Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080231117 | POWER MANAGEMENT TOPOLOGIES - A power supply topology according to one embodiment includes a first path coupled to a controllable DC power source, a second path coupled to a rechargeable battery, and a third path coupled to a system load, the three paths coupled to a common node. The topology may further include a unidirectional switch coupled to the first path and a selectively unidirectional switch coupled to the second path. The topology may further include a power management control circuit including a wake up circuit having a comparison circuit and an output decision circuit. Of course, many alternatives, variations, and modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment. | 09-25-2008 |
20090045775 | Charging Circuit for Parallel Charging in Multiple Battery Systems - A charging circuit for controlling a system charging parameter provided to a host of rechargeable batteries, wherein the host of batteries includes at least a first battery and second battery that may be coupled in parallel. The charging circuit provides for fast charging of rechargeable batteries in parallel. Independent current and voltage sensing for each battery enables parallel charging of batteries at different charging currents. The charging circuit may be configured to accept either analog or digital signals from an associated power management unit. | 02-19-2009 |
20090160500 | POWER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS WITH CHARGE PUMPS - A driving circuit for an N-channel Metal Oxide Semiconductor (NMOS) transistor can include a charge pump unit and a driver coupled to the charge pump. The charge pump can receive a source voltage and output an output voltage higher than the source voltage, where the source voltage is applied to a source terminal of the NMOS transistor. The driver receives the output voltage of the charge pump unit and converts the output voltage to a driving voltage operable for conducting the NMOS transistor. | 06-25-2009 |
20090167091 | SELECTOR CIRCUIT FOR POWER MANAGEMENT IN MULTIPLE BATTERY SYSTEMS - A selector circuit configured to select among a DC power source and a plurality of batteries for an electronic device. The selector circuit includes a first comparator configured to compare a first input signal representative of a voltage level of the DC power source with a first threshold level and provide a first output signal representative of a difference between the first input signal and the first threshold level, and a selector output circuit. The selector output circuit is configured to provide selector output signals that control selection among the DC power source and the plurality of batteries. The selector output circuit providing said selector output signals to select the DC source and deselect the plurality of batteries if the first output signal is representative of the voltage level of said DC power source being greater than the first threshold level. | 07-02-2009 |
20090206795 | SELECTOR CIRCUIT FOR POWER MANAGEMENT IN MULTIPLE BATTERY SYSTEMS - A selector circuit configured to select among a DC power source and a plurality of batteries for an electronic device. The selector circuit is responsive to an output signal from an associated power management unit. The selector circuit is further configured to permit parallel operation of two or more of the batteries. The selector circuit may further act to independently verify power conditions and override instructions from the PMU in certain instances to enhance power supply safety and battery life such as by preventing inter battery current flow from a higher potential battery to a lower potential battery coupled in parallel. | 08-20-2009 |
20090278499 | METHOD AND ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT FOR EFFICIENT BATTERY WAKE UP CHARGING - A method for efficiently charging a battery. The method includes producing a first signal having a voltage level dependent on the voltage of the battery comparing the voltage level of the first signal with a settable voltage representative of a maximum battery charging current, and producing a second signal representative of a charging current to be provided to the battery, the second signal having a voltage level selected to be the lower voltage level between the first signal and the settable voltage. | 11-12-2009 |
20100066318 | SUPPLY TOPOLOGY WITH POWER LIMITING FEEDBACK LOOP - A supply topology comprising an AC to DC or DC to DC adapter and an electronic device with an active system, a battery, and an adapter controller implements closed-loop control of adapter output voltage to limit power consumption by the electronic device to a value related to maximum adapter power. The adapter couples a signal representing maximum adapter power to a control line connected to the electronic device and the electronic device couples an error signal representing the difference between instantaneous power consumption and adapter maximum power onto the same control line. The adapter adjusts its output voltage in response to the magnitude of the error signal. An adapter controller in the electronic device sets a limit for allocating current to battery charging from the signal representing maximum adapter power, with battery charging current approaching zero as instantaneous power consumption approaches maximum adapter power. The adapter controller adjusts the limit for allocating current to battery charging in response to new values of adapter maximum power associated with alternate adapters connected to the electronic device. | 03-18-2010 |
20100171467 | BATTERY STATE MONITORING CIRCUITRY WITH LOW POWER CONSUMPTION DURING A STAND-BY-STATE OF A BATTERY PACK - A battery pack including at least one battery cell, a switch, and battery state monitoring circuitry. The battery state monitoring circuitry may be configured to control an ON resistance of the switch to a first ON resistance when the switch is ON and the battery pack is in a stand-by-state and to control the ON resistance to a second ON resistance when the switch is ON and said battery pack is not in said stand-by-state, the first ON resistance greater than the second ON resistance. A cordless electrical device and method consistent with embodiments are also provided. | 07-08-2010 |
