Tracking energy consumption using a buck-boosting technique

• US 9,618,545 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2013
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Diewald, Horst, Zipperer, Johann, Weber, Peter, Brauchle, Anton
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Son
• Assistant Examiner(s): Andrews, Brent J
• Application Number:
  US13/940,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20150015233A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 324 7611, 324713, 307151, 307 43
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/18 using inductive devices, e.g. transformers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/127 by using pulse modulation G01R21/133 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and method for tracking energy consumption. An energy tracking system comprises at least one switching element, at least one inductor and a control block to keep the output voltage at a pre-selected level. The switching elements are configured to apply the source of energy to the inductors. The control block compares the output voltage of the energy tracking system to a reference value and controls the switching of the switched elements in order to transfer energy for the primary voltage into a secondary voltage at the output of the energy tracking system. The electronic device further comprises an ON-time and OFF-time generator and an accumulator wherein the control block is coupled to receive a signal from the ON-time and OFF-time generator and generates switching signals for the at least one switching element in the form of ON-time pulses with a constant width ON-time.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising an energy tracking system, the energy tracking system including a buck block, at least one energy transfer block and a control circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to control switching of energy in the at least one energy transfer block in order to transfer energy from a primary voltage applied at an input of the energy tracking system into a secondary voltage at the output of the energy tracking system;

wherein the control circuit includes an ON-time and OFF-time generator, at least one control logic block and an accumulator, wherein the at least one control logic block is configured to receive a signal from the ON-time and OFF-time generator and to generate switching signals for the at least one energy transfer block in the form of constant-width ON-time pulses with a constant width ON-time, and wherein the accumulator is configured to collect the number of constant-width ON-time pulses for determining the consumed energy based on the number of constant-width ON-time pulses per time;

wherein the buck block includes;

a first switching element, the first switching element being connected to an input of the buck block and to the control circuit;

a first inductor having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal is connected to the first switching element and the second terminal is connected to an output of the buck block;

a first diode having a cathode and an anode, wherein the anode is connected to ground and the cathode is connected to the first terminal of the first inductor;

a second switching element, the second switching element being connected to the first terminal of the first inductor, to ground and to the control circuit; and

a capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal being connected to the output of the buck block, and the second terminal of the capacitor being connected to ground;

wherein the at least one energy transfer block includes;

a second inductor having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the second inductor is connected to an input of the at least one energy transfer block;

a third switching element, the third switching element being connected to the control circuit, to the second terminal of the second inductor and to ground;

a second diode having a cathode and an anode, wherein the anode of the second diode is connected to the second terminal of the second inductor and the cathode of the second diode is connected to an output of the at least one energy transfer block;

a fourth switching element, the fourth switching element being connected to the control circuit, to the cathode of the second diode, and to the anode of the second diode.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein a second capacitor is connected to the input of the energy tracking system.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 wherein a third capacitor is connected to the output of the energy tracking system.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein an impedance is connected to the output of the energy tracking system.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one energy transfer block further includes:

a third inductor having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the third inductor is connected to the input of the at least one energy transfer block;

a fifth switching element, the fifth switching element being connected to the control circuit, to the second terminal of the third inductor and to ground;

a third diode having a cathode and an anode, wherein the anode of the third diode is connected to the second terminal of the third inductor and the cathode of the third diode is connected to the output of the at least one energy transfer block;

a sixth switching element, the sixth switching element being connected to the control circuit, to the cathode of the third diode, and to the anode of the third diode.