Dynamically switchable power supply

• US 5,627,412 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 05/06/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Norand Corporation (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Beard, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Bao Q.
• Application Number:
  US08/486,812
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 363/65, 307/82, 307/86, 307/87, 307/55, 307/58, 307/80, 395/750
• US Class Current: 307/82
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0032 Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A power supply system of an electronic system is dynamically switchable upon fluctuating demand for operational power. The power supply is capable of providing multiple voltage values to an electronic system which is capable of utilizing multiple logical voltage values. The power utilized by the electronic system is further controlled by varying the frequency at which the electronic system operates. Power is conserved by operating at a lower voltage and frequency and is optimally utilized upon demand by dynamically switching to operate at higher voltages and frequencies for the duration of the increased power demand. Temporary peak power greater than average operational power may be attained.

Claims

1. A dynamically switchable power supply in an electronic system having varying power requirements, said dynamically switchable power supply comprising:

(a) a central processing unit, said central processing unit capable of operating at a plurality of voltages;

(b) a plurality of voltage converters, said plurality of voltage converters supplying a plurality of operational voltages to said central processing system and to the electronic system;

(c) a frequency synthesizer, said frequency synthesizer providing a timing control signal of multiple variable frequencies to said central processing unit and to the electronic system; and

(d) said central processing unit capable of dynamically switching the supply of operational voltages from said voltage converters and the timing control signal of said frequency synthesizer supplied to said central processing unit and to the electronic system wherein operational voltages and the timing control signals are selected according to the varying power requirements of the electronic system such that power consumption of the electronic system is minimized.

2. The dynamically switchable power supply of claim 1 wherein said central processing unit is capable of operating at 5.0 volts.

3. The dynamically switchable power supply of claim 1 wherein said central processing unit is capable of operating at 3.3 volts.

4. The dynamically switchable power supply of claim 1 wherein said central processing unit is capable of operating at 2.7 volts.

5. The dynamically switchable power supply of claim 1 wherein said plurality of voltage convertors includes a 5.0 volt convertor.

6. The dynamically switchable power supply of claim 1 wherein said plurality of voltage convertors includes a 3.3 volt convertor.

7. The dynamically switchable power supply of claim 1 wherein said plurality of voltage convertors includes a 2.7 volt convertor.

8. The dynamically switchable power supply of claim 1 wherein said switching means is controlled with said central processing unit.

9. The dynamically switchable power supply of claim 1 wherein said switching means is user controlled.

10. The dynamically switchable power supply of claim 1 wherein said switching means is controlled with a fuzzy logic routine.

11. A method of controlling a dynamically switchable power supply in an electronic system comprising:

(a) nominally operating the system at a first operational voltage value and a first operational frequency value whereby the electronic system operates at a first power level;

(b) switching the operational voltage to a second voltage value and the operational frequency to a second frequency value upon a change in the required operational power whereby the electronic system operates at a second power level; and

(c) resetting the operational voltage to the first operational voltage value and the operational frequency to the first operational frequency value whereby the electronic system operates at the first power level.

12. The method of claim 11 further including the step of switching the operational voltage to a third voltage value and the operational frequency to a third frequency value upon a change in the required operational power whereby the electronic system operates at a third power level.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said switching step is controlled by a central processing unit.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said switching step is user controlled.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said switching step is implemented by a fuzzy logic routine.

16. In a portable electronic device having electronic circuits operationally powered from a battery power source, a dynamically switchable power supply comprising:

(a) a battery for providing operational power to the electronic circuits of the portable electronic device;

(b) a first voltage converter operationally powered by said battery, said first voltage converter for providing a first regulated dc supply voltage to the electronic circuits of the portable electronic device;

(c) a second voltage converter operationally powered by said battery, said second voltage converter for providing a second regulated dc supply voltage to the electronic circuits of the portable electronic device; and

(d) means for controlling said first and said second voltage converters wherein said first and said second voltage converters may be dynamically activated or deactivated such that the regulated dc supply voltage provided to the electronic circuits of the portable electronic device may be thereby selected to control the operational power provided by said battery to the electronic circuits of the portable electronic device.

17. The dynamically switchable power supply of claim 16 wherein said controlling means is a central processing unit operatively integrated with the electronic circuits of the portable electronic device.

18. The dynamically switchable power supply of claim 17 wherein said central processing unit is capable of operating from at least two dc supply voltage levels.

19. In a portable electronic device having electronic circuits operationally powered from a battery power source, a dynamically switchable power supply comprising:

(a) a battery for providing operational power to the electronic circuits of the portable electronic device;

(b) a frequency synthesizer for providing a variable driving frequency to the electronic circuits of the portable electronic device; and

(c) means for controlling said frequency synthesizer wherein the variable driving frequency of said frequency synthesizer may be thereby dynamically adjusted to control the operational power provided by said battery to the electronic circuits of the portable electronic device.

20. The dynamically switchable power supply of claim 19 wherein said controlling means is a central processing unit operatively integrated with the electronic circuits of the portable electronic device.

21. The dynamically switchable power supply of claim 20 wherein said central processing unit is capable of operating from at least two dc supply voltage levels.

22. In a portable electronic device having electronic circuits operationally powered from a battery power source, a dynamically switchable power supply comprising:

(a) a battery for providing operational power to the electronic circuits of the portable electronic device;

(b) a first voltage converter operationally powered by said battery, said first voltage converter for providing a first regulated dc supply voltage to the electronic circuits of the portable electronic device;

(c) a second voltage converter operationally powered by said battery, said second voltage converter for providing a second regulated dc supply voltage to the electronic circuits of the portable electronic device;

(d) a frequency synthesizer for providing a variable driving frequency to the electronic circuits of the portable electronic device; and

(e) means for controlling said first and said second voltage converters and said frequency synthesizer wherein said first and said second voltage converters may be dynamically activated or deactivated such that the regulated dc supply voltage provided to the electronic circuits of the portable electronic device may be thereby selected and wherein the variable driving frequency of said frequency synthesizer may be thereby dynamically adjusted to control the operational power provided by said battery to the electronic circuits of the portable electronic device.

23. The dynamically switchable power supply of claim 22 wherein said controlling means is a central processing unit operatively integrated with the electronic circuits of the portable electronic device.

24. The dynamically switchable power supply of claim 23 wherein said central processing unit is capable of operating from at least two dc supply voltage levels.