BIDIRECTIONAL POWER MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

• US 20090167245A1
• Filed: 12/31/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Nguyen, Don J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,358,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/128
• 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: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007188 the charge cycle being controlled or terminated in response to non-electric parameters

Abstract

Power management techniques are disclosed. For instance, an apparatus may include a bidirectional voltage converter circuit, and a control module that selectively operates the bidirectional voltage converter circuit in a charging mode and a delivery mode. The charging mode converts a voltage provided by an interface (e.g., a USB interface) into a charging voltage employed by an energy storage module (e.g., a rechargeable battery). Conversely, the delivery mode converts a voltage provided by the energy storage module into a voltage employed by the interface.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a bidirectional voltage converter circuit; and

a control module to selectively operate the bidirectional voltage converter circuit in a charging mode and a delivery mode, the charging mode to convert a voltage provided by an interface into a charging voltage employed by an energy storage module, and the delivery mode to convert a voltage provided by the energy storage module into a voltage employed by the interface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control module is to operate the bidirectional voltage converter circuit in the charging mode when a device providing charging power is attached to the interface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control module is to operate the bidirectional voltage converter circuit in the delivery mode when a device requiring operational power is attached to the interface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bidirectional voltage converter circuit includes

a first switching element coupled between a first node and a second node;

a second switching element coupled between the second node and a third node; and

an inductance coupled between the second node and a fourth node.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first switching element is a P-channel metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), and the second switching element is an N-channel MOSFET.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control module periodically switches the first switching element in the charging mode.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control module periodically switches the second switching element in the delivery mode.

8. A method, comprising:

selecting an operational mode from a charging mode and a delivery mode;

operating a bidirectional voltage converter circuit in a charging mode when a charging condition occurs, wherein the charging mode converts a voltage provided by an interface into a charging voltage employed by an energy storage module; and

operating the bidirectional voltage converter circuit in a delivery mode when a delivery condition occurs, wherein the delivery mode converts a voltage provided by the energy storage module into a voltage employed by the interface.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the charging condition comprises a device providing charging power being attached to the interface.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the delivery condition comprises a device requiring operational power being attached to the interface.

11. A system comprising:

an energy storage module;

an interface;

a bidirectional voltage converter circuit; and

a control module to selectively operate the bidirectional voltage converter circuit in a charging mode and a delivery mode, the charging mode to convert a voltage provided by the interface into a charging voltage employed by the energy storage module, and the delivery mode to convert a voltage provided by the energy storage module into a voltage employed by the interface.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the energy storage module comprises a rechargeable battery.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the rechargeable battery is a lithium ion (Li-ion) battery.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the interface is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the control module is to operate the bidirectional voltage converter circuit in the charging mode when a device providing charging power is attached to the interface.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the control module is to operate the bidirectional voltage converter circuit in the delivery mode when a device requiring operational power is attached to the interface.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the bidirectional voltage converter circuit includes

a first switching element coupled between a first node and a second node;

a second switching element coupled between the second node and a third node; and

an inductance coupled between the second node and a fourth node.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first switching element is an N-channel metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), and the second switching element is a P-channel MOSFET.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the control module periodically switches the first switching element in the charging mode.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the control module periodically switches the second switching element in the delivery mode.