PEDS2009

Family of Single-Inductor Multi-Output DC-DC Converters

Ray-Lee Lin

Chi-Rung Pan

Kuang-Hua Liu

National Cheng Kung University

No. 1, Ta-Hseuh Road
Tainan City, Taiwan
rayleelin@ee.ncku.edu.tw

National Cheng Kung University

No. 1, Ta-Hseuh Road
Tainan City, Taiwan
n2694147@mail.ncku.edu.tw

Green Mark Inc.

Shindian City,
Taipei County, Taiwan
ken.liu@green-mark.com

Abstract - This paper presents the family of the singleinductor multi-output DC-DC converters. Conventional
transformer-based multi-output DC-DC converters are
proposed to provide multiple output voltages, which, however,
have the drawbacks of high cost and large volume. Therefore,
the single-inductor multi-output three-terminal configuration is
developed in order to reduce the component count and cost for
multi-output DC-DC converters, including the boost, buck,
buck-boost, and flyback DC-DC converters. In this paper, the
boost-type single-inductor dual-output DC-DC converter is
introduced and analyzed. Furthermore, the family of the
single-inductor multi-output DC-DC converters is presented.

VL
L

S1

C2

R2

C1

R1

VO1

VO2

A. Operational Principles
The operation of the boost-type single-inductor dualoutput DC-DC converter can be divided into three operating
stages at steady state, as shown in Figure 3. At Stage 1, the
switches S1 and S2 are turned on simultaneously at time t0.
The inductor L is charged by the input DC source and the
inductor current increases, as shown in Figure 4(a). At Stage
2, the switch S1 is turned OFF at time t1 but switch S2 is still
kept ON until t2. Meanwhile, the inductor discharges to the
low-voltage side with output capacitor C2 and load resistor
R2 through diode Dp2, such that the inductor current
decreases, as shown in Figure 4(b). At Stage 3, the switch S2
is turned OFF at time t2 but switch S1 is still kept OFF until t3.
Meantime, the inductor discharges to the high-voltage side
with output capacitor C1 and load resistor R1 through diode
Dp1, which makes the inductor current decrease more
rapidly, as shown in Figure 4(c).
B. Derivation of Voltage Ratios

Da

At Stage 1, the incremental inductor current I1 , as

shown in Figure 5, can be obtained from Equation (1).

S2a
Db
Ca

S2b
Cb

IO2

II. BOOST-TYPE SINGLE-INDUCTOR DUAL-OUTPUT DC-DC

CONVERTER

In recent years, the multi-output DC-DC converters [13] have been used in many portable and handheld consumer
applications, such as MP3 players and digital cameras for
the requirement of small-size and light-weight [4-7].
Conventionally, the transformer-based multi-output DC-DC
converters are widely employed to provide multiple output
voltages. However, the drawbacks of these transformer-type
converters include the amount and cost of electronic
components and circuit volume [8-11].
The single-inductor multi-output DC-DC converters
[12-16] were developed to effectively reduce the amount of
electronic components for providing multiple output
voltages, as shown in Figure 1 [3]. In order to further save
the switch Sa or Sb from the single-inductor multi-output
DC-DC converter showed in Figure 1, the prior work in [6]
presented a novel boost-type single-inductor dual-output
DC-DC converter, as shown in Figure 2.

S1

S2

IC2

IO1

Figure 2. Boost-type single-inductor dual-output DC-DC converter [6].

I. INTRODUCTION

Vg

IC1

Dp2

Vg

Index Terms single inductor; multi-output; DC-DC;

converter

Dp1

IL

Rb

Ra

VOa

I1 =

Vg D1 T

,
L
where D1 is the duty cycle of the switch S1, and
T is the switching period.

VOb

Figure 1. Single-inductor multi-output switching converters [3].

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(1)

PEDS2009
During Stage 2, to fulfill the requirement of the voltsecond balance at steady state, the decrease I2 in inductor
current can be calculated by Equation (2).
(V -V ) (D 2 -D1 ) T
(2)
I 2 = O2 g
,
L
where D2 is the duty cycle of the switch S2.
Similarly, during Stage 3, the decrease I3 in inductor

Stage 2 Stage 3

Stage 1

VO1

VO1

VO2

VO2
t

IC1

IC2

current can be obtained, as shown in Equation (3).

