Power source inverter circuit

• US 6,879,502 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2003
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ablic Inc. (Minebea Mitsumi, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Utsunomiya, Fumiyasu, Yoshida, Yoshifumi
• Primary Examiner(s): STERRETT, JEFFREY L
• Application Number:
  US10/460,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20040090806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 323/222, 323/271, 323/282, 323/285, 363/59, 363/60, 363/62
• US Class Current: 363/60
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators

Abstract

A power source inverter circuit is provided which, when a feeding unit generates enough electric power, puts a load circuit into operation while storing electric power in a storage unit and, when the power feeding unit stops generating power, efficiently uses up the electric power stored in the storage unit. The power source inverter circuit is composed of: a variable DC—DC converter for raising or dropping a voltage of electric power that is supplied from the power feeding unit; the storage unit; MOSFET switches for connecting the power feeding unit and the storage unit to an input of the variable DC—DC converter and for connecting an output of the variable DC—DC converter to the storage unit and the load circuit; a control circuit for controlling gates of the MOSFET switches; and a voltage detector for monitoring output of the power feeding unit, the voltage of the storage unit, the input voltage of the load circuit, and for outputting voltage information to the variable DC—DC converter as well as to the control circuit.

Claims

1. A power source inverter circuit comprising:

a variable DC—

DC converter for raising or dropping a voltage of electric power which is supplied from power feeding means;

storage means for storing electric power whose voltage has been raised or dropped by the variable DC—

DC converter;

a MOSFET switch for connecting an output of the power feeding means to an input of the variable DC—

DC converter;

a MOSFET switch for connecting an output of the variable DC—

DC converter to an input of the storage means;

a MOSFET switch for connecting the output of the variable DC—

DC converter to an input of a load circuit;

a MOSFET switch for connecting the input of the variable DC—

DC converter to the input of the storage means;

a control circuit for controlling gates of the MOSFET switches; and

a voltage detector for monitoring an output voltage of the power feeding means, a voltage of the storage means, and an input voltage of the load circuit, and for outputting voltage information to the variable DC—

DC converter and to the control circuit.

2. A power source inverter circuit according to claim 1, wherein the variable DC—

DC converter is composed of a switched capacitor type DC—

DC converter and a bypass transistor, the switched capacitor type DC—

DC converter being constituted of four MOSFET transistors and two capacitors, and the bypass transistor having a source terminal connected to an input terminal of the switched capacitor type DC—

DC converter and having a drain terminal connected to a bypass line.

3. A power source inverter circuit according to claim 2, wherein the variable DC—

DC converter has a plurality of blocks each including the switched capacitor DC—

DC converter and the bypass transistor, the blocks being connected through a cascade connection.

4. A power source inverter circuit according to claim 1, wherein the variable DC—

DC converter is composed of a MOSFET transistor, an inductor, a capacitor, and a diode.

5. A power source inverter circuit according to claim 1, wherein the MOSFET switches are each composed of a fully-depleted SOI device.