AC/DC power converter

• US 20060007715A1
• Filed: 08/26/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iGo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mobility Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Scott, MacDonald, Gilbert
• Granted Patent: US 7,646,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/009 having two or more independently controlled outputs for DC-DC converter with intermediate AC H02M3/33561
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/10 Arrangements incorporating converting means for enabling loads to be operated at will from different kinds of power supplies, e.g. from ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33561 having more than one ouput with independent control
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3385 with automatic control of output voltage or current H02M3/33561 takes precedence

Abstract

A dual input AC/DC power converter (10) having dual inputs (12, 14) adapted to receive both an AC and DC input and provide a selectable DC voltage output (16) and a second DC output (18). The dual input AC/DC power converter (10) comprises a power converter circuit (20) having an AC-to-DC converter (22), a DC-to-DC booster converter (24), a feedback circuit (26), a filter circuit (25) and a DC-to-DC buck converter (28). Advantageously, the power converter (10) resolves many of system management problems associated with carrying all of the different interface components necessary to power a wide variety of mobile products from either an AC or DC power supply. In addition, the power converter (10) also advantageously includes dual output voltage terminals (16/18) to allow for multiple mobile devices of varying power requirements to be powered, simultaneously, by a single converter.

Claims

19. A method of generating at least two independently selectable DC output voltages in response to either an AC input voltage or a DC input voltage, comprising the steps of:

converting the received AC or DC input voltage to a first selectable DC output voltage;

receiving said first selectable DC output voltage and generating a second DC output voltage which is independent of and substantially lower than said first selectable DC output voltage.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of selectively establishing the voltage magnitude of said first selectable DC output voltage using a removable program module.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein said first selectable DC output voltage is provided by an AC-to-DC flyback converter in response to an AC input voltage.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein said first selectable DC output voltage is provided by a DC/DC boost converter in response to a DC input voltage.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of filtering said first selectable DC output voltage via a filter circuit, said filter circuit providing a filtered DC output voltage of between 15 VDC and 25 VDC.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said filter circuit output is coupled to a DC-to-DC buck converter, wherein said DC-to-DC buck converter is adapted to provide the second separate and independent DC output voltage of between 3 VDC and 15 VDC.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein said removable program module comprises a key having a set of resistors, wherein said first selectable DC output voltage is a function of the value of one of said resistors.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said key establishes an output voltage function.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein said key establishes an output current limiting function.

28. The method of claim 19 wherein said AC input voltage can have a range of 90 VAC to 265 VAC.

29. The method of claim 19 wherein said DC input voltage can have a range of 11 VDC to 16 VDC.

30. A power converter, comprising:

a first circuit converting an AC input voltage to a first predetermined DC output voltage;

a second circuit converting a DC input voltage to a second predetermined DC output voltage; and

an third circuit receiving said first and second predetermined DC voltages and, in response thereto, providing a selectable DC output voltage at a first output, wherein said selectable DC output voltage is established as a function a removable program module.

31. The power converter of claim 30 wherein said first and second predetermined DC output voltages are substantially the same and are provided to a common node.