(V -V ) (1-D 2 ) T
(3)
I3 = O1 g
, and
L
At steady state, the increase in the inductor current I1
is equal to the summation of the decreases, ( I2 + I3 ), in the

VL

IL,max
IL
IL,min

IL

inductor current. Therefore, the voltage ratio relationship in

between Vg, VO1 and VO2 can be obtained, as shown in
Equation (4).
Vg =VO1 (1-D 2 )+VO2 (D 2 -D1 ).
(4)

S1

D1T

t
S2
605
t

19 6055

t2 19 t606
3

t1

I2

I1

D2T
19 6065

19 607

I3

IL

T
Figure 3. Key waveforms for boost-type single-inductor dual-output DCDC converter.

VO1-Vg

VL

VO2-Vg

Dp1

Dp2

S2

C1

Vg
S1

C2

R2

R1

VO1

-Vg

VO2

S1

(a) Stage 1 (t0~t 1)

Dp1
S2

t
C1

C2

R2

R1

VO1

S2

VO2

Dp1

S2

Figure 5. Waveform of indictor current and voltage for boost-type singleinductor dual-output DC-DC converter.
Dp2
C1

Vg
S1

D2T
t

(b) Stage 2 (t1~t 2)

L

D1T

Dp2

Vg
S1

C2

R2

R1

C. Derivation of Minimum Inductance in CCM

VO1

In order to ensure the operation of CCM condition, the

inductance must be greater than a minimum value, as shown
in Figure 3, which can be derived by utilizing the principles
of energy conservation, as shown in Equation (5).
V 2 V 2
(5)
Pin =Vg IL = PO = O1 + O2 .
R1
R2

VO2

(c) Stage 3 (t2~t 3)

Figure 4. Operational principle of boost-type single-inductor dual-output

DC-DC converter.

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PEDS2009
where
Pin is the input power, and
PO is the output power.

DC converter can be obtained, as shown in Figure 2. By

using the configuration number 6, the buck-boost-type
single-inductor dual-output DC-DC converter can be
obtained, as shown in Figure 10. Generally speaking, the
flyback converter can be developed as the extension of the
buck-boost converter by replacing the inductor with the
transformer. Thus, the flyback-type single-inductor dualoutput DC-DC converter is presented, as shown in Figure
11.

Based on Equation (4) and the minimum level of

inductor current IL,min in Figure 3, the minimal inductance
Lmin can be obtained, as shown in Equation (6).
L min

[VO1 D2 (1-D2 )+VO2 (D2 2 -D12 -D2 +D1 )] [VO1 (1-D2 )+VO2 (D2 -D1 )] T R1 R 2
.
2 (R 2 VO12 +R1 VO2 2 )

(6)

Dp1

S1

D. Derivation of Output-Voltage Ripples

L
S2

Since the capacitors C1 and C2 are connected to the two

output terminals of the boost-type single-inductor dualoutput DC-DC converter, the output voltage ripples VO1
and VO2 of the output capacitors C1 and C2 can be
calculated by utilizing the amp-second balance principle, as
shown in Equations (7) and (8), respectively.
T (1-D2 )
(7)
VO1 =
VO1.
C1 R 1
T [1-(D 2 -D1 )]
(8)
VO2 =
VO2 .
C2
R2

Vg

Dp2

C1
R2

C2

R1

VO1

VO2

Figure 9. Buck-type single-inductor dual-output DC-DC converter.

Dp1
S1

III. FAMILY OF SINGLE-INDUCTOR MULTI-OUTPUT DC-DC

CONVERTERS

Dp2

Vg

Based on the single-inductor multi-output threeterminal configuration, as shown in Figure 8, the family of
the single-inductor multi-output DC-DC converters can be
presented by utilizing the configuring single-inductor multioutput three-terminal in Table 1 [15], as follows.

C1
S2

C2

R2

R1

VO1

VO2

Figure 10. Buck-boost-type single-inductor dual-output DC-DC converter.

