Power supply and power control method thereof

• US 10,312,808 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2015
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Getac Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Getac Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Hsiung, Ta-Sung
• Primary Examiner(s): Laxton, Gary L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rivera-Perez, Carlos O
• Application Number:
  US14/932,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20170126123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 323222-226, 323266, 323268-278, 323282-286, 323298, 323299-303, 323351, 363123-130, 713300-340, 320124, 320125, 320127-136, 320140-145, 320149, 320155-159, 320161-165
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load

Abstract

A power supply and a power control method thereof are provided. The power supply is adapted to be coupled to a load. The power supply includes a battery, an amplifying circuit, and a control circuit. The amplifying circuit receives a load voltage from an output end of the power supply. The amplifying circuit receives a battery voltage from an output end of the battery. When the load is coupled to the output end of the power supply, the amplifying circuit provides a first output voltage according to a voltage difference between the load voltage and the battery voltage. The control circuit controls the battery according to the first output voltage in providing a second output voltage, such that the load is charged at the second output voltage.

Claims

1. A power supply, of which a ground and an output end are adapted to be coupled to a load, comprising:

a battery having an output end;

a first resistor coupled between the output end of the battery and the output end of the power supply so as to effectuate voltage division together with the load when the load is coupled to the ground and the output end of the power supply;

an amplifying circuit having a first input end, a second input end and an output end, with the first input end coupled to a first node between the first resistor and the output end of the power supply, and the second input end coupled to a second node between the first resistor and the output end of the battery, wherein when the load is coupled to the ground and the output end of the power supply, the amplifying circuit generates a first output voltage according to a voltage difference between the first node and the second node; and

a control circuit coupled in parallel with the first resistor between the output end of the battery and the output end of the power supply and outputting a second output voltage according to the first output voltage, such that the load is charged at the second output voltage, wherein the control circuit comprises;

a first inductor coupled to the output end of the battery;

a control unit having an input end, a first output end and a second output end, wherein the input end of the control unit is coupled to the output end of the amplifying circuit and adapted to receive the first output voltage, wherein a first control signal is generated from the first output end of the control unit according to the first output voltage, and a second control signal is generated from the second output end of the control unit according to the first output voltage;

a first transistor having a first end, a second end and a control end, with the first end coupled to the first inductor, the second end coupled to the ground voltage, and the control end adapted to receive the first control signal, thereby allowing the first transistor to turn on and turn off according to the first control signal; and

a second transistor having a first end, a second end and a control end, with the first end coupled to the first inductor, the second end coupled to a voltage regulator, and the control end adapted to receive the second control signal, thereby allowing the second transistor to turn on and turn off according to the second control signal;

wherein when the first output voltage is larger than a voltage threshold, the control unit generates and sends the first control signal for driving the first transistor to turn off and turn on and sends the second control signal for driving the second transistor to turn on and turn off, and when the first output voltage is not larger than the voltage threshold, the control unit generates and sends the first control signal for driving the first transistor to turn off and the second control signal for driving the second transistor to turn off; and

wherein when the load is not coupled to the ground and the output end of the power supply, the voltage difference is not larger than the voltage threshold; and

wherein when the load is coupled to the ground and the output end of the power supply, the voltage difference is larger than the voltage threshold, and when the first transistor turns on and the second transistor turns off, the first inductor stores energy, and when the first transistor turns off and the second transistor turns on, the energy of the first inductor is transferred to the output end of the power supply.

2. The power supply of claim 1, wherein, when the output end of the power supply is coupled to the load, the voltage difference increases in response to the connection of the load, and the first output voltage increases with the voltage difference.

3. The power supply of claim 1, wherein power supply further comprises:

a diode coupled between the output end of the power supply and the first input end of the amplifying circuit to prevent reversal of the second output voltage.

4. The power supply of claim 3, wherein power supply further comprises:

a voltage-regulating circuit coupled between the control circuit and the output end of the power supply to adjust the second output voltage, wherein the voltage-regulating circuit comprises;

the voltage regulator coupled to the control circuit; and

a capacitor network having a plurality of first capacitors connected in parallel and coupled between the voltage regulator and the output end of the power supply.

5. The power supply of claim 3, wherein the amplifying circuit comprises:

a differential amplifier having a first input end, a second input end and an output end, wherein the output end provides the first output voltage;

a second resistor coupled between the first input end of the amplifying circuit and the first input end of the differential amplifier;

a third resistor coupled between the second input end of the amplifying circuit and the second input end of the differential amplifier;

a fourth resistor coupled between the first input end and the output end of the differential amplifier;

a fifth resistor coupled between a ground voltage and the second input end of the differential amplifier; and

a fourth capacitor coupled between the first input end and the second input end of the differential amplifier.

6. The power supply of claim 1, wherein a battery voltage generated from the battery is boosted to the second output voltage by the control unit.

7. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the first resistor is an adjustable resistor.

8. The power supply of claim 1, arranged such that the first output voltage is output according to the equation Vb=Va*(RL/(R1+RL)), where Va is the voltage at the second node, Vb is the voltage at the first node, R1 is the resistance of first resistor, and RL is the impedance of the load.

9. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is directly connected between the battery and the output end of the power supply.