Method and apparatus for controlling the transfer of electric power to an electronic device supplied by a battery
First Claim
1. A DC-DC voltage down-converter for a first electronic device, the first electronic device supplied by a battery and having a bus interface for interconnection with a second electronic device capable of supplying electric power, the DC-DC voltage down-converter including:
- a terminal adapted to be coupled to a voltage supply line of the bus interface and operable to receive an input current from the second electronic device;
an electric energy storage element coupled between the battery and the terminal, the electric energy storage element being operable to store/release electric energy;
an input current feedback control circuit coupled to the terminal and arranged to monitor a value of the input current and generate a corresponding input current indication related to the value of the input current; and
a drive circuit arranged to increase a rate of energy transfer from the voltage supply line to the electric energy storage element when the value of the input current increases, by controlling the storage/release of the electric energy storage element according to the input current indication, so as to cause electric power generated by the input current supplied by the second electronic device through the voltage supply line to re-charge the battery.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A DC-DC voltage down-converter for an electronic device supplied by a battery and having a bus interface for the interconnection with another electronic device capable of supplying electric power is provided. The DC-DC voltage down-converter includes a terminal coupled to a voltage supply line of the bus interface and operable to receive a input current from the another electronic device. The DC-DC voltage down-converter further includes an electric energy storage element coupled between the battery and the terminal, the electric energy storage element being operable to storage/release electric energy and a drive circuit arranged to control the storage/release of the electric energy storage element, so as to cause an electric power generated by the input current supplied by the another electronic device through the voltage supply line to re-charge the battery. The DC-DC voltage down-converter still further includes a input current feedback control circuit coupled to the terminal and arranged to monitor a value of the input current and generate a corresponding input current indication; the drive circuit configured to control the storage/release of the electric energy storage element according to the input current indication.
11 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A DC-DC voltage down-converter for a first electronic device, the first electronic device supplied by a battery and having a bus interface for interconnection with a second electronic device capable of supplying electric power, the DC-DC voltage down-converter including:
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a terminal adapted to be coupled to a voltage supply line of the bus interface and operable to receive an input current from the second electronic device; an electric energy storage element coupled between the battery and the terminal, the electric energy storage element being operable to store/release electric energy; an input current feedback control circuit coupled to the terminal and arranged to monitor a value of the input current and generate a corresponding input current indication related to the value of the input current; and a drive circuit arranged to increase a rate of energy transfer from the voltage supply line to the electric energy storage element when the value of the input current increases, by controlling the storage/release of the electric energy storage element according to the input current indication, so as to cause electric power generated by the input current supplied by the second electronic device through the voltage supply line to re-charge the battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for controlling a transfer of electric power to a first electronic device supplied by a battery, the electric power being supplied by a second electronic device adapted to be interconnected to the first electronic device through a bus interface, the method comprising:
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receiving an input current from the second electronic device through a voltage supply line of the bus interface; storing/releasing electric energy into/from an electric energy storage element ; monitoring a value of the input current and generating a corresponding input current indication related to the value of the input current; and controlling the storage/release of the electric energy storage element according to the input current indication, so as to cause an electric power generated by the input current supplied by the second electronic device through the voltage supply line to re-charge the battery, wherein controlling the storage/release of the electric energy storage element according to the input current indication comprises increasing a rate of energy transfer from the voltage supply line to the electric energy storage element when the value of the input current increases. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A DC-DC voltage down-converter for a first electronic device, the first electronic device supplied by a battery and having a bus interface for the interconnection with a second electronic device capable of supplying electric power, the DC-DC voltage down-converter including:
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a terminal operable to receive an input current from the second electronic device through a voltage supply line of the bus interface; an electric energy storage element coupled between the battery and the terminal, and operable to store/release electric energy; and a means for controlling the storage/release of the electric energy into/from the electric energy storage element, wherein controlling the storage/release comprises controlling the storage/release according to a value of the input current by increasing a rate of transfer of the electric energy from the voltage supply line to the electric energy storage element when the value of the input current increases. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for controlling a transfer of electric power to a first electronic device supplied by a battery, the electric power being supplied by a second electronic device adapted to be interconnected to the first electronic device through a bus interface, the method comprising:
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monitoring a value of an input current received from the second electronic device through a voltage supply line of the bus interface; generating a corresponding input current indication related to the value of the input current; monitoring a value of a battery current supplied to the battery of the first electronic device; generating a corresponding battery current indication related to the value of the battery current; monitoring a value of a battery supply voltage supplied to the battery of the first electronic device; generating a corresponding battery supply voltage indication related to the value of the battery supply voltage; selecting the input current indication, the battery current indication, or the battery supply voltage indication to control a transfer of electric energy to the battery of the first electronic device through an electric energy storage element; and increasing a charge time of an electric energy storage element, relative to a discharge time of the electric energy storage element, when the input current indication is selected and the value of the input current increases. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for controlling a transfer of electric power to a first electronic device supplied by a battery, the electric power being supplied by a second electronic device adapted to be interconnected to the first electronic device through a bus interface, the method comprising:
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monitoring a value of an input current received from the second electronic device through a voltage supply line of the bus interface; generating a corresponding input current indication related to the value of the input current; monitoring a value of a battery current supplied to the battery of the device; generating a corresponding battery current indication related to the value of the battery current; and controlling a transfer of electric energy from the voltage supply line, through an electric energy storage element, to the battery of the first electronic device based, at least in part, on the input current indication and/or the battery current indication, wherein controlling the transfer of the electric energy comprises increasing a rate of energy transfer from the voltage supply line to the electric energy storage element when the value of the input current increases. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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Specification