Wireless power receiver with programmable power path
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a first rectifier input terminal;
a second rectifier input terminal;
a rectified output terminal;
a synchronous rectifier circuit configured to receive an input power from the first rectifier input terminal and the second rectifier input terminal and to output a rectified voltage onto the rectified output terminal;
a programmable voltage regulator coupled to the rectified output terminal, wherein the programmable voltage regulator is configured to operate in at least two modes, wherein the at least two modes include two or more of;
a first mode in which the programmable voltage regulator is configured to operate as a switched-mode power supply,a second mode in which the programmable voltage regulator is configured to operate as a low dropout regulator, anda third mode in which the programmable voltage regulator is configured to operate as a power switch, andwherein the programmable voltage regulator comprises a common pass device arranged to output an output voltage onto a common output terminal; and
a processor configured to program the programmable voltage regulator to dynamically switch operation of the programmable voltage regulator from one of the first mode, the second mode, or the third mode to another one of the first mode, the second mode, or the third mode.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless power receiver IC in which the power path can be reconfigured as either a low-dropout regulator (LDO), a switched-mode power supply (SMPS) or a power switch (PSW) is provided. All three modes share the same pass device to reduce die area and share the same output terminal to reduce pin. In an inductive wireless receiver, the power path can be reprogrammed on the fly to LDO or PSW mode or can be reprogrammed on the fly to SMPS or PSW mode. In a resonant or multi-mode wireless receiver, the power path can be reprogrammed on the fly to SMPS or PSW mode. Furthermore, to achieve high power transfer efficiency performance, using N-channel MOSFET as its pass device has better efficiency and smaller die area than P-channel MOSFET pass device.
37 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a first rectifier input terminal; a second rectifier input terminal; a rectified output terminal; a synchronous rectifier circuit configured to receive an input power from the first rectifier input terminal and the second rectifier input terminal and to output a rectified voltage onto the rectified output terminal; a programmable voltage regulator coupled to the rectified output terminal, wherein the programmable voltage regulator is configured to operate in at least two modes, wherein the at least two modes include two or more of; a first mode in which the programmable voltage regulator is configured to operate as a switched-mode power supply, a second mode in which the programmable voltage regulator is configured to operate as a low dropout regulator, and a third mode in which the programmable voltage regulator is configured to operate as a power switch, and wherein the programmable voltage regulator comprises a common pass device arranged to output an output voltage onto a common output terminal; and a processor configured to program the programmable voltage regulator to dynamically switch operation of the programmable voltage regulator from one of the first mode, the second mode, or the third mode to another one of the first mode, the second mode, or the third mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method, comprising:
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receiving an input power and outputs a rectified voltage onto a rectified output terminal of an integrated circuit via a synchronous rectifier circuit; in a first mode outputting an output voltage onto an output terminal via a low dropout regulator coupled to the rectified output terminal; in a second mode outputting the output voltage onto the output terminal via a switched-mode power supply coupled to the rectified output terminal; in a third node outputting the output voltage onto the output terminal via a power switch coupled to rectified output terminal; and dynamically programming the integrated circuit to operate in one of the three modes, wherein the switched-mode power supply, the low dropout regulator, and the power switch share a common pass device that outputs the output voltage to the output terminal of the integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An integrated circuit, comprising:
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a synchronous rectifier circuit that receives an input power and outputs a rectified voltage onto a rectified output terminal; a low dropout regulator coupled to the rectified output terminal and configured to provide an internal supply voltage for the integrated circuit onto an internal supply voltage node; a switched-mode power supply coupled to the rectified output terminal, wherein the switched-mode power supply is configured to provide an output voltage onto an output terminal, and wherein the output voltage is used to generate a regulated voltage onto a loopback terminal; and a loopback switch coupled between the loopback terminal and the internal supply voltage node. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification