Power system with power converters having an adaptive controller

• US 7,667,986 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2008
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flextronics International USA Incorporated (Flex, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Flextronics International USA Incorporated (Flex, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Fosler, Ross, Artusi, Daniel A., Rozman, Allen F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhane; Adolf
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehari; Yemane
• Application Number:
  US12/051,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20080232141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 363/21.01, 363/35, 363/37, 363/40, 363/47, 363/41, 363/48, 363/95, 363/97, 363/98, 363/131, 363/132, 363/16, 323/355, 323/362
• US Class Current: 363/16
• 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 1/4225 using a non-isolated boost converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33507 with automatic control of the output voltage or current, e.g. flyback converters H02M3/33561, H02M3/33569 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33592 having a synchronous rectifier circuit or a synchronous freewheeling circuit at the secondary side of an isolation transformer
• 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

Abstract

A power system having a power converter with an adaptive controller. In one embodiment, a power converter coupled to a load includes a power switch configured to conduct for a duty cycle to provide an output characteristic at an output thereof. The power converter also includes a power converter controller configured to receive a signal from the load indicating a system operational state of the load and enable a power converter topological state as a function of the signal.

Claims

1. A power converter coupled to a load, comprising:

a power switch configured to conduct for a duty cycle to provide an output characteristic at an output thereof; and

a power converter controller configured to receive a signal from said load indicating a system operational state of said load and enable a power converter topological state as a function of said signal.

2. The power converter as recited in claim 1 wherein said power converter controller is further configured to provide another signal to control said duty cycle of said power switch as a function of said output characteristic and in accordance with said signal.

3. The power converter as recited in claim 1 wherein said power converter controller is configured to enable said power converter topological state within a transition time from another power converter topological state.

4. The power converter as recited in claim 1 wherein said load is a processor and said system operational state is dependent on one of a core state and a performance state of said processor.

5. The power converter as recited in claim 1 wherein said power converter topological state is selected from the group consisting of:

a fully operational power converter,

a power converter with disabled synchronous rectifiers,

a power converter with disabled power factor control,

a power converter with reduced power factor control, and

a power converter with at least one phase of power factor control disabled.

6. A power system, comprising:

a power system controller configured to provide a signal characterizing a power requirement of a processor system; and

a power converter coupled to said processor system, comprising;

a power switch configured to conduct for a duty cycle to provide an output characteristic at an output thereof, and

a power converter controller configured to receive said signal from said power system controller to enter a power converter topological state dependent on said signal.

7. The power system as recited in claim 6 wherein said power converter controller is further configured to control said duty cycle of said power switch dependent on said output characteristic and in accordance with said signal.

8. The power system as recited in claim 6 wherein said power converter controller is configured to enter said power converter topological state within a transition time from another power converter topological state.

9. The power system as recited in claim 6 wherein said power requirement of said processor system is dependent on one of a core state and a performance state of said processor system.

10. The power system as recited in claim 6 wherein said power converter topological state is selected from the group consisting of:

a fully operational power converter,

a power converter with disabled synchronous rectifiers,

a power converter with disabled power factor control,

a power converter with reduced power factor control, and

a power converter with at least one phase of power factor control disabled.

11. A power system, comprising:

a power system controller configured to enable operation of components of a processor system to establish a state of power drain thereof, said power system controller configured to provide a signal to identify an operation of said processor system in said state of power drain; and

a power converter, coupled to said processor system, comprising a power converter controller configured to receive said signal from said power system controller, to sense a power level of said state of power drain in response to said signal, and to control a power converter topological state as a function of said power level.

12. The power system as recited in claim 11 wherein said power converter further comprises a power switch configured to conduct for a duty cycle to provide an output characteristic at an output thereof, said power converter controller further configured to control said duty cycle of said power switch dependent on said output characteristic and in accordance with said power level.

13. The power system as recited in claim 11 wherein said signal is provided upon startup of said processor system.

14. The power system as recited in claim 11 wherein said power converter controller is configured to control said power converter topological state within a transition time from another power converter topological state.

15. The power system as recited in claim 11 wherein said power converter topological state is selected from the group consisting of:

a fully operational power converter,

a power converter with disabled synchronous rectifiers,

a power converter with disabled power factor control,

a power converter with reduced power factor control, and

a power converter with at least one phase of power factor control disabled.

16. A method of operating a power system, comprising:

enabling operation of components of a processor system to establish a state of power drain thereof;

providing a signal to identify an operation of said processor system in said state of power drain;

sensing a power level of said state of power drain in response to said signal; and

controlling a power converter topological state of a power converter as a function of said power level.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

inducing a power switch of said power converter to conduct for a duty cycle to provide an output characteristic at an output thereof; and

controlling said duty cycle of said power switch dependent on said output characteristic and in accordance with said power level.

18. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein said signal is provided upon startup of said processor system.

19. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein said controlling said power converter topological state occurs within a transition time from another power converter topological state.

20. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein said power converter topological state is selected from the group consisting of:

a fully operational power converter,

a power converter with disabled synchronous rectifiers,

a power converter with disabled power factor control,

a power converter with reduced power factor control, and

a power converter with at least one phase of power factor control disabled.