Power supply system for a packet-switched radio transmitter

• US 6,856,654 B1
• Filed: 06/08/2000
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Schaaff, Carl, Carkner, Steven, Nickerson, Kent, Lowles, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khai
• Application Number:
  US09/589,728
• Time in Patent Office: 1,713 Days
• Field of Search: 375/295, 375/222, 375/241, 375/239, 375/297, 307/31, 307/106, 307/109, 307/125, 307/126, 307/108, 323/282, 323/259, 363/41
• US Class Current: 375/295
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0475 with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion H04B1/0483 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 15/005 Reducing noise, e.g. humm, from the supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2215/063 by smoothing the transmission power envelope

Abstract

An apparatus and method is disclosed which allow a limited energy source (such as a low voltage battery stack or a low current computer auxiliary device power connection) to charge a high performance capacitive device, which in turn powers a low duty-cycle, high power load circuit (such as a packet-switched radio data transmitter).

Claims

1. A method for extending the operational life of a battery device used to provide power to a low-duty cycle load circuit in a portable electronic device comprising the steps of:

providing a capacitance network in the device;

charging the capacitance network with the battery device; and

providing energy to the load circuit, via the capacitance network, during the active portion of the duty cycle of the load.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the charging step comprises the steps of:

powering a voltage regulator by the battery device; and

charging the capacitance network with the voltage regulator.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the voltage regulator is a switching power converter.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the switching power converter is a boost converter.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing energy to the load circuit step comprises the steps of:

powering a voltage regulator by the capacitance network; and

powering the load circuit with said voltage regulator.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the voltage regulator is a switching power converter.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the switching power converter is a boost converter.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the capacitance network has sufficient energy storage capacity to power the load circuit during the active portion of the load circuit'"'"'s duty cycle.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the capacitance network comprises a single super-capacitor.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the capacitance network comprises a plurality of super-capacitors in series.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the capacitance network further comprises a voltage balancing circuit coupled to said plurality of super-capacitors wherein the voltage balancing circuit is operable to cause said plurality of super-capacitors to reach an approximately equalized voltage state.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein voltage balancing circuit comprises a voltage divider network and an op-amp network having an op-amp configured as a voltage follower.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the capacitance network has an ESR that is less than the ESR of the battery device.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the load circuit a transmitter circuit.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the transmitter circuit is an rf transmitter circuit.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the rf transmitter circuit is a packet-switched transmitter circuit.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the battery device is an alkaline battery.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the portable electronic device is a wireless communication device.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the portable electronic device is a two-way pager.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the portable electronic device is a cellular phone.

21. A method for extending the operational life of a battery device used to provide power to a low-duty cycle load circuit in a portable electronic device comprising the steps of:

providing a capacitance network and a voltage regulator wherein the capacitance network comprises a first capacitance component and a second capacitance component;

charging said second capacitive component with the battery device;

powering said voltage regulator with said second capacitance component;

charging said first capacitance component with said voltage regulator; and

providing energy to the load circuit, via the capacitance network, during the active portion of the duty cycle.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said voltage regulator is inactive during the active portion of the duty cycle.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the first capacitance component has a higher capacitance than the second capacitance component.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the portable electronic device is a wireless communication device.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the portable electronic device is a two-way pager.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the portable electronic device is a cellular phone.

27. A power management system for a portable electronic device having a low duty cycle transmitter comprising:

a limited energy source;

a capacitive network coupled to said limited energy source and to the transmitter, said capacitance network comprising a first capacitance component and a second capacitance component; and

a voltage regulator coupled to the capacitive network; and

wherein said limited energy source charges the second capacitive component, said second capacitive component provides energy to said voltage regulator, said voltage regulator charges said first capacitance component, and said capacitive network provides sufficient energy to power the transmitter when the transmitter is actively transmitting.

28. The power management system of claim 27 wherein the limited energy source is an alkaline battery.

29. The power management system of claim 27 wherein the limited energy source is a host computer auxiliary device port.

30. The power management system of claim 27 wherein the limited energy source is a photovoltaic device.

31. The power management system of claim 27 wherein the limited energy source is a solar cell array comprising at least one solar cell.

