GRADIENT NON-LINEAR ADAPTIVE POWER ARCHITECTURE AND SCHEME

• US 20070248877A1
• Filed: 03/26/2007
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jaber Qahoug, Lilly Huang, Raviprakash Nagaraj
• Original Assignee: Jaber Qahoug, Lilly Huang, Raviprakash Nagaraj
• Inventors: Huang, Lilly, Nagaraj, Raviprakash, Qahoug, Jaber
• Application Number:
  US11/691,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20070248877A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/121
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/466 Scheduling the operation of the generators, e.g. connecting or disconnecting generators to meet a given demand

Abstract

Techniques related to a power module employing multiple power sub-modules are described. More specifically, an embodiment combines and controls multiple power sub-modules of varying characteristics to improve the overall efficiency of the power module across varying load currents, power outputs, input voltages, and other operating conditions. Moreover, the power module may employ an adaptive non-linear and non-uniform current/power sharing among its power sub-modules. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a power module including a plurality of power sub-modules, each power sub-module to have a peak efficiency at a different operating condition.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the power module to selectively enable, disable, or alter the current sharing among each power sub-module based on at least one of peak efficiency, steady-state performance, or dynamic performance of each power sub-module, to generate an output capable of the operating condition.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, the power module to further selectively enable, disable, or alter the current sharing among each power sub-module dynamically in response to a change in the operating condition.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the power sub-modules are coupled to a single input and wherein the power sub-modules are coupled to the output.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each power sub-module is coupled to a separate input and wherein the power sub-modules are coupled to the output.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, said power sub-modules comprising a DC-DC voltage regulator, an AC-DC converter, a DC-AC converter, or an AC-AC voltage regulator.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, said power sub-modules including a two-stage AC-DC converter having an AC-DC converter first stage supplying a DC-DC voltage regulator second stage.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, said power sub-modules including a power sub-module having multiple stages, with said power module altering the current or power sharing ratio among the multiple stages of the multiple stage power sub-module in a non-uniform manner.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each power sub-module is isolated, non-isolated or a combination of both isolated and non-isolated.

29. The apparatus of claim 1, the power module to selectively and dynamically enable, disable, or alter the current sharing among each power sub-module based on at least one of variable conditions including load conditions, input power condition, temperature variations, component variations, or fault condition in part of the circuit, to generate an output capable of the operating condition.

30. The apparatus of claim 1, the power module to selectively and dynamically enable, disable, or alter the current sharing among each power sub-module based on sensed information including voltage, current, or power.

31. The apparatus of claim 1, the power module to selectively and dynamically enable, disable, or alter the current sharing among each power sub-module based on signals from a processor.

32. The apparatus of claim 1, the power module to selectively and dynamically enable, disable, or alter the current sharing among each power sub-module based on values from a look up table.

33. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein two or more power sub-module operate using a different set of fixed or variable parameters, said parameters including at least one of fixed frequency, variable frequency, fixed drive voltage, variable drive voltage, inductance, number of switches, or type of switch.

34. The apparatus of claim 1, the power module to selectively and dynamically enable, disable, or alter the current sharing among each power sub-module of a first set of the power sub-modules using a first current or power sharing ratio, and a second set of the power sub-modules using a second current or power sharing ratio.

6. A system comprising:

a battery; and

a power module coupled to the battery, the power module including a plurality of power sub-modules, each power sub-module to have a peak efficiency at a different load.

7. The system of claim 6, the power module to selectively enable, disable, or alter the current sharing ratios among each power sub-module based on at least one of peak efficiency, steady-state performance, or dynamic performance of each power sub-module to generate an output capable of the operating condition.

8. The system of claim 7, the power module to further selectively enable, disable, or alter the current sharing among each power sub-module dynamically in response to a change in the operating condition.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the power sub-modules are coupled to a single input and wherein the power sub-modules are coupled to the output.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein each power sub-module is coupled to a separate input and wherein the power sub-modules are coupled to the output.

26. The system of claim 10, wherein each input to each power sub-module can be of same power type and form or of a different power type and form.

27. The system of claim 10, wherein each input may comprise DC power, AC power or rectified AC power.

28. The system of claim 6, wherein said battery comprises a multiple cell battery, with each power sub-module receiving input from a different cell to provide different input voltage levels.

11. A method comprising:

detecting, by a power module including a plurality of non-identical power sub-modules, a load;

determining, by the power module, the power sub-module or power sub-modules to supply the load; and

selectively controlling, in response to determining, the power sub-module or power sub-modules.

12. The method of claim 11, selectively controlling the power sub-modules further comprising:

altering the current or power sharing among the power sub-modules.

13. The method of claim 11, selectively controlling the power sub-module or power sub-modules further comprising:

controlling the sub-module or sub-modules with fixed frequency pulse width modulation (PWM) control, variable frequency PWM control, hysteretic control, or variable frequency resonant control.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

detecting, by the power module, another load.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising;

determining, by the power module, the power sub-module or power sub-modules to supply the other load; and

selectively controlling, in response to determining, the power sub-module or power sub-modules.

16. An article comprising a machine-readable storage medium containing instructions that if executed enable a system to:

detect, by a power module including a plurality of non-identical power sub-modules, a load;

determine, by the power module, the power sub-module or power sub-modules to supply the load; and

selectively control, in response to the determination, the power sub-module or power sub-modules.

17. The article of claim 16 further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to:

alter the current or power sharing among the power sub-modules.

18. The article of claim 16 further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to:

selectively control the power sub-module or power sub-modules with fixed frequency pulse width modulation (PWM) control, variable frequency PWM control, hysteretic control, or variable frequency resonant control.

19. The article of claim 17 further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to:

detect, by the power module, another load.

20. The article of claim 19 further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to:

determine, by the power module, the power sub-module or power sub-modules to supply the other load; and

selectively control, in response to the determination, the power sub-module or power sub-modules.