Auxiliary power supply and user device including the same

• US 9,626,259 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2014
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yong, Hwan-Jin, Park, Jong-Gyu, Park, Kwan-Jong, Yoo, Tae-Hwa, Kim, Min-Ho, Song, Donghyun, Kim, Janghwan, Ko, Young-Goo, Kwon, Hyuck-Sun, Kim, Taek-Sung, Kim, Kwang-Ho, Ahn, Byungjin, Lee, Dongjin, So, Byungse, Oh, Kyoungsub, Seo, Jong-Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): TRUONG, LOAN
• Application Number:
  US14/337,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20150026516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 714 14, 320116, 320166, 365229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/305 in the event of power-supply fluctuations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1441 Resetting or repowering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2015 Redundant power supplies power supply failure G06F1/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/85 Active fault masking without idle spares

Abstract

A user device is provided. The device includes a main power supply, and an auxiliary power supply. The main power supply provides a main power. The auxiliary power supply cuts off the main power according to a power level of the main power supply and provides an auxiliary power upon Sudden Power-Off (SPO).

Claims

1. A solid state drive, comprising:

at least one memory;

a controller configured to control the at least one memory; and

an auxiliary power system configured to provide auxiliary power to the at least one memory,

the auxiliary power system including,

a first one directional device disposed in a sole power path connecting a main power supply to the controller, the first one directional device configured to permit current to flow only in a first direction, the first direction being from the main power supply to the controller,

an auxiliary power source configured to be charged by supplying a power of the main power supply through a charging current path from the main power supply to the auxiliary power source, and

a second one directional device configured to permit current to flow in a second direction along a discharging current path, the second direction being from the auxiliary power source to the controller, and wherein

the charging current path is different from the discharging current path, and

the first one directional device is disposed on the sole power path before the charging current path splits off of the sole power path.

2. The solid state drive of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary power system further includes a current limiter for controlling current flowing from the main power supply to the auxiliary power source through the charging current path.

3. The solid state drive of claim 2, wherein the current limiter is configured to supply a portion of main power output from the first one directional device to charge the auxiliary power source.

4. The solid state drive of claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply line; and

wherein

the first one directional device is connected between the power supply line and the main power supply;

the second one directional device is connected between the power supply line and the auxiliary power source.

5. The solid state drive of claim 4, further comprising:

a first detector configured to detect a sudden power off of the main power supply; and

a second detector configured to detect a power level of the auxiliary power source, wherein the controller is configured to perform at least one memory protection operation using power from the auxiliary power source if the first detector detects the sudden power off, and configured to perform the memory protection operation until the second detector indicates the power level of the auxiliary power source drops below a threshold.

6. A solid state drive, comprising:

a memory system, the memory system including at least one memory;

a first controller configured to control the memory system;

an auxiliary power system configured to provide auxiliary power to at least the memory system, the auxiliary power system including,

a first detector configured to detect a sudden main power off of a main power supply;

an auxiliary power source configured to be charged by supplying a power of the main power supply through a current path from the main power supply to the auxiliary power source;

a second detector configured to detect a power level of the auxiliary power source;

a second controller configured to perform at least one memory protection operation using power from the auxiliary power source if the first detector detects the sudden main power off, and configured to perform the memory protection operation until the second detector indicates the power level of the auxiliary power source drops below a threshold; and

wherein the auxiliary power source is configured to provide auxiliary power before and after the second detector indicates the power level of the auxiliary power source drops below the threshold.

7. The solid state drive of claim 6, wherein the memory protection operation includes copying data from a volatile memory to a non-volatile memory.

8. An auxiliary power system associated with a memory system, comprising:

a first one directional device disposed in a sole power path connecting a main power supply to the memory system, the first one directional device configured to only permit current to flow there through in a first direction, the first direction being from a main power supply to the memory system;

an auxiliary power source configured to be charged by supplying a power of the main power supply through a charging current path from the main power supply to the auxiliary power source; and

a second one directional device configured to only permit current to flow in a second direction through a discharging current path, the second direction being from the auxiliary power source to the memory system, and wherein

the charging current path is different from the discharging current path and

the first one directional device is disposed on the sole power path before the charging current path splits off of the sole power path.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first one directional device and the second one directional device include first and second switches, respectively for permitting current to flow in the first and second directions, respectively.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein each of the first and second switches includes at least one diode.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a current limiter configured to supply a portion of main power output from the first one directional device to charge the auxiliary power source.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a controller configured to supply main power output from the first one directional device and configured to supply auxiliary power output from the second directional device.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a power supply line; and

wherein

the first one directional device is connected between the power supply line and the main power supply;

the second one directional device is connected between the power supply line and the auxiliary power source.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a first detector configured to detect a sudden power off of the main power supply;

a second detector configured to detect a power level of the auxiliary power source;

a controller configured to perform at least one memory protection operation using power from the auxiliary power source if the first detector detects the sudden power off, and configured to perform the memory protection operation until the second detector indicates the power level of the auxiliary power source drops below a threshold.

15. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a sensor configured to sense a power level of the auxiliary power source; and

a controller configured to perform a memory protection operation based on power from the auxiliary power source during a sudden power off of the main power supply, and configured to indicate a power level of the auxiliary power source based on output from the sensor.

16. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a regulator configured to regulate output from the auxiliary power source.

17. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a first detector configured to detect a sudden power off of the main power supply;

a second detector configured to detect a power level of the auxiliary power source;

a controller configured to perform at least one memory protection operation using power from the auxiliary power source if the first detector detects the sudden power off, configured to perform the memory protection operation until the second detector indicates the power level of the auxiliary power source drops below a threshold, and configured to indicate a power level of the auxiliary power source during the sudden power off; and

a regulator configured to regulate output from the auxiliary power source.

18. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a first detector configured to detect a sudden power off of the main power supply;

a second detector configured to detect a power level of the auxiliary power source;

a sensor configured to sense a power level of the auxiliary power source; and

a controller configured to perform at least one memory protection operation using power from the auxiliary power source if the first detector detects the sudden power off, configured to perform the memory protection operation until the second detector indicates the power level of the auxiliary power source drops below a threshold, and configured to indicate a power level of the auxiliary power source during the sudden power off based on output of the sensor; and

a regulator configured to regulate output from the auxiliary power source.

19. A solid state drive, comprising:

at least one memory;

a controller configured to control the at least one memory; and

an auxiliary power system configured to charge an auxiliary power through a first power line and a second power line, and provide the auxiliary power to the at least one memory through the second power line,

the auxiliary power system including,

a first one directional device configured to electrically disconnect the first power line with the second power line according to a level of the first power line, the first power line and the second power line forming part of a sole power path from a main power supply to the controller; and

a second one directional device configured to provide the auxiliary power to the second power line according to a level of the second power line.