6

, the power supply apparatus in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention is equipped with a step-down switching regulator

8

and a series regulator

2

connected in parallel between an input terminal

4

and an output terminal

7

. The step-down switching regulator

8

and the series regulator

2

are selectively operated based on a light load judging signal S

1

, and an output voltage on an operation side thereof is taken out from an output terminal

3

.

The series regulator

2

is the same as the series regulator

2

shown in FIG.

1

and FIG.

3

.

The step-down switching regulator

8

switches an input voltage and converts the input voltage into a given output voltage, and has a structure shown in

FIG. 7

, for example.

The step-down switching regulator

8

includes a MOS transistor Q

31

and a coil L

1

serially connected between an input terminal

4

and output terminal

7

. Also, one end of the coil L

1

is connected to a ground through a diode D

1

, and the other end of the coil L

1

is connected to a ground through a capacitor C

4

.

A control circuit

31

generates a switching signal whose pulse frequency or pulse width changes according to size of an output voltage Vout, and controls to turn on and off the MOS transistor Q

31

by the switching signal, whereby a required output voltage is obtained.

Also, the control circuit

31

is placed to stop its operation or is prohibited from providing outputs based on an inverted signal S

3

that is provided by inverting the light load judging signal S

1

input from a control input terminal

6

by an inverter

3

.

Next, an operation of the second embodiment having the composition described above is described with reference to the drawings.

When the load in the second embodiment is heavy, the light load judging signal S

1

becomes, for example, an “L” level. As a result, the light load judging signal S

1

is input unchanged in an error amplifier

21

and a switch SW

1

of the series regulator

2

, and it is inverted by the inverter

3

to an “H” level to an inverted signal S

3

, which is then input in the control circuit

31

of the step-down switching regulator

8

.

As a result, on the side of the step-down switching regulator

8

, the control circuit

31

is placed in an operation state or in a state in which it can provide outputs. Accordingly, the step-down switching regulator

8

is placed in an operation state, such that a required output voltage is obtained.

Meanwhile, on the side of the series regulator

2

, the error amplifier

21

does not output an output voltage, and the switch SW

1

is placed in an open state, such that the series regulator

2

does not generate any output voltage.

Next, when the load in the first embodiment is light, the light load judging signal S

1

becomes, for example, an “H” level. As a result, the light load judging signal S

1

is input unchanged in the error amplifier

21

and the switch SW

1

of the series regulator

2

, and it is inverted by the inverter

3

to an “L” level to an inverted signal S

3

, which is then input in the control circuit

31

of the step-down switching regulator

8

.

As a result, on the side of the step-down switching regulator

8

, the control circuit

31

is placed in a state in which its operation is stopped or in a state in which outputs of driving signals are prohibited. Accordingly, the control circuit

31

does not output any switching signals, such that the step-down switching regulator

8

stops its operation and no output voltage is output therefrom.

Meanwhile, on the side of the series regulator

2

, it is placed in a state in which an output voltage from the error amplifier

21

can be output, and the switch SW

1

is placed in a closed state, such that the series regulator

2

is placed in an operation state, and its output voltage is output to the output terminal

7

.

As described above, in the second embodiment, the step-down switching regulator

8

is operated at the time when the load is heavy. Although the step-down switching regulator

8

has a large current consumption of its own, for example, at 100 &mgr;A, it has a high conversion efficiency of an output power with respect to an input power (a power conversion efficiency), for example, at 90%. Accordingly, since a load current increases at the time of a heavy load, it is effective to use the step-down switching regulator

8

whose power conversion efficiency is high, and its current consumption can be neglected since the load current is large.

On the other hand, at the time of a light load, the series regulator

2

is operated. Although the series regulator

2

has a small current consumption of its own, for example, at 1 &mgr;A, it has a low power conversion efficiency, for example, at 60%. Accordingly, at the time of a light load, when the series regulator

2

is used, its low power conversion efficiency can be neglected because its current consumption is small.

Accordingly, in accordance with the second embodiment, since its current consumption can be reduced at the time of a light load compared to that at the time of a heavy load, the power conversion efficiency as a whole can be improved when it is used both at a heavy load and a light load. For this reason, in particular, when a battery-operated electronic appliance is operated in a stand-by state, wasteful power consumption of the battery can be prevented, and the battery can be used for a longer time.

It is noted that, in the second embodiment, the step-down switching regulator

8

and the series regulator

2

are selectively operated to take out an output voltage at an operation side thereof. Accordingly, it is necessary to prevent occurrence of a period in which no output voltage is generated when the operations are switched from one to the other. A device that copes with this point is described.

First, a case in which an operation of the step-down switching regulator

8

is switched to an operation of the series regulator

2

is described.

In this instance, the light load judging signal S

1

changes from an “L” level to an “H” level, which immediately sets a state in which the error amplifier

21

on the side of the series regulator

2

can output an output voltage, and the switch SW

1

is closed. As a result, the series regulator

2

immediately starts its operation.

Meanwhile, an appropriate device may be used to detect a change in the light load judging signal S

1

. A timer is started upon detection thereof and counts a given time, and a finish signal is generated after the counting is completed. Then, the finish signal is used to set a state in which the control circuit

31

on the side of the step-down switching regulator

8

stops its operation or a state in which outputs of the driving signals are prohibited. As a result, the step-down switching regulator

8

starts its operation after the operation of the series regulator

2

becomes stable.

The operation described above prevents occurrence of a period in which no output voltage is generated when an operation of the step-down switching regulator

8

is switched to an operation of the series regulator

2

.

Next, conversely, a case in which an operation of the series regulator

2

is switched to an operation of the step-down switching regulator

8

is described.

In this instance, the light load judging signal S

1

changes from an “H” level to an “L” level, which is converted by the inverter

3

and input in the control circuit

31

on the side of the step-down switching regulator

8

. As a result, the control circuit

31

immediately shifts to an operation state or a state in which driving signals can be output. As a result, the step-down switching regulator

8

immediately starts its operation.

Meanwhile, an appropriate device may be used to detect a change in the light load judging signal S

1

. A timer is started upon detection thereof and counts a given time, and a finish signal is generated after the counting is completed. Then, the finish signal is used to set a state in which the error amplifier

21

on the side of the series regulator

2

does not output an output voltage, and the switch SW

1

is opened. As a result, the series regulator

2

stops its operation after the operation of the step-down switching regulator

8

becomes stable.

The operation described above prevents occurrence of a period in which no output voltage is generated when an operation of the series regulator

2

is switched to an operation of the step-down switching regulator

8

.

As described above, the present invention provides a power supply apparatus that can reduce its current consumption at the time of a light load, and improve its overall power conversion efficiency.