Power Supply System

• US 20190319538A1
• Filed: 04/16/2019
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SAS (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SAS (STMicroelectronics NV), STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Druilhe, Francois, Arno, Patrik, Inglese, Alessandro, Carrano, Michele Alessandro
• Granted Patent: US 11,283,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/102 being switching converters H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0045 Converters combining the concepts of switch-mode regulation and linear regulation, e.g. linear pre-regulator to switching converter, linear and switching converter in parallel, same converter or same transistor operating either in linear or switching mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/007 Plural converter units in cascade push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load

Abstract

A power supply system includes a voltage application source, and a switched mode power supply having an output coupled to the voltage application source through a first path and through a second path different from the first path. A first node is coupled to the output of the switched mode power supply, the switched mode power supply being configured to couple the first node to the voltage application source through the first path in a first operating mode and through the second path in a different second operating mode. A digital regulator is coupled to the first node. A digital circuit is coupled to an output of the digital regulator. An analog regulator is coupled to the first node and an analog circuit coupled to an output of the analog regulator.

Claims

1. A power supply system comprising:

a first node configured to be powered by a voltage application source through a switched-mode power supply coupled to the voltage application source, the switched-mode power supply configured to provide an output to the first node at a first output value coupled to the voltage application source and a second output value coupled to a chopped voltage from the voltage application source.

2. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the switched-mode power supply is powered by the voltage application source.

3. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the first node is coupled to an output of the switched-mode power supply by an inductance.

4. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the first node is configured to be powered by a power storage element.

5. The power supply system of claim 4, wherein the power storage element is a capacitor coupled between the first node and a reference potential.

6. The power supply system of claim 1, further comprising digital circuits and analog circuits, wherein the first node is configured to supply power to the digital circuits and the analog circuits.

7. The power supply system of claim 6, wherein the digital circuits comprise a memory and at least one of a logic circuit or a processing unit.

8. The power supply system of claim 6, further comprising a first linear regulator coupled between the digital circuits and the first node.

9. The power supply system of claim 8, further comprising a second linear regulator coupled between the voltage application source and an output node of the first linear regulator.

10. The power supply system of claim 6, wherein the analog circuits comprise a radio wave transmit circuit or a radio wave receive circuit.

11. The power supply system of claim 6, further comprising a third linear regulator coupled between the first node and the analog circuits.

12. The power supply system of claim 1, further comprising a first comparator configured to compare a value of a voltage supplied by the voltage application source with a first threshold.

13. The power supply system of claim 1, further comprising a second comparator configured to compare a voltage on the first node with a second threshold.

14. A method comprising:

executing a first operating mode of a power supply system comprising;

a first node configured to be powered either directly by a voltage application source or through a switched-mode power supply coupled to the voltage application source;

digital circuits and analog circuits, wherein the first node is configured to supply power to the digital circuits and the analog circuits, and wherein the digital circuits comprise a memory and at least one of a logic circuit or a processing unit; and

a first linear regulator coupled between the digital circuits and the first node, wherein, during the first operating mode, the first node is powered by the switched-mode power supply, the first linear regulator is operational, and the memory and the logic circuit are powered.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein during a second operating mode, the first node is powered by a power storage element coupled between the first node and a reference potential, the first linear regulator is not operational, a second linear regulator coupled between the voltage application source and an output node of the first linear regulator is running, and the memory and the logic circuit are powered.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein during a third operating mode, the first node is powered by the power storage element, the first linear regulator is not operational, the second linear regulator is operational, the memory is powered, and the logic circuit is not powered.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising starting the power supply system, the starting of the power supply system comprising a step during which the first node is powered by the voltage application source, followed by a step during which the first node is powered by an output of the switched-mode power supply.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein starting the power supply system comprises:

starting the voltage application source;

launching an initialization of the switched-mode power supply;

when a voltage supplied by the voltage application source is greater than a first threshold, connecting the first node to the voltage application source;

starting the first linear regulator;

when a voltage at an input node of the first linear regulator is greater than a second threshold, starting the digital circuits; and

when the switched-mode power supply is initialized, connecting the first node to an output of the switched-mode power supply.

19. A power supply system comprising:

a voltage application source;

a switched mode power supply having an output coupled to the voltage application source through a first path and through a second path different from the first path;

a first node coupled to the output of the switched mode power supply, the switched mode power supply configured to couple the first node to the voltage application source through the first path in a first operating mode and through the second path in a different second operating mode;

a digital regulator coupled to the first node;

a digital circuit coupled to an output of the digital regulator;

an analog regulator coupled to the first node; and

an analog circuit coupled to an output of the analog regulator.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a comparator coupled between the first node and the digital regulator, wherein the comparator is configured to compare a voltage at the first node with a threshold voltage and based on the comparison start the digital regulator to power the digital circuit.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a first comparator coupled between the voltage application source and the switched mode power supply, wherein the comparator is configured to compare a voltage supplied by the voltage application source with a threshold voltage and based on the comparison start the switched mode power supply.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a linear regulator coupled between the voltage application source and the digital circuit, wherein the digital circuit is configured to be powered through the digital regulator in the first operating mode or the linear regulator in a third operating mode.