ENERGY REGULATION CIRCUIT AND OPERATION SYSTEM UTILIZING THE SAME

• US 20180039312A1
• Filed: 07/12/2017
• Published: 02/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VIA Labs Incorporated (VIA Technologies)
• Original Assignee: VIA Technologies Incorporated (VIA Technologies)
• Inventors: WANG, Tze-Shiang, CHU, Chih-Wen
• Granted Patent: US 10,496,147 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/56 using semiconductor devices in series with the load as final control devices G05F1/461 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/571 with overvoltage detector
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/122 where hardware performs an I/O function other than control of data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/293 using semiconductor devices only

Abstract

An energy regulation circuit is provided. A first voltage regulator adjusts an input voltage to generate an adjustment voltage. A first energy storage is charged according to the input voltage or the adjustment voltage. A first switch is coupled to the first energy storage. A second energy storage is coupled to the first switch. When the first switch is turned on, the second energy storage is coupled to the first energy storage in parallel. When the first switch is turned off, a second voltage regulator generates an operation voltage according to the voltage stored in the first energy storage. When the first switch is turned on, the second voltage regulator generates the operation voltage according to the voltages stored in the first and second energy storages. A controller operates according to the operation voltage.

Claims

1. An energy regulation circuit comprising:

a first voltage regulator adjusting an input voltage to generate an adjustment voltage;

a first energy accumulator charged according to the input voltage or the adjustment voltage;

a first switch coupled to the first energy accumulator;

a second energy accumulator coupled to the first switch, wherein when the first switch is turned on, the second energy accumulator is connected to the first energy accumulator in parallel;

a second voltage regulator configured to generate an operation voltage according to a voltage stored in the first energy accumulator when the first switch is turned off, and configured to generate the operation voltage according to a sum of the voltage stored in the first energy accumulator and a voltage stored in the second energy accumulator when the first switch is turned on; and

a controller operating according to the operation voltage.

2. The energy regulation circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator is a boost circuit, and the other is a buck circuit.

3. The energy regulation circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a slow start circuit coupled between the first and second energy accumulators, wherein when the first switch is turned on, a current passing into the

4. The energy regulation circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the input voltage is provided by a charger, the controller turns on the first switch, and when the input voltage is not provided by the charger, the controller turns off the first switch.

5. The energy regulation circuit as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

a first resistor coupled between a first node and a second node; and

a second resistor coupled between the second node and a third node, wherein the first energy accumulator is coupled between the first and third nodes.

6. The energy regulation circuit as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

a second switch coupled to the second node;

a first set resistor coupled between the second switch and the third node, wherein when the second switch is turned on, the first set resistor is connected to the second resistor in parallel;

a third switch coupled to the second node; and

a second set resistor coupled between the third switch and the third node, wherein when the third switch is turned on, the second set resistor is connected to the second resistor in parallel.

7. The energy regulation circuit as claimed in claim 6, wherein when the input voltage is equal to a first pre-determined value, the controller turns on the second switch, and when the input voltage is equal to a second pre-determined value, the controller turns on the third switch.

8. The energy regulation circuit as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

a current mirror comprising an input terminal and an output terminal coupled to the second node, wherein when a first reference current passes through the input terminal, the current mirror copies the first reference current to generate a first output current passing through the output terminal, and when a second reference current passes through the input terminal, the current mirror copies the second reference current to generate a second output current passing through the output terminal;

a first set resistor coupled to the input terminal;

a second switch receiving the operation voltage and coupled to the first set resistor, wherein when the second switch is turned on, the first reference current passes through the first set resistor and the input terminal;

a second set resistor coupled to the input terminal; and

a third switch receiving the operation voltage and coupled to the second set resistor, wherein when the third switch is turned on, the second reference current passes through the second set resistor and the input terminal.

9. The energy regulation circuit as claimed in claim 8, wherein when the input voltage is equal to a first pre-determined value, the controller turns on the second switch, and when the input voltage is equal to a second pre-determined value, the controller turns on the third switch.

10. An operation system comprising:

a host device configured to provide a host voltage or receive a charging voltage;

a peripheral device configured to receive the host voltage or provide the charging voltage;

a transmission path coupled between the host device and the peripheral device to transmit the host voltage or the charging voltage; and

an energy regulation circuit coupled between the host device and the peripheral device and comprising;

a first voltage regulator adjusting the charging voltage to generate an adjustment voltage;

a first energy accumulator charged according to the charging voltage or the adjustment voltage;

a first switch coupled to the first energy accumulator;

a second energy accumulator coupled to the first switch, wherein when the first switch is turned on, the second energy accumulator is connected to the first energy accumulator in parallel;

a second voltage regulator configured to generate an operation voltage according to a voltage stored in the first energy accumulator when the first switch is turned off, and configured to generate the operation voltage according to a sum of the voltage stored in the first energy accumulator and a voltage stored in the second energy accumulator when the first switch is turned on; and

a controller operating according to the operation voltage.

11. The operation system as claimed in claim 10, wherein one of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator is a boost circuit, and the other is a buck circuit.

12. The operation system as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a slow start circuit coupled between the first and second energy accumulators, wherein when the first switch is turned on, a current passing into the second energy accumulator is increased.

13. The operation system as claimed in claim 10, wherein when the charging voltage is provided by a charger, the controller turns on the first switch, and when the charging voltage is not provided by the charger, the controller turns off the first switch.

14. The operation system as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

a first resistor coupled between a first node and a second node; and

a second resistor coupled between the second node and a third node, wherein the

15. The operation system as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

a second switch coupled to the second node;

a first set resistor coupled between the second switch and the third node, wherein when the second switch is turned on, the first set resistor is connected to the second resistor in parallel;

a third switch coupled to the second node; and

a second set resistor coupled between the third switch and the third node, wherein when the third switch is turned on, the second set resistor is connected to the second resistor in parallel.

16. The operation system as claimed in claim 15, wherein when the charging voltage is equal to a first pre-determined value, the controller turns on the second switch, and when the charging voltage is equal to a second pre-determined value, the controller turns on the third switch.

17. The operation system as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

a current mirror comprising an input terminal and an output terminal coupled to the second node, wherein when a first reference current passes through the input terminal, the current mirror copies the first reference current to generate a first output current passing through the output terminal, and when a second reference current passes through the input terminal, the current mirror copies the second reference current to generate a second output current passing through the output terminal;

a first set resistor coupled to the input terminal;

a second switch receiving the operation voltage and coupled to the first set resistor, wherein when the second switch is turned on, the first reference current passes through the first set resistor and the input terminal;

a second set resistor coupled to the input terminal; and

a third switch receiving the operation voltage and coupled to the second set resistor, wherein when the third switch is turned on, the second reference current passes through the second set resistor and the input terminal.

18. The operation system as claimed in claim 17, wherein when the charging voltage is equal to a first pre-determined value, the controller turns on the second switch, and when the charging voltage is equal to a second pre-determined value, the controller turns on the third switch.