MULTIPLE CHARGERS CONFIGURATION IN ONE SYSTEM

• US 20170279284A1
• Filed: 12/30/2016
• Published: 09/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intersil Americas LLC (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intersil Americas LLC (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Lim, Sungkeun, Zhao, Lei, Shah, Mehul, Wei, Jia
• Granted Patent: US 11,088,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/16 DC brushless machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/24 Using the vehicle's propulsion converter for charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the 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 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An electronic system, a multiple charger configuration, and method of operating a multiple input, multiple charger configuration are disclosed. For example, a multiple charger configuration is disclosed, which includes a first battery charger circuit configured to receive to a first input voltage, and a second battery charger circuit configured to receive a second input voltage. A first switching transistor is coupled to an output of the first battery charger circuit, a system voltage output terminal, and a battery terminal configured to connect to a battery stack or at least one battery cell. A second switching transistor is coupled to an output of the second battery charger circuit and the battery terminal. Thus, the multiple chargers can be utilized in one system to charge or discharge a battery stack or at least one battery cell and thereby deliver power for a battery-operated system, product or device.

Claims

1. A multiple charger configuration, comprising:

a first battery charger circuit configured to receive to a first input voltage;

a second battery charger circuit configured to receive a second input voltage;

a first switching transistor coupled to an output of the first battery charger circuit, a system voltage output terminal, and a battery terminal configured to connect to a battery stack or at least one battery cell; and

a second switching transistor coupled to an output of the second battery charger circuit and the battery terminal.

2. The multiple charger configuration of claim 1, wherein the first battery charger circuit is configured to receive the first input voltage on a first USB-C connector, and the second battery charger circuit is configured to receive the second input voltage on a second USB-C connector.

3. The multiple charger configuration of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first battery charger circuit or the second battery charger circuit is configured to receive one of the first input voltage or the second input voltage on a non-USB-C connector.

4. The multiple charger configuration of claim 1, wherein the first battery charger circuit includes a first buck-boost converter circuit configured to control switching of the first switching transistor, and the second battery charger circuit includes a second buck-boost converter circuit configured to control switching of the second switching transistor.

5. The multiple charger configuration of claim 1, wherein the first battery charger circuit includes a buck-boost converter circuit configured to control switching of the first switching transistor, and the second battery charger circuit includes a buck converter circuit configured to control switching of the second switching transistor.

6. The multiple charger configuration of claim 1, wherein the first battery charger circuit includes a first buck converter circuit configured to control switching of the first switching transistor, and the second battery charger circuit includes a second buck converter circuit configured to control switching of the second switching transistor.

7. The multiple charger configuration of claim 4, wherein the first buck-boost converter circuit and the second buck-boost converter circuit are formed on a single integrated circuit, wafer, chip or die.

8. A power delivery system, comprising:

a first battery charger circuit and a second battery charger circuit, wherein the first battery charger circuit is configured to generate a first output voltage responsive to a first input voltage, and the second battery charger circuit is configured to generate a second output voltage responsive to a second input voltage;

a battery terminal configured to connect to at least one battery cell, wherein the battery terminal is coupled to the first battery charger circuit via a first switch and to the second battery charger circuit via a second switch;

a first DC-DC converter in the first battery charger circuit and coupled to the first switch, wherein the first switch is configured to couple the first output voltage to the battery terminal responsive to a first signal from the first DC-DC converter; and

a second DC-DC converter in the second battery charger circuit and coupled to the second switch, wherein the second switch is configured to couple the second output voltage to the battery terminal responsive to a second signal from the second DC-DC converter.

9. The power delivery system of claim 8, further comprising a first plurality of switching transistors coupled to one side of a first inductor and the first DC-DC converter, and a second plurality of switching transistors coupled to a second side of the first inductor and the first DC-DC converter.

10. The power delivery system of claim 9, further comprising a third plurality of switching transistors coupled to one side of a second inductor and the second DC-DC converter, and a fourth plurality of switching transistors coupled to a second side of the second inductor and the second DC-DC converter.

11. The power delivery system of claim 8, wherein the first DC-DC converter and the second DC-DC converter are buck-boost converters.

12. The power delivery system of claim 8, wherein the first DC-DC converter comprises at least one of a buck-boost converter, a buck converter, or a boost converter.

13. A method of operation for a multiple input, multiple charger configuration, comprising:

receiving a first input voltage at an input of a first charger;

generating a first output voltage associated with the first input voltage;

receiving a second input voltage at an input of a second charger;

generating a second output voltage associated with the second input voltage;

determining if a first control signal is applied to a first switch coupled to the first charger, and if so, determining if a second control signal is applied to a second switch coupled to the second charger; and

if the second control signal is applied to the second switch, coupling the second output voltage to an output voltage terminal and a battery terminal of the multiple input, multiple charger configuration.

14. The method of claim 13, if the first control signal is not applied to the first switch, coupling the first output voltage to the output voltage terminal of the multiple input, multiple charger configuration.

15. The method of claim 14, if the first control signal is not applied to the first switch, and the second control signal is applied to the second switch, coupling the second output voltage to the battery terminal of the multiple input, multiple charger configuration.

16. The method of claim 15, if the first control signal is applied to the first switch, and the second control signal is not applied to the second switch, coupling the first output voltage to the battery terminal.

17. An electronic system, comprising:

a digital processor;

a peripheral subsystem coupled to the digital processor; and

a power system coupled to the digital processor and circuit components of the peripheral subsystem and configured to generate an output voltage to power the digital processor and the circuit components of the peripheral subsystem, wherein the power system includes;

a first charger configured to receive a first input voltage;

a second charger configured to receive a second input voltage;

a first switching transistor coupled to an output of the first charger, a system voltage output terminal, and a battery terminal configured to connect to at least one of a battery, battery stack or battery cell; and

a second switching transistor coupled to an output of the second charger and the battery terminal.

18. The electronic system of claim 17, wherein the first charger includes at least one of a buck-boost converter or a buck converter formed on an integrated circuit, wafer, chip or die.

19. The electronic system of claim 17, wherein the second battery charger circuit includes at least one of a buck-boost converter, a buck converter or a boost converter formed on an integrated circuit, wafer, chip or die.

20. The electronic system of claim 17, wherein the first battery charger circuit includes a first buck-boost converter, the second battery charger circuit includes a second buck-boost converter, and the first buck-boost converter and the second buck-boost converter are formed on a single integrated circuit or chip.