We describe a switch mode power supply (SMPS) controller employing a
combination of pulse frequency and pulse width modulation. The controller
employs a "gear box" control scheme using two complementary control
loops, one for real-time control of the SMPS using PFM and a second using
a PWM control scheme which monitors the switching frequency and, at
defined operating points, adjusts the pulse width up or down through a
set of pre-determined values. This can be considered analogous to the
gearbox of a motor vehicle with the SMPS pulse width, switching frequency
and output power roughly corresponding to the vehicle's gear ratio,
engine speed and road speed respectively.