TPS53676 supports several forms of
overvoltage protection. The figure below describes the overvoltage protection scheme
in more detail.
- Pre-Bias OVF protects the
converter while initialization runs. This protection is active
tINIT-PBOV, 350 μs maximum after the VCC pin voltage is
established, until initialization is complete. The threshold is hard-coded to
3.7 V. In response to this condition, all PWM pins (regardless of channel
assignment) pull low, regardless of the overvoltage response setting. This fault
cannot be cleared without a power cycle of the VCC pin. The fixed overvoltage
protection becomes active after tINIT-LOGIC , up to 20 ms after the
VCC pin voltage is established. This fault detection cannot be disabled.
- Fixed OVF is a
programmable limit based on the VSP pin voltage, above which it is not safe to
operate the load device. Program the threshold through the MFR_PROTECTION_CONFIG
command. This fault detection is active regardless of power conversion. If
triggered while power conversion is disabled, this fault is treated as
potentially catastrophic, and cannot be cleared without a power cycle of the VCC
pin.
- Tracking OVF is a fault
limit, programmable as an offset from the current VOUT_COMMAND value. Program
this threshold through VOUT_OV_FAULT_LIMIT. When the VSP-VSN pin differential
voltage exceeds this limit during power conversion, the tracking overvoltage
fault condition is detected. This fault detection is disabled whenever power
conversion is disabled.
- Tracking OVW is a warning
limit, programmable as an offset from the current VOUT_COMMAND value. Program
this threshold through VOUT_OV_WARN_LIMIT. When the VSP-VSN pin differential
voltage exceeds this limit during power conversion, the tracking overvoltage
warning condition is detected. This is a warning condition only, and does not
cause any interruption to power conversion. The overvoltage warning provides
early feedback to they system host allowing it to make adjustments prior a fault
triggering.
In response to the overvoltage warning
condition, TPS53676 sets the appropriate status bits in STATUS_WORD and STATUS_VOUT
and asserts the SMB_ALERT# line if these bits are not masked.
In response to the overvoltage fault
condition TPS53676 responds according to the programmed VOUT_OV_FAULT_RESPONSE. When
not set to the ignore response, this causes the PWM pins of the rail which
experienced a fault to pull low immediately. Additionally, TPS53676 sets the
appropriate status bits in STATUS_WORD and STATUS_VOUT and asserts the SMB_ALERT#
line if these bits are not masked.
Program the tracking overvoltage fault
threshold through the VOUT_OV_FAULT_LIMIT command as an absolute voltage. When a new
VOUT_OV_FAULT_LIMIT command is received the device calculates the tracking
overvoltage offset value internally according to the equation below. The threshold
voltages get scaled with the use of an external voltage sensing divider and
VOUT_SCALE_LOOP. TPS53676 supports tracking overvoltage fault offsets from +32 mV to
+448 mV in 32 mV steps.
Program the tracking overvoltage
warning through the VOUT_OV_WARN_LIMIT command as an absolute voltage. Similarly,
when a new VOUT_OV_WARN_LIMIT command is received, the device calculates the
tracking overvoltage warning offset according to the equation below. The threshold
voltages get scaled with the use of an external voltage sensing divider and
VOUT_SCALE_LOOP. TPS53676 supports tracking overvoltage warning offsets from +24 mV
to +448 mV in 8 mV steps.
Program the fixed overvoltage fault
threshold through MFR_PROTECTION_CONFIG. TPS53676 supports values from 0.6 V to 3.7
V, in 100 mV steps.
Equation 36.
Equation 37.
The over-voltage warning and fault
trip thresholds include the load-line setting as shown in the equations below.
Equation 38.
Equation 39.
Updates to VOUT_COMMAND do not cause
these the overvoltage offsets to be recalculated. After the output voltage target
has been changed, TPS53676 reports the fault and warning thresholds by adding the
previously select offset value to the current VOUT_COMMAND.
Example: Programming the OVF and
OVW offsets
Assume the current VOUT_COMMAND is
1.000 V, the VOUT_DROOP setting is equal to 0.5 mΩ, and the load current is equal to
100 A.
- Program the VOUT_OV_WARN_LIMIT to
1.128 V (1.0 V + 128 mV), to select the +128 mV tracking overvoltage warning
offset. The VOUT_DROOP is assumed to be zero for calculation purposes. However,
the over-voltage warning trip threshold does account for the load-line setting
and is equal to 1.128 V - 0.5 mΩ × IOUT.
- Program the VOUT_OV_FAULT_LIMIT
to 1.256 V (1.0 V + 256 mV) , to select the +256 mV tracking overvoltage fault
offset. The VOUT_DROOP is assumed to be zero for calculation purposes. However,
the over-voltage fault trip threshold does account for the load-line setting and
is equal to 1.256 V - 0.5 mΩ × IOUT.
If the VOUT_COMMAND value is changed
to is 1.100 V, the TPS53676 reports VOUT_OV_WARN_LIMIT as 1.228 V (1.1 V + 128 mV),
and VOUT_OV_FAULT_LIMIT as 1.356 V (1.1 V + 256 mV). The offset values are not
changed.