20100171502 | BATTERY STATE MONITORING CIRCUITRY WITH LOW POWER CONSUMPTION DURING A STAND-BY-STATE OF A BATTERY PACK - A battery pack including at least one battery cell, a switch, and battery state monitoring circuitry. The battery state monitoring circuitry may be configured to control an ON resistance of the switch to a first ON resistance when the switch is ON and the battery pack is in a stand-by-state and to control the ON resistance to a second ON resistance when the switch is ON and said battery pack is not in said stand-by-state, the first ON resistance greater than the second ON resistance. A cordless electrical device and method consistent with embodiments are also provided. | 07-08-2010 |
20100308779 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS TO AUTOMATICALLY DETECT A TYPE OF A VARIABLE OUTPUT DC POWER SOURCE - A method includes coupling a variable output DC power source to power control circuitry, and detecting a type of the variable output DC power source in response to the coupling operation. In one embodiment, the detecting operation may include sending an interrogation signal from the power control circuitry to the variable output DC power source, and evaluating a response to the interrogation signal to determine the type of said variable output DC power source. Power control circuitry may include source type recognition circuitry configured to detect a type of a variable output DC power source in response to a coupling of the variable output DC power source to the power control circuitry. | 12-09-2010 |
20100327813 | POWER MANAGEMENT TOPOLOGIES - A power supply topology according to one embodiment includes a first path coupled to a controllable DC power source, a second path coupled to a rechargeable battery, and a third path coupled to a system load, the three paths coupled to a common node. The topology may further include a unidirectional switch coupled to the first path and a selectively unidirectional switch coupled to the second path. The topology may further include a power management control circuit including a wake up circuit having a comparison circuit and an output decision circuit. Of course, many alternatives, variations, and modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment. | 12-30-2010 |
20110121653 | PARALLEL POWERING OF PORTABLE ELECTRICAL DEVICES - A system may include an electronic device configured to consume a supply current; an AC to DC adapter configured to be coupled to the electronic device, wherein the AC to DC adapter has a maximum rated output current; a battery configured to be coupled to the electronic device; DC to DC converter configured to be coupled to the battery and the electronic device; and a controller configured to couple the AC to DC adapter to the electronic device, the controller further configured to couple the DC to DC converter to the battery and the electronic device when the supply current exceeds the maximum rated output current of the AC to DC adapter. | 05-26-2011 |
20110156483 | POWER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS - A power management system includes a first switch, a second switch, and a controller coupled to the first and second switches. The first switch has a first transfer terminal. The second switch has a second transfer terminal. The controller controls power conversion by turning on a third switch periodically. The first and second transfer terminals and a third transfer terminal of the third switch are coupled to a common node. The resistance between the first transfer terminal and the common node, the resistance between the second transfer terminal and the common node, and the resistance between the third transfer terminal and the common node are substantially equal to zero. | 06-30-2011 |
20120043948 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS TO AUTOMATICALLY DETECT A TYPE OF A VARIABLE OUTPUT DC POWER SOURCE - A method includes coupling a variable output DC power source to power control circuitry, and detecting a type of the variable output DC power source in response to the coupling operation. In one embodiment, the detecting operation may include sending an interrogation signal from the power control circuitry to the variable output DC power source, and evaluating a response to the interrogation signal to determine the type of said variable output DC power source. Power control circuitry may include source type recognition circuitry configured to detect a type of a variable output DC power source in response to a coupling of the variable output DC power source to the power control circuitry. | 02-23-2012 |
20130099577 | POWER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS - A power management system includes a first switch, a second switch, and a controller coupled to the first and second switches. The first switch has a first transfer terminal. The second switch has a second transfer terminal. The controller controls power conversion by turning on a third switch periodically. The first and second transfer terminals and a third transfer terminal of the third switch are coupled to a common node. The resistance between the first transfer terminal and the common node, the resistance between the second transfer terminal and the common node, and the resistance between the third transfer terminal and the common node are substantially equal to zero. | 04-25-2013 |
20140184164 | POWER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS WITH CHARGE PUMPS - A driving circuit for an N-channel Metal Oxide Semiconductor (NMOS) transistor can include a charge pump unit and a driver coupled to the charge pump. The charge pump can receive a source voltage and output an output voltage higher than the source voltage, where the source voltage is applied to a source terminal of the NMOS transistor. The driver receives the output voltage of the charge pump unit and converts the output voltage to a driving voltage operable for conducting the NMOS transistor. | 07-03-2014 |