Method and apparatus to perform battery charging using a DC-DC converter circuit
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- a converter within an integrated circuit to convert a battery voltage from a battery to an output voltage to power the integrated circuit in a battery-operated mode of operation, when the battery is made available to the integrated circuit, wherein the converter includes a switching transistor circuit to alternately switch transistors to regulate the output voltage in the battery-operated mode of operation and in a battery-charge mode of operation, but the switching transistor circuit is disabled in an external powered mode of operation, when external power is present and the battery is not to be charged; and
a control unit to switch the converter in one of three modes, the battery-operated mode to convert the battery voltage to the output voltage when the external power is not present, the battery-charge mode to employ the external power to generate a current source to charge the battery and maintain the output voltage when the external power is present, and an external powered mode of operation to employ the external power to generate a voltage source to source the output voltage when the external power is present.
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Abstract
A battery converter, which is used to convert battery voltage to an output voltage to power an integrated circuit in a battery-operated mode, is placed into a battery-charge mode to charge the battery when external power source is present to power the integrated circuit and the battery needs charging.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a converter within an integrated circuit to convert a battery voltage from a battery to an output voltage to power the integrated circuit in a battery-operated mode of operation, when the battery is made available to the integrated circuit, wherein the converter includes a switching transistor circuit to alternately switch transistors to regulate the output voltage in the battery-operated mode of operation and in a battery-charge mode of operation, but the switching transistor circuit is disabled in an external powered mode of operation, when external power is present and the battery is not to be charged; and a control unit to switch the converter in one of three modes, the battery-operated mode to convert the battery voltage to the output voltage when the external power is not present, the battery-charge mode to employ the external power to generate a current source to charge the battery and maintain the output voltage when the external power is present, and an external powered mode of operation to employ the external power to generate a voltage source to source the output voltage when the external power is present. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A direct current-direct current (DC-DC) converter, which is also employed as a battery charger, comprising:
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a switching transistor circuit to convert a battery voltage from a battery to an output voltage to power an integrated circuit in a battery-operated mode when the battery is made available to the integrated circuit at a first node, the switching transistor circuit including alternately switching transistors to regulate the output voltage at a second node in the battery-operated mode, the switching transistors also to regulate the output voltage at the second node and to provide charge current to charge the battery in a battery-charge mode when external power from an external source is present; a control unit to control operation of the converter in one of three modes, the battery-operated mode to convert the battery voltage to the output voltage when the external power is not present, the battery-charge mode to employ the external power to generate a current source to charge the battery and maintain the output voltage at the second node when the external power is present, and an external powered mode-to employ the external power to generate a voltage source to source the output voltage at the second node when the external power is present; and an enabling circuit to operate with the control unit to disable the switching transistors in the external powered mode and enable the switching transistors in the battery-operated and battery-charge modes. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An integrated circuit which has an audio system integrated therein, comprising:
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an input interface to receive audio data input; a digital signal processor to receive the audio input and generate processed audio data; an output amplifier to output the processed audio data external to the integrated circuit; and a direct current-direct current (DC-DC) converter, which is also employed as a battery charger, the DC-DC converter comprising; (a) a switching transistor circuit to convert a battery voltage from a battery to an output voltage to power an integrated circuit in a battery-operated mode when the battery is made available to the integrated circuit at a first node, the switching transistor circuit including alternately switching transistors to regulate the output voltage at a second node in the battery-operated mode, the switching transistors also to regulate the output voltage at the second node and to provide charge current to charge the battery in a battery-charge mode when external power from an external source is present; (b) a control unit to control operation of the converter in one of three modes, the battery-operated mode to convert the battery voltage to the output voltage when the external power is not present, the battery-charge mode to employ the external power to generate a current source to charge the battery and maintain the output voltage at the second node when the external power is present, and an external powered mode to employ the external power to generate a voltage source to source the output voltage at the second node when the external power is present; and (c) an enabling circuit to operate with the control unit to disable the switching transistors in the external powered mode and enable the switching transistors in the battery-operated and battery-charge modes. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of employing a direct current-direct current (DC-DC) converter to charge a battery comprising:
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monitoring to determine if external power from a data transfer link is present to power an integrated circuit; providing a DC-DC conversion in a first mode of operation to convert a battery voltage to generate an output voltage to power the integrated circuit, if the external power is not present; utilizing the external power to generate a voltage source to provide the output voltage to power the integrated circuit in a second mode of operation when external power from the data transfer link is present, the second mode of operation disabling circuitry for the DC-DC conversion; and utilizing the external power to generate a current source to power the circuitry for the DC-DC conversion to power the integrated circuit in a third mode of operation and also utilizing the same circuitry for the DC-DC conversion to charge the battery. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification