Power Converter Circuit Including at Least One Battery

• US 20140266069A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria Ag (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria Ag (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Deboy, Gerald
• Granted Patent: US 10,374,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/149
• 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 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1582 Buck-boost converters H02M3/1584 takes precedence

Abstract

A circuit includes a first power converter circuit and a second power converter circuit. The input of the second power converter circuit is coupled to the output of the first power converter circuit and is configured to receive an input signal. A rechargeable battery is coupled to the output of the first power converter circuit. A charge control circuit is configured to control charging the rechargeable battery by controlling the second power converter circuit.

Claims

1. A circuit comprising:

a first power converter circuit comprising an output;

a second power converter circuit comprising an input, and an output, wherein the input of the second power converter is coupled to the output of the first power converter circuit and is configured to receive an input signal;

a rechargeable battery coupled to the output of the first power converter circuit; and

a charge control circuit configured to control charging the rechargeable battery by controlling the second power converter circuit.

2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the charge control circuit is configured to detect a charge state of the rechargeable battery and to control the second power converter circuit dependent on the charge state of the rechargeable battery.

3. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the charge control circuit is configured to control the input signal received by the input of the second power converter circuit based on outputting a reference signal to the second power converter circuit, the reference signal representing a desired signal level of the input signal.

4. The circuit of claim 3, wherein the input signal comprises an input current or an input voltage.

5. The circuit of claim 4, wherein the charge control circuit is configured to measure a voltage at the battery and to control the input current when the battery voltage is below a voltage threshold.

6. The circuit of claim 5, wherein the charge control circuit is configured to control the battery voltage when the battery voltage is above the voltage threshold.

7. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising an electronic switch coupled between the battery and the output of the first power converter circuit.

8. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the first power converter circuit comprises a power converter unit configured to receive an input signal and to control the input signal.

9. The circuit of claim 8, wherein the power converter unit comprises a Maximum Power Point Tracker configured to generate a reference signal representing a desired signal level of the input signal received by the at least one power converter unit.

10. The circuit of claim 8, wherein the first power converter circuit comprises a plurality of power converter units each comprising an output connected to the output of the first power converter circuit.

11. A method comprising:

supplying output power at an output of a first power converter circuit; and

controlling a charging of a rechargeable battery coupled to the output of the first power converter circuit by controlling a second power converter circuit coupled to the output of the first power converter circuit.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling the charging comprises detecting a charge state of the rechargeable battery and controlling the second power converter circuit dependent on the charge state of the rechargeable battery.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving an input signal at the input of the second power converter circuit; and

controlling the input signal by outputting to the second power converter circuit a reference signal representing a desired signal level of the input signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the input signal comprises an input current or an input voltage.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

measuring a voltage at the battery, and

controlling the input current when the battery voltage is below a voltage threshold.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the battery voltage is controlled when the battery voltage is above the voltage threshold.

17. A circuit comprising:

a first power converter circuit comprising an output;

a second power converter circuit comprising an input, and an output, wherein the input of the second power converter is coupled to the output of the first power converter circuit and is configured to receive an input signal;

a rechargeable battery node coupled to the output of the first power converter circuit, the rechargeable battery node configured to be coupled to a rechargeable battery; and

a charge control circuit configured to control charging the rechargeable battery by controlling the second power converter circuit.

18. The circuit of claim 17, wherein the charge control circuit is configured to detect a charge state of the rechargeable battery and to control the second power converter circuit dependent on the charge state of the rechargeable battery.

19. The circuit of claim 17, wherein the charge control circuit is configured to control the input signal received by the input of the second power converter circuit based on outputting a reference signal to the second power converter circuit, the reference signal representing a desired signal level of the input signal.

20. The circuit of claim 19, wherein the charge control circuit is configured to measure a voltage at the battery and to control the input current when the battery voltage is below a voltage threshold and wherein the charge control circuit is configured to control the battery voltage when the battery voltage is above the voltage threshold.