32. The power management system of claim 27 wherein said first capacitance component and said second capacitance component each comprise at least one super-capacitor.

33. The power management system of claim 27 wherein the voltage regulator is a switching power converter.

34. The power management system of claim 33 wherein the switching power converter is a boost converter.

35. The power management system of claim 33 wherein the switching power converter is a step up/step down converter.

36. The power management system of claim 33 wherein the switching power converter is a step-down converter.

37. The power management system of claim 27 wherein the first capacitance component has a higher capacitance than the second capacitance component.

38. The power management system of claim 27 wherein said voltage regulator is inactive when the transmitter transmits.

39. The power management system of claim 27 wherein the capacitance network has an ESR that is less than the ESR of the limited energy source.

40. The power management system of claim 27 wherein the portable electronic device is a wireless communication device.

41. The power management system of claim 27 wherein the portable electronic device is a two-way pager.

42. The power management system of claim 27 wherein the portable electronic device is a cellular phone.

43. A power management system for a portable electronic device having a low duty cycle transmitter comprising:

a limited energy source;

a capacitive network coupled to said limited energy source; and

a voltage regulator coupled to said capacitive network and to the transmitter; and

wherein said limited energy source charges the capacitive network, said capacitive network provides energy to said voltage regulator, and said voltage regulator provides sufficient energy to power the transmitter when the transmitter is actively transmitting.

44. The power management system of claim 43 wherein said capacitance network comprises a first capacitance component and a second capacitance component.

45. The power management system of claim 44 wherein said capacitance network further comprises a voltage balancing network coupled to said first capacitance component and said second capacitance component wherein the voltage balancing circuit is operable to cause said first capacitance component and said second capacitance component to reach an approximately equalized voltage state.

46. The power management system of claim 45 wherein the voltage balancing circuit comprises a voltage divider network and an op-amp network having an op-amp configured as a voltage follower.

47. The power management system of claim 43 wherein the limited energy source is an alkaline battery.

48. The power management system of claim 43 wherein said capacitance network comprises at least one super-capacitor.

49. The power management system of claim 43 wherein the voltage regulator is a switching power converter.

50. The power management system of claim 49 wherein the switching power converter is a boost converter.

51. The power management system of claim 43 wherein the capacitance network has an ESR that is less than the ESR of the limited energy source.

52. The power management system of claim 43 wherein the portable electronic device is a wireless communication device.

53. The power management system of claim 43 wherein the portable electronic device is a two-way pager.

54. The power management system of claim 43 wherein the portable electronic device is a cellular phone.

55. A power management system for a portable device having a low duty cycle transmitter comprising:

a limited energy source;

a capacitive network coupled to said limited energy source; and

a voltage regulator coupled to said capacitive network and to the transmitter; and

wherein said limited energy source provides energy to said voltage regulator, said voltage regulator charges the capacitive network, and said capacitive network provides sufficient energy to power the transmitter when the transmitter is actively transmitting.

56. The power management system of claim 55 wherein said capacitance network comprises a first capacitance component and a second capacitance component.

57. The power management system of claim 56 wherein said capacitance network further comprises a voltage balancing network coupled to said first capacitance component and said second capacitance component wherein the voltage balancing circuit is operable to cause said first capacitance component and said second capacitance component to reach an approximately equalized voltage state.

58. The power management system of claim 55 wherein the voltage balancing circuit comprises a voltage divider network and an op-amp network having an op-amp configured as a voltage follower.

59. The power management system of claim 55 wherein the limited energy source is an alkaline battery.

60. The power management system of claim 55 wherein said capacitance network comprises at least one super-capacitor.

61. The power management system of claim 55 wherein the voltage regulator is a switching power converter.

62. The power management system of claim 61 wherein the switching power converter is a boost converter.

63. The power management system of claim 55 wherein the capacitance network has an ESR that is less than the ESR of the limited energy source.

64. The power management system of claim 55 wherein the portable electronic device is a wireless communication device.

65. The power management system of claim 55 wherein the portable electronic device is a two-way pager.

66. The power management system of claim 55 wherein the portable electronic device is a cellular phone.