SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SUPPLYING POWER TO A LOAD

• US 20100295379A1
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Garcia, Jorge A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,754,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/109
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0019 the disturbance parameters being load current fluctuations
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/6908 using time hopping

Abstract

An apparatus for supplying power to a bursty or highly dynamic load. The apparatus includes a first circuit for supplying charge to the load at a first voltage, and a second circuit for replenishing the charge depleted from the first circuit, wherein the second circuit is charged at a second voltage greater than the first voltage in order to achieve a defined rate of charge replenishment. The apparatus may include a feedback network for controlling the voltage applied to the load in response to process and temperature variations. The feedback network may regulate the charge capacity of the second circuit, the resistance between the first and second circuits, the duration of the charge replenishment, or the second voltage in which the second circuit is charged.

Claims

1. An apparatus for supplying power to a load, comprising:

a first circuit adapted to transfer charge at a first voltage to the load; and

a second circuit adapted to replenish the charge depleted from the first circuit, wherein the second circuit is charged at a second voltage greater than the first voltage so as to achieve a defined rate of charge replenishment.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first circuit comprises a capacitive element.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the capacitive element includes a capacitance sufficient to maintain the first voltage within a defined specification.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second circuit comprises a capacitive element.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a compensator adapted to change a capacitance of the capacitive element as a function of the first voltage.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the capacitive element includes a capacitance that is sufficient to substantially replenish all the charge depleted from the first circuit.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a compensator adapted to control an amount of charge transferred from the second circuit to the first circuit to maintain the first voltage within a defined specification.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first circuit comprises an energy storage element.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the energy storage element comprises an inductive element.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first circuit comprises a first capacitive element including a first capacitance, wherein the second circuit comprises a second capacitive element including a second capacitance, and further wherein the first capacitance is greater than the second capacitance.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller adapted to establish a defined timing relationship between the transfer of the charge from the first circuit to the load, and the replenishment of the charge depleted from the first circuit.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to transfer the charge from the first circuit to the load at a different time interval as the replenishment of the charge depleted from the first circuit.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to transfer the charge from the first circuit to the load at substantially a same time interval as the replenishment of the charge depleted from the first circuit.

14. A method for supplying power to a load, comprising:

transferring charge at a first voltage from a first node to the load; and

replenishing charge depleted from the first node by transferring charge at a second voltage from a second node to the first node, wherein the second voltage is greater than the first voltage so as to achieve a defined rate of charge replenishment.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein transferring charge from the first node to the load comprises discharging a capacitive element.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising configuring a capacitance of the capacitive element to maintain the first voltage within a defined specification.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein transferring charge from the second node to the first node comprises discharging a capacitive element.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising adjusting a capacitance of the capacitive element as a function of the first voltage.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising configuring a capacitance of the capacitive element to substantially replenish all the charge depleted from the first node.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising controlling an amount of charge transferred from the second node to the first node to maintain the first voltage within a defined specification.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein transferring charge from the first node to the load comprises releasing energy from an energy storage element.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein transferring charge from the first node to the load comprises releasing energy from an inductive element.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein transferring charge from the second node to the first node comprises discharging a first capacitive element, wherein transferring charge from the first node to the load comprises discharging a second capacitive element, and further wherein the first capacitive element includes a first capacitance greater than a second capacitance of the second capacitive element.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein transferring charge from the second node to the first node is performed in a defined timing relationship with respect to transferring charge from the first node to the load.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein transferring charge from the second node to the first node is performed at a different time interval as the transferring charge from the first node to the load.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein transferring charge from the second node to the first node is performed at substantially the same time interval as the transferring charge from the first node to the load.

37. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising means for establishing a defined timing relationship between the transfer of the charge from the charge transferring means to the load, and the replenishment of the charge depleted from the charge transferring means.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the timing means is adapted to transfer the charge from the charge transferring means to the load at a different time interval as the replenishing the charge depleted from the charge transferring means.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the timing means is adapted to transfer the charge from the charge transferring means to the load at substantially a same time interval as the replenishing of the charge depleted from the charge transferring means.

27. An apparatus for supplying power to a load, comprising:

means for transferring charge at a first voltage to the load; and

means for replenishing the charge depleted from the first circuit, wherein the charge replenishing means is charged at a second voltage greater than the first voltage so as to achieve a defined rate of charge replenishment.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the charge transferring means comprises a capacitive element.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the capacitive element includes a capacitance sufficient to maintain the first voltage within a defined specification.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the charge replenishing means comprises a capacitive element.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising means for adjusting a capacitance of the capacitive element as a function of the first voltage.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the capacitive element includes a capacitance that is sufficient to substantially replenish all the charge depleted from the charge transferring means.

33. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising means for controlling an amount of charge transferred from the charge replenishing means to the charge transferring means to maintain the first voltage within a defined specification.

34. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the charge transferring means comprises a means for storing energy.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the energy storage means comprises an inductive element.

36. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the charge replenishing means comprises a first capacitive element including a first capacitance, wherein the charge transferring means comprises a second capacitive element including a second capacitance, and further wherein the first capacitance is greater than the second capacitance.

40. A computer program product for supplying power to a load, comprising:

a computer readable medium comprising instructions executable to;

transfer charge at a first voltage from a first node to the load; and

replenish charge depleted from the first node by transferring charge at a second voltage from a second node to the first node, wherein the second voltage is greater than the first voltage so as to achieve a defined rate of charge replenishment.

41. A headset, comprising:

a transmitter adapted to transmit audio data;

a first circuit adapted to transfer charge at a first voltage to the transmitter; and

a second circuit adapted to replenish the charge depleted from the first circuit, wherein the second circuit is charged at a second voltage greater than the first voltage so as to achieve a defined rate of charge replenishment.

42. A watch, comprising:

a receiver adapted to receive data;

a user interface adapted to generate an indication based on the received data;

a first circuit adapted to transfer charge at a first voltage to the receiver; and

a second circuit adapted to replenish the charge depleted from the first circuit, wherein the second circuit is charged at a second voltage greater than the first voltage so as to achieve a defined rate of charge replenishment.

43. A sensing device, comprising:

a sensor adapted to generate sensed data;

a transmitter adapted to transmit the sensed data;

a first circuit adapted to transfer charge at a first voltage to the transmitter; and

a second circuit adapted to replenish the charge depleted from the first circuit, wherein the second circuit is charged at a second voltage greater than the first voltage so as to achieve a defined rate of charge replenishment.