Hybrid controlling and driving circuit and method thereof

• US 8,588,992 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2011
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) Ltd. (Silergy Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) Ltd. (Silergy Corporation)
• Inventors: Li, Wuhua
• Primary Examiner(s): Padmanabhan, Kavita
• Assistant Examiner(s): Everett, Christopher E
• Application Number:
  US12/932,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20110218692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 700/297
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load

Abstract

Methods, circuits, apparatus, and systems related to a hybrid driving and controlling circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, a hybrid driving and controlling circuit in a double power supply system includes first and second power supplies and at least one load, and the circuit can include: (i) a controller coupled to a hybrid switcher that enables energy transfer from the first and second power supplies; (ii) when a determined energy of the first power supply is sufficient, the controller can control the hybrid switcher to transfer energy from the first power supply to the second power supply; and (iii) when the determined energy of the first power supply is insufficient, the controller can control the hybrid switcher to transfer energy from the second power supply to the at least one load.

Claims

1. A hybrid driving and controlling circuit in a power supply system having first and second power supplies and at least one load, the circuit comprising:

a) a controller coupled to a hybrid switcher that enables energy transfer from said first and second power supplies, wherein said first and second power supplies are connected at a common node, wherein said first power supply comprises a solar panel configured to convert natural light into electrical energy, and wherein said second power supply comprises a battery configured to store energy;

b) when a determined energy of said first power supply is sufficient, said controller being configured to control said hybrid switcher to operate in a buck converter mode to transfer energy from said first power supply to said second power supply;

c) when said determined energy of said first power supply is insufficient, said controller being configured to control said hybrid switcher to operate in a DC/DC flyback converter mode to transfer energy from said second power supply to said at least one load; and

d) an inductive component connected to a first power switch, a second power switch having a parasitic diode that is configured to be used in said buck converter mode, and said second power supply, wherein said second power switch is connected to said common node, and wherein said inductive component and said first and second power switches are shared in both said buck and said DC/DC flyback converter modes of said hybrid switcher.

2. The hybrid driving and controlling circuit of claim 1, wherein said hybrid switcher further comprises a blocking diode that couples said first power supply to said first power switch, said blocking diode having an anode connected to said first power switch.

3. The hybrid driving and controlling circuit of claim 2, wherein said hybrid switcher further comprises:

a) an output diode coupled in series with said inductive component; and

b) an output capacitor coupled in parallel with said at least one load,

c) wherein said output diode and said output capacitor are configured to be used in said DC/DC flyback converter mode.

4. The hybrid driving and controlling circuit of claim 3, wherein said hybrid switcher further comprises a clamp capacitor having a first end connected to said blocking diode and said first power switch, said clamp capacitor having a second end connected to a common negative terminal of said first power supply and said second power supply, said clams capacitor configured to be used in said DC/DC flyback converter mode.

5. The hybrid driving and controlling circuit of claim 1, wherein said first power switch and said second power switch each comprise metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFET) transistors.

6. The hybrid driving and controlling circuit of claim 3, wherein said inductive component is directly connected to an anode of said output diode.

7. The hybrid driving and controlling circuit of claim 1, wherein:

a) said buck converter mode comprises a step-down DC to DC conversion from said first power supply to said second power supply; and

b) said DC/DC flyback converter mode comprises a DC to DC conversion from said second power supply to said at least one load with galvanic isolation by said inductive component.

8. The hybrid driving and controlling circuit of claim 1, wherein said determined energy of said first power supply is sufficient when an output voltage of said first power supply is higher than an output voltage of said second power supply for a predetermined value.

9. A method, comprising:

a) sensing, by said controller, status information for a first power supply and a second power supply, wherein said status information comprises an indication of energy stored in said first power supply, wherein said first and second power supplies are connected at a common node, wherein said first power supply comprises a solar panel configured to convert natural light into electrical energy, and wherein said second power supply comprises a battery configured to store energy;

b) controlling, by a hybrid switcher operating in a buck converter mode, said first power supply to transfer energy to said second power supply if said stored energy in said first power supply is determined to be sufficient; and

c) controlling, by said hybrid switcher operating in a DC/DC flyback converter mode, said second power supply to transfer energy to at least one load if said stored energy in said first power supply is determined to be insufficient, d) wherein a first power switch, a second power switch having a parasitic diode that is configured to be used in said buck converter mode, and an inductive component are shared in both said buck and said DC/DC flyback converter modes of said hybrid switcher, wherein said inductive component is connected to said first and second power switches and said second power supply, and wherein said second power switch is connected to said common node.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising using a clamp capacitor connected to said first power switch to form an active clamp in said DC/DC flyback converter mode.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising using an output diode during said DC/DC flyback converter mode, wherein said inductive component is directly connected to an anode of said output diode.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said determined energy of said first power supply is sufficient when an output voltage of said first power supply is higher than an output voltage of said second power supply for a predetermined value.

13. A double power supply system, comprising:

a) a first power supply comprising a solar panel configured to convert natural light into electrical energy;

b) a second power supply comprising a batterylfitirecy,1 to store energy, wherein said first and second power supplies are connected at a common node;

c) at least one load configured to receive energy from at least one of said first power supply and said second power supply;

d) a hybrid driving and controlling circuit coupled to said first power supply, said second power supply, and said at least one load, wherein said hybrid driving and controlling circuit comprises a hybrid switcher coupled to a controller;

e) when energy stored in said first power supply is determined to be sufficient, said controller is configured to control said hybrid switcher to operate in a buck converter mode to transfer energy from said first power supply to said second power supply;

f) when energy stored in said first power supply is determined to be insufficient, said controller is configured to control said hybrid switcher to operate in a DC/DC flyback converter mode to transfer energy from said second power supply to said at least one load; and

g) an inductive component connected to a first power switch, a second power switch having a parasitic diode that is configured to be used in said buck converter mode, and said second power supply, wherein said second power switch is connected to said common node, and wherein said inductive component and said first and second power switches are shared in both said buck and said DC/DC flyback converter modes of said hybrid switcher.

14. The double power supply system of claim 13, further comprising a clamp capacitor connected to said first power switch, wherein said clamp capacitor is configured to be used to form an active clamp in said DC/DC flyback converter mode.

15. The double power supply system of claim 14, further comprising a blocking diode connected to said first power switch and said clamp capacitor, wherein said blocking diode is configured to be used in said buck converter mode.

16. The double power supply system of claim 13, wherein said determined energy of said first power supply is sufficient when an output voltage of said first power supply is higher than an output voltage of said second power supply for a predetermined value.