On-board power supply monitor and power control system

• US 20050289378A1
• Filed: 06/21/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vorenkamp, Pieter, Kim, Neil Y.
• Granted Patent: US 9,281,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof

Abstract

A system and method for controlling characteristics of supplied electrical power. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise an integrated circuit comprising a first circuit module that receives electrical power. The integrated circuit may comprise a second circuit module that monitors at least one characteristic of electrical power received by at least one of the first circuit module and the integrated circuit. The second circuit module may also communicate with a third circuit module regarding the monitored at least one characteristic. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise an integrated circuit comprising a first module that monitors at least one characteristic of electrical power received by a first electrical device that is external to the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit may also comprise a second module that communicates with a second electrical device, external to the integrated circuit, regarding the monitored at least one characteristic.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit comprising:

a first circuit module adapted to receive electrical power; and

a second circuit module comprising;

a first sub-module adapted to monitor at least one characteristic of electrical power received by at least one of the first circuit module and the integrated circuit; and

a second sub-module, communicatively coupled to the first sub-module, adapted to communicate with a third circuit module regarding the at least one characteristic monitored by the first sub-module.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein:

the second circuit module comprises a power monitor module; and

the third circuit module comprises a power controller module.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the third circuit module is external to the integrated circuit.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the third circuit module is a circuit module of a power supply circuit that is external to the integrated circuit.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the third circuit module is adapted to:

receive information regarding characteristics of electrical power from a plurality of modules, the plurality of modules comprising the second circuit module;

analyze the received information regarding the characteristics of electrical power to determine power control information; and

communicate the determined power control information to power supply circuitry that provides the electrical power.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 5, wherein the third circuit module is adapted to analyze the information regarding characteristics of electrical power to determine power control information by analyzing at least one of respective priorities of the plurality of modules and respective power supply needs of the plurality of modules.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic of electrical power comprises a voltage characteristic.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic of electrical power comprises at least one of voltage level, voltage stability and voltage noise.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the second sub-module is adapted to communicate information with the third circuit module, the information comprising information of the at least one monitored characteristic of electrical power.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the second sub-module is adapted to communicate information with the third circuit module, the information comprising power adjustment information.

11. In an integrated circuit, a method for controlling electrical power provided to the integrated circuit, the method comprising:

monitoring at least one characteristic of electrical power received by at least one of the integrated circuit and a first circuit module of the integrated circuit; and

communicating information related to the monitored at least one characteristic of electrical power with an electrical device external to the integrated circuit.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the external electrical device comprises a power controller module.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the external electrical device comprises a power supply circuit that provides power to the integrated circuit.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one characteristic of electrical power comprises a voltage characteristic.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the information related to the monitored at least one characteristic comprises information of the at least one monitored characteristic of electrical power.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the information related to the monitored at least one characteristic comprises power adjustment information.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

monitoring characteristics of electrical power received by a plurality of circuit modules, the plurality of circuit modules comprising the first circuit module;

analyzing information of the monitored characteristics of electrical power to determine power control information; and

communicating the determined power control information to power supply circuitry that provides the electrical power to the plurality of circuit modules.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein analyzing information of the monitored characteristics comprises analyzing at least one of respective priorities of the plurality of modules and respective power supply needs of the plurality of modules to determine the power control information.

19. An integrated circuit comprising:

a first module adapted to monitor at least one characteristic of electrical power received by a first electrical device that is external to the integrated circuit; and

a second module adapted to communicate with a second electrical device, external to the integrated circuit, regarding the at least one characteristic of electrical power monitored by the first module.

20. The integrated circuit of claim 19, wherein the second electrical device comprises a power controller circuit.

21. The integrated circuit of claim 19, wherein the second electrical device comprises a power supply circuit adapted to provide the electrical power received by the first electrical device.

22. The integrated circuit of claim 19, wherein the at least one characteristic of electrical power received by the first electrical device comprises a voltage characteristic.

23. The integrated circuit of claim 19, wherein the second module is adapted to communicate information with the second electrical device, the information comprising information of the at least one monitored characteristic of electrical power.

24. The integrated circuit of claim 19, wherein the second module is adapted to communicate information with the second electrical device, the information comprising power adjustment information.

25. The integrated circuit of claim 19, wherein:

the first module is adapted to monitor the at least one characteristic of electrical power received by a third electrical device that is external to the integrated circuit; and

the second module is adapted to process information of the monitored at least one characteristic for the first and third electrical devices to determine information communicated with the second electrical device.

26. In a first integrated circuit, a method for controlling electrical power provided to a first electrical device external to the integrated circuit, the method comprising:

monitoring at least one characteristic of electrical power received by the first electrical device; and

communicating information related to the monitored at least one characteristic of electrical power with a second electrical device, wherein the second electrical device is external to the first integrated circuit and the first electrical device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the second electrical device comprises a power controller circuit.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the second electrical device comprises a power supply circuit that provides the electrical power to the first electrical device.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the at least one characteristic of electrical power comprises a voltage characteristic.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the information related to the monitored at least one characteristic comprises information of the at least one monitored characteristic of electrical power.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the information related to the monitored at least one characteristic comprises power adjustment information.

32. The method of claim 26, further comprising monitoring the at least one characteristic of electrical power received by a third electrical device.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising processing information of the monitored at least one characteristic of electrical power received by the first electrical device and information of the monitored at least one characteristic of electrical power received by the third electrical device to determine information communicated with the second electrical device.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein processing information of the monitored at least one characteristic comprises analyzing at least one of respective priorities and respective power supply needs of the first and third electrical devices.