Introduction to Digital Power Conversion 
  XMC4000/1000 Family 
 
  Modulation 
Application Guide  51  V1.0, 2015-01 
     
6  Modulation 
The modulation task is to maintain the steady state duty-cycle-to-output-voltage transfer function of a 
sense-modulate-drive control loop in a switch-mode power converter.  
Each modulation mode (course of action) meets certain required properties and frequency response 
of the converter transfer function. 
Modulation Mode  
The following are the basic modulation modes, with various steady state duty-cycle-to-output transfer 
function properties, and frequency response characteristics, which are often used in combinations to 
add performance: 
  Voltage Control    (VC)  Error signal feedback High accuracy, lower cost  Slow  w/ CPU 
  Average Current Control  (ACC) Error signal feedback Mid accuracy,  higher cost  Slow  w/ CPU  
  Peak Current Control  (PCC) Inherent  feedback  Low accuracy, higher cost  Fast w/o CPU 
  Zero Crossing Detection  (ZCD)  Inherent  feed-back  Low accuracy, higher cost  Fast w/o CPU 
Voltage Control 
Voltage Mode Control implies that the actual output voltage deviation from the desired output voltage 
(i.e. an error voltage feedback) controls the voltage applied across the inductor. 
  Advantages 
−  Low noise sensitivity 
−  Low cost 
−  High resolution 
−  Easy feedback design 
  Disadvantages 
−  Slow response to input/output condition changes 
−  Discontinuous current mode occurrence is out-of-scope  
Current Control 
Current Mode Control implies that the actual output voltage deviation from the desired output voltage 
(i.e. an error voltage feedback) controls the peak current through the inductor. 
  Advantages 
−  Fast, single pole response due to removed output capacitor in the feedback 
−  Responds immediately to input voltage changes 
−  Inherent cycle-by-cycle current limiting 
  Disadvantages 
−  Noise sensitive 
−  Control stabilization issues at duty-cycles > 50%: Requires slope compensation to reject sub-
oscillations 
−  Cannot handle too wide input voltage variations 
−  Difficult to handle low currents 
 
Note: Combined Voltage and Current Mode Control corrects the issues within the respective mode.