Dp1

3_1

3_2

Dp2
Lm

2
Figure 8. Single-inductor multi-output three-terminal configuration.

Vg

Table I
CONFIGURING SINGLE-INDUCTOR MULTI-OUTPUT THREE-TERMINAL [15]

Configuration
Numbers

Common

Input

Output

S2

C1
C2

R2

R1

VO1

VO2

S1

Figure 11. Flyback-type single-inductor dual-output DC-DC converter.

A. Buck-type
Converter

Single-inductor

Dual-output

DC-DC

By utilizing the single-inductor multi-output threeterminal configuration in Figure 8, the buck-type singleinductor dual-output DC-DC converter [16] can be obtained,
as shown in Figure 9. The voltage ratio of the buck-type
single-inductor dual-output DC-DC converter is shown in
Equation (9). At the beginning of each cycle, the switches S1
and S2 are turned ON simultaneously. The inductor L and
the low-voltage side with C2 and R2 are charged by the input

By using the configuration number 1, the buck-type

single-inductor dual-output DC-DC converter [16] can be
obtained, as shown in Figure 9. By using the configuration
number 3, the boost-type single-inductor dual-output DC-

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PEDS2009
DC source and the inductor current increases. When the
switch S1 is turned OFF but switch S2 is still kept ON, the
inductor discharges to the low-voltage side with C2 and R2
through Dp2, such that the inductor current decrease. When
the switch S2 is turned OFF but switch S1 is still kept OFF,
the inductor discharges to the high-voltage side with C1 and
R1 through Dp1 and Dp2, which leads to the inductor current
decreases.
Vg =VO1 (

1-D2
D
1
(11)
[VO1 (
)+VO2 ( 2 )].
N
D1
D1
where N is turns ratio of dual-output flyback converter.
Vg =

IV. SINGLE-INDUCTOR MULTI-OUTPUT DC-DC CONVERTER

The boost-type single-inductor triple-output DC-DC
converter can be extended from the boost-type singleinductor dual-output DC-DC converter, thus the boost-type
single-inductor multi-output DC-DC converter can also be
extended and presented, as shown in Figure 12. Only a
single inductor is required for providing multiple output
voltages. The output voltage VO is always higher than the
input voltage and the other output voltages are higher and
lower than the input voltage, as shown in Figure 12.

1-D2
D
)+VO2 ( 2 ).
D1
D1

(9)
B. Buck-boost-type Single-inductor Dual-output DC-DC
Converter
By using the single-inductor multi-output threeterminal configuration in Figure 8, the buck-boost-type
single-inductor dual-output DC-DC converter can be
developed, as shown in Figure 10. The voltage ratio of the
buck-boost-type single-inductor dual-output DC-DC
converter is shown in Equation (10). At the beginning of
each cycle, the switches S1 and S2 are turned ON
simultaneously. The inductor L is charged by the input DC
source and the inductor current increases. When the switch
S1 is turned OFF but switch S2 is still kept ON, the inductor
discharges to the low-voltage side with C2 and R2 through
Dp2, such that the inductor current decrease. When the
switch S2 is turned OFF but switch S1 is still kept OFF, the
inductor discharges to the high-voltage side with C1 and R1
through Dp1, which leads to the inductor current decreases.
Vg =VO1

D
L

S1
Vg

RN

CN

R1

VO1

VON

Figure 12. Boost-type single-inductor multi-output DC-DC converter.

V. IMPLEMENTATION AND EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS FOR

BOOST-TYPE SINGLE-INDUCTOR DUAL-OUTPUT DC-DC
CONVERTER
A. Implementation of Prototype Circuit

(10)
Single-inductor

SN

C1

VO

C
DN

(1-D2 )
(D -D )
+VO2 2 1 .
D1
D1

C. Flyback-type
Converter

D1

Dual-output

The specifications and parameters of the prototype

circuit for boost-type single-inductor dual-output DC-DC
converter in Figure 13 are listed in Table 2. Based on Table
2, the prototype circuit of boost-type single-inductor dualoutput DC-DC converter can be built, and the experimental
results are shown, as follows.
IL

DC-DC

The voltage ratio of the flyback-type single-inductor

dual-output converter is expressed in Equation (11). At the
beginning of each cycle, the switches S1 and S2 are turned
ON simultaneously. The leakage inductor Lm is charged by
the input DC source and the leakage inductor current
increases. When the switch S1 is turned OFF but switch S2 is
still kept ON, the leakage inductor discharges to the lowvoltage side with C2 and R2 through Dp2, such that the
leakage inductor current decrease. When the switch S2 is
turned OFF but switch S1 is still kept OFF, the leakage
inductor discharges to the high-voltage side with C1 and R1
through Dp1, which leads to the leakage inductor current
decreases.

Dp1

L
S2
Vg
VGS1

S1

Dp2
C1
VGS2

C2

R2

R1

VO1

VO2

Figure 13. Prototype circuit for boost-type single-inductor dual-output DCDC converter.

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PEDS2009
by the Program of Top 100 Universities Advancement,
Ministry of Education, Taiwan.

Table II
SPECIFICATIONS AND PARAMETERS OF BOOST-TYPE SINGLE-INDUCTOR
DUAL-OUTPUT DC-DC CONVERTER

Parameter
Input Voltage (Vg)
Output Voltages (VO)
Switching Frequency (f)
Duty Cycles (D)
Inductor (L)
Capacitors (C1, C2)
Switches (S1, S2)
Diodes (Dp1, Dp2)

Value
3.9 V
VO1=12 V (IO1=250mA)
VO2=5 V (IO2=135mA)
100 kHz (S1, S2)
D1=50%
D2=80%
L=56 H (ESR=10m)
C1=10F (ESR=10m)
C2=33F (ESR=150m)
IRF630 (RDS(ON)=250m)
1N5819

D1=50%, D2=80%, VO1=11.5V, VO2=4.8V, Vg=3.9V, R1=22, R2=82,

f=100kHz, VGS1, VGS2, VO1 and VO2:10V/div, Time Base=5s/div

VGS1
VGS2
VO1
VO2

Figure 14. VGS1, VGS2, VO1, VO2 waveforms of boost-type single-inductor

dual-output DC-DC converter.

B. Experimental Results
Figure 14 shows the measured waveforms of VGS1, VGS2,
VO1, and VO2 for boost-type single-inductor dual-output DCDC converter at steady state. The output voltage VO1 equals
11.5 V DC and the output voltage VO2 equals 4.8 V DC
when the duty cycle D1 of VGS1 equals 50% and the duty
cycle D2 of VGS2 equals 80%. Figure 15 shows the measured
waveforms of VGS1, VGS2 and IL for boost-type singleinductor dual-output DC-DC converter at steady state.

D1=50%, D2=80%, IL,avg=650mA, Vg=3.9V, R1=22, R2=82, f=100kHz,

VGS1 and VGS2: 10V/div, IL:200mA/div, Time Base=5s/div

VGS1

VGS2

VI. CONCLUSIONS

IL

This paper has presented the family of the singleinductor multi-output DC-DC converters. The boost-type
single-inductor dual-output DC-DC converter has been
introduced and analyzed, including the output voltage
ripples, the voltage ratios and the minimum inductance in
CCM by using amp-second balance principle and voltsecond balance principle. Based on the single-inductor
multi-output three-terminal configuration, the family of the
single-inductor multi-output DC-DC converters can be
extended and presented, including boost-type, buck-type,
buck-boost-type, and flyback-type single-inductor dualoutput DC-DC converters. Furthermore, the boost-type
single-inductor multi-output DC-DC converter can be
extended from the boost-type single-inductor dual-output
DC-DC converter.
Additionally, the experimental results show the
waveforms of the output voltages, inductor current and duty
cycles for the boost-type single-inductor dual-output DC-DC
converter. Finally, the experimental results are in good
accordance with the operation of the boost-type singleinductor dual-output DC-DC converter at steady state.

Figure 15. VGS1, VGS2, IL waveforms of boost-type single-inductor dualoutput DC-DC converter.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

[6]

This work was supported by the National Science

Council (NSC), Taiwan, under Award NSC 97-2221-E-006 275-MY2, and also made use of Shared Facilities